Punters Back Birmingham to be Promoted

Oddschecker.com is seeing 70% of punters backing Birmingham to be promoted, but it won’t be an easy task.

Birmingham had been third-bottom of the Championship table heading into a two-week international.

53-year-old Steve Cotterill was appointed on Friday to steer this club in the right direction, replacing Harry Redknapp on a two-and-a-half-year contract.

"For this club the Premier League is everything. It is a Premier League club," he said. "The people who work here are Premier League. We have Premier League supporters and a Premier League fanbase. And we have to make sure we do our best to get back up there.

"But that is a long-term plan. The short-term plan is to get away from a relegation zone. There has to be a short-term plan for every long-term plan. My priority is to get on the training ground with the players. That is where I want to be.

"I want to get to know the lads. I only had about a month with them last season. It takes a long time to get the ingredients for a person and work out what makes them tick.

"They will have a manager who will be strong, but a manager who will be strongly behind them."

Oddschecker.com Spokesman George Elek: “The Jekyll and Hyde nature of punters with Birmingham has taken another turn. Steve Cotterill is no stranger to promotion and won League One at a canter with Bristol City a few years ago. He’s off and running at St Andrews and did it in style against leaders Cardiff. Punters have been quick to jump back on the promotion train, although it’s more of a rollercoaster at present!”

- Alistair Prescott, Gambling911.com