Steve Bruce has backed Birmingham City to win League One by ‘15 or 20 points’ – despite his Blackpool team achieving the rare feat of avoiding defeat at St Andrew’s.
Blackpool became just the third League One side to take a point at Blues this season after Chris Davies’ team produced a below-par performance in their final match of 2024. Blues lead second-placed Wrexham by a point and have two games-in-hand going into the New Year.
Ex-Blues manager Bruce commented: “I said it at the start of the season, I wouldn’t be surprised if they win it by 15 or 20 points. I’m delighted for the club. I spent nine years here in a career of 40-odd years and I had really enjoyable times here.
“I’m pleased there’s a decent board and you can see that by the way the ground is. It can only go one way and I’m very, very pleased it’s about to take off.
“You just have to walk into the ground and see the new seats. Let’s be fair, the place was falling to bits wasn’t it? Fair play to the people who’ve invested.”
Blues had their customary 67 percent possession but it was Blackpool who created the better chances in the game. Kyle Joseph and Ashley Fletcher were denied by Ryan Allsop and the former hit the post in the second half.
It was a rare occasion where a visiting team tried to take the game to Blues at St Andrew’s rather than sit in a low block and invite pressure.
“I haven’t seen many of the games,” added Bruce. “When I saw 850 passes against Burton, it tells its own story, but it’s always the way I’ve wanted to play. I managed here for seven years and that’s the way we played and I’m not going to change now am I.
“They are such a good team that people are frightened that if they go up against them, leave wide open spaces, they will get badly beaten. I can understand it, I’ve done it for many years, but we decided to have a go at them.”
