Birmingham City face one problem that Ipswich didn't have two years ago
Birmingham City want to add their name to the short list of clubs that have achieved back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League.
Blues appointed Chris Davies to go on 'a journey' with them last summer and recruited such quality that their stay in League One was only ever going to be a short one.
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Now that Blues are back in the Championship, the ultimate aim is to do what Ipswich Town did in 2024 by going all the way from League One to the Premier League in successive seasons.
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The Tractor Boys joined Watford, Norwich City and Southampton to become the fourth team to achieve that feat since the formation of the Premier League.
Blues made light work of their first promotion, with an EFL-record 111 points, but can they emulate Ipswich?
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While there are stacks of similarities between the two teams, not least the playing style and the fact Blues already have an XI in place to hit the ground running in August, there is one major difference.
Ipswich were able to travel under the radar to begin with, whereas Blues won't be afforded that luxury due to their record-breaking season and their transfer spend last summer, not to mention the £3 billion Sports Quarter that is bubbling away in the background.
Ipswich supporter and EFL vlogger Benjamin Bloom told the Keep Right On Podcast: 'The one thing that Ipswich had that Birmingham City categorically will not is the whole world and his mother can see Birmingham coming. No one really saw Ipswich coming.
'You said the stat, 12 wins in 14 – even me as an Ipswich fan, I'm saying 'OK, if we can ride this out we might get in the play-offs here'. No one saw it riding out to 96 points.
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'From day one, everybody is expecting Birmingham to have a good season. Everyone is going, 'OK, three year-one parachute payment teams, plus Sheffield United…'
'Who is the next team they mention? It's not Middlesbrough, it's not Norwich, it's not West Brom, it's not Watford, it's Birmingham.'
Will Blues secure back-to-back promotions? Have your say HERE
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