Chris Davies has stated that Ethan Laird is unlikely to play again for Birmingham City until at least February of next year, in a further blow for the Second City team.
The former Manchester United player is currently out with a hamstring injury, having last appeared in a 3-0 loss to league leaders Coventry City on September 27.
The full-back nearly played an hour in the defeat to the Sky Blues before being forced to leave due to an injury that will cost him several months of his career.
Laird appeared in each of the Blues’ first seven Championship games this season, including four starts, and provided one assist. Davies’ team has improved in recent weeks, recovering from a slow start to the season to win three straight home games – scoring four goals in each – and hopes of a new promotion push are alive once more.
However, Laird’s absence will be felt despite Tomoki Iwata’s strong recent performances after being switched to right-back from his preferred central midfield position, and Davies has also provided updates on Lee Buchanan and Scott Wright, who are all now out.
Birmingham City receive a triple injury update – Ethan Laird blow disclosed.
Despite initial optimism that Laird could return to training as early as January, Davies has informed that he is unlikely to do so until at least February.
However, he believes Wright, who has been out for nine months, will be able to return to the team around the new year, and that Buchanan, who has missed the entire year of 2025 due to a knee injury, would not be far behind.
“Scott is a bit ahead of Lee,” Davies told Birmingham Live.
“Scott will be doing very light training with the squad again in the coming weeks, which is fantastic news.
“He has worked incredibly hard. He has been away for nine months, beginning on February 22 against Reading, and it has been a difficult trip for him.
“He’s in the final stages of rehabilitation and will resume light training, but we don’t expect him to play competitively until the New Year because there are many steps to go.
“Lee is a tad behind schedule.
“Ethan is much behind.
I believe it is February when he is expected to rejoin the team.”
Birmingham will be hoping that all three of these players can recover as quickly as possible in order to bolster the first-team squad.
In their first season back in the Championship, Davies’ squad hopes to push for promotion this year.
The Blues won League One last season with a commanding 111 points.
Birmingham face the task of seven games in December, so having as many squad members available as possible could be critical to continuing a great run of form heading into 2026.
The loss of Ethan Laird is a blow for Birmingham City.
Laird has shown to be a crucial member of Birmingham’s first-team squad over the last year or so, so his absence now is a significant setback to the team.
Given that he won’t be back until at least February, the club may reconsider their alternatives in the January market.
Laird was offering versatility by playing on both flanks, and the team is currently short of full-backs.
If Buchanan can return in the new year and hit the ground running, it will compensate for Laird’s absence, but he will undoubtedly take some time to catch up due to the severity of his injury.
xz
