Birmingham City was relegated to England’s third tier on Saturday, ending their stint in the Championship, England’s second division since 1995. The team, partially owned by NFL legend Tom Brady, was one of three teams that were demoted from the Championship on the same day. Despite winning 1-0 against Norwich in their final game, Birmingham City needed help from other matches to avoid relegation. Unfortunately, with Plymouth, Sheffield Wednesday and Blackburn winning their respective games, Birmingham City was unable to avoid being sent down.
Joining Birmingham City in League One next season will be Rotherham and Huddersfield Town. This marked the end of a tumultuous season for Birmingham’s American ownership, which saw them go through three head coaches including Wayne Rooney, a Manchester United and England legend. John Eustace was replaced by Rooney in October when the team was in sixth place out of 24 teams. Eustace eventually moved on to Blackburn helping them secure their Championship status for another season.
Tom Brady became part of Birmingham City’s ownership group last August through his partnership with the club’s holding company Knighthead Capital Management. Club chairman Tom Wagner expressed excitement about bringing Brady’s winning mentality to the team stating that it signaled a commitment to excellence. Although he wasn’t present at St Andrew’s on Saturday due to prior commitments in Miami and Los Angeles, Brady remains committed towards elevating the stature of Birmingham City through his ownership stake in the club.
