Birmingham City failed to sustain a promotion challenge in their first season back in the Championship.

Chris Davies led the Blues to promotion from League One in 2025 with a record-breaking 111 points.

In their first season back in the second tier, the Midlands club hoped to finish in the top six, but they finished 10th.

The head coach faced mounting pressure in the last stages of the season, but he remains in charge as plans for the forthcoming transfer window are concluded.

Owners Knighthead Capital, lead by Tom Wagner, will be looking for an improvement in the team at the start of next season, with their sights set on returning the club to the Premier League.

Birmingham were nine points behind the play-off places, but they finished the season on a high note with a four-game unbeaten streak.

Gareth Barry makes Chris Davies’ pressure allegations.

Gareth Barry, a former Aston Villa player, claims Davies will be under pressure to make a good start to next season or risk losing his position.

Although fans have been patient with the project so far, the 41-year-old expects the owners to demand a promotion push next year, putting further pressure on him after a challenging first season back in the Championship.Barry, who lives in the vicinity, stated that Birmingham fans are excited (via Birmingham Live).

They appear patient, to be fair.Although there were hopes for a play-off spot, the club appears to be content with its current trajectory.”They’ve seen the plans from the new owners, and doing well on the pitch helps with everything else.”You can benefit financially as well.They’re going to make a huge decision with the manager, Chris Davies.

“It was his first year in the Championship, so you can’t expect too much despite dominating League One.”There will be a little more pressure next year, but I believe they will be hoping to get much closer to the playoffs.”

Davies was hired in the summer of 2024, following Birmingham’s relegation from the Championship.

He had served as a coach under Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham Hotspur and Celtic before taking on his first head coaching post at St. Andrew’s.

The 41-year-old received a lot of praise for his performance in his first season with the Blues, but his position was threatened at many occasions this season.

Davies stays in control for the time being, as the club prepares for the summer ahead.

Wagner will be eager to enhance the squad, as Birmingham want to return to the Premier League for the first time since 2011.

The play-offs have been enlarged to include the top eight teams for the following season, which will improve their prospects of remaining in top division football.

The transfer window will start on June 15, and the club’s opening match opponent will be announced on June 25.

Chris Davies can’t afford a slow start to the following season.

There were several times this year when it appeared that Davies’ tenure was nearing to an end, but he has persevered to this far, and it appears that he will be in charge next season.Given Wagner’s degree of dedication since taking over the club, additional investment in the first-team squad is likely this summer.

However, if the club gets off to a slow start, Davies may struggle to hold on, since a change in the dugout is almost certain.

While he has performed admirably at Birmingham, the owners’ investment requires them to see solid returns fast in order to maximise their return.