Karen Carney, a Birmingham City supporter and former England Lioness, has reacted to the news that the Blues’ women’s squad has been sold to Shelby Companies Limited, an associate of the club’s owning group, Knighthead Capital Management.

Such action has been taken to ensure that the Championship club remains on the right side of the tight and well-documented regulations governing profitability and sustainability (PSR), as owner Tom Wagner appears to be the man to lead the club’s men’s team back to the Premier League for the first time since May 2011.

Knighthead has invested extensively in the men’s, women’s, and academy setups at St. Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park since their initial 45.98 percent buyout of the West Midlands team in July 2023, followed by a full acquisition of the club in November 2025.

Wagner is currently taking a break from his day-to-day duties as the face of Knighthead’s ownership of Blues after suffering a stroke, with supporters demonstrating their reciprocated love for the American with two classy tributes during Sunday afternoon’s FA Cup tie with Leeds United, which Chris Davies’ side eventually lost 4-2 on penalties after leading their Premier League opponents all the way through normal time and extra-time.

The Blues’ women’s squad returns to FA Cup action on Saturday, hosting Chatham Town at St. Andrew’s at 4:30PM, while Davies’ side will look to secure a critical victory in their promotion bid against a resurgent Norwich City side at Carrow Road.

With the women’s game looking to expand after Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses won consecutive UEFA European Championships, followed by a FIFA World Cup final appearance in August 2023, Carney has welcomed the change at her beloved Blues, as she becomes one of many independent investors taking up the final three percent of the aforementioned transaction.

Karen Carney reacts to a crucial off-field Birmingham City decision.

Carney spent two spells with the Blues’ women’s team during her remarkable career, which included her hometown side winning the FA Cup in 2012 and being put into the club’s hall of fame three years later.

Following the off-pitch move, the Hall Green native and 144-time international will be joined by former World Tennis Association number one Kim Clijsters as an independent investor, though no immediate staffing or leadership changes are planned.

The Blues women’s team currently trains alongside the men’s academy at the Knighthead Performance Centre in Wast Hills, but they will soon join the men’s first-team at a new training facility as part of the multibillion-pound Sports Quarter development, which also includes the 62,000-seater Powerhouse stadium.

Carney took to Instagram to react to the news, saying, “Birmingham City has and will always be in my heart.” This club has meant the world to me since I was a child, which is why I am so proud to be an investment in @bcfcwomen.

https://www.instagram.com/kazcarney/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=11a69e87-f2fa-43bb-b786-ab904e0194cc

“I am so proud to have played for and captained the club, and to now be a part of this journey is something I could have only dreamed of as a little girl.

“”Our goal is for the women’s team to compete at the highest levels, and we will do everything we can to help the club achieve that,” she continued.We all want to advance women’s sport in Birmingham by inspiring the next generation and building on the history established at BCWFC, and we’re excited to see what we can accomplish together. KRO.”

Birmingham City’s men’s and women’s teams will seek to compete simultaneously at the highest level.

Birmingham’s men’s and women’s first teams may still compete in the Premier League and Women’s Super League next season.

Davies’ side is currently in the midst of a thrilling battle for the Championship play-offs, having followed up significant investment in the transfer window with a six-game unbeaten run in the league following promotion as record-breaking League One winners.

Amy Merricks’ team, meanwhile, is presently second in the WSL 2 after 15 games, with an expansion of the WSL beginning next season ensuring that the top two will be promoted.

After missing out on promotion last season after a 2-2 draw in a season-defining encounter against the London City Lionesses, the Blues’ women sit eight points behind leaders Charlton Athletic, but only one point and one spot clear of Crystal Palace, who defeated them 3-1 at St. Andrew’s on Monday night.