Ipswich Town host Birmingham City at Portman Road today (3pm) looking for a fourth straight win. Mark Heath takes a closer look at the other Blues...
Story so far
Birmingham's season has been a tumultuous and testing tale.
They entered the campaign riding a wave of good feeling and momentum, with new American owners backing the club and NFL icon Tom Brady part of that investment group.
Brady, the greatest winner in the history of American football, was even pictured cheering the team on from the stands and chatting with locals in pubs pre-game.
They started superbly, winning three of their first four games - including a 1-0 victory over Leeds United - and looking for all the world like a proper promotion push was on the cards.
But then, at the start of October, with the club sixth in the table after a 3-1 win over West Brom, boss John Eustace was sensationally sacked.
Bizarrely, the club's owners said they wanted to implement 'a winning mentality and a culture of ambition across the entire football club.'
What they actually meant, of course, was that Eustace wasn't a big enough name for their global brand.
A few days later, a huge name was duly appointed, in the shape of Wayne Rooney.
Fans were not happy though, and Rooney suffered the ignominy of being booed off in his first home game, a 2-0 defeat by Hull City.
His second home game saw the Blues host Town and surge into a 2-0 lead, but they were pegged back to 2-2 and Rooney's regime duly failed to take flight, ending with a 3-0 defeat at Leeds on New Year' Day.
He lasted just 15 games, winning only two, and was sacked with Birmingham in 20th position.
Town legend Tony Mowbray was hired on January 8, and has started to turn the tide, culminating in the club's first two-game winning streak since October - beating Blackburn and Sunderland - as they arrive in Suffolk.
Mogga's missing
Mowbray would have been guaranteed a warm welcome at Portman Road today, given his Town links.
But he revealed earlier this week that he'll be stepping away from the touchlines for six to eight weeks to have treatment for a medical condition.
A statement said: "Following my recent LMA Health Assessment I have received a medical diagnosis that will require me to receive treatment.
"Undergoing treatment will necessitate that I temporarily step away from the technical area as manager of Birmingham City Football Club.
"Until I return, my assistant manager, Mark Venus, will take temporary charge of the team, supported by coaches Ashley Cole, Pete Shuttleworth and Maik Taylor. I will continue to provide advice and counsel while undergoing treatment.
“The club has been incredibly supportive of me and my family and we are very grateful. I know that everyone will be respectful of our privacy at this time.”
Speaking to the media yesterday, Venus - who spent six years at Town and was also part of that famed 2000 promotion-winning team - said of Mowbray: "I think he’s OK.
“I just want to say on behalf of him, he’s had an incredible response to stepping away, the wishes from everyone inside and outside football has been amazing.”
While he won't be on the sidelines, Mowbray is continuing to watch training and games, and will advise Venus from afar.
Venus on the Blues
Birmingham's assistant boss is certainly looking forward to bringing his Blues to face Town at Portman Road.
Of Town's season so far, he said: "I would like us to be Ipswich in a period of time
“I think they’ve had an amazing season, they have done so well to hang onto the coat-tails of the three relegated teams.
"They have got a really good young coach and the whole town is behind the football club.
“Another one I’ve got links with. I have a lot of affection for the football club. I think I got my best years in football from Ipswich.”
Another familiar face
On top of Mowbray and Venus, Birmingham have another strong Town link as they head to Suffolk.
That's midfielder Andre Dozzell, who scored on his Town debut at the age of 16 and is currently on loan at the club from QPR, for whom he played at Portman Road in a 0-0 draw in December.
He's made a good start to life at St Andrew's, starting the last four games as one of the two deep midfielders in their 4-2-3-1 system.
He scored in the 1-0 win over Blackburn Rovers and was man of the match in their most recent game, a 2-1 win over Sunderland.
Venus, who was a strong advocate for signing the 24-year-old, said: "He has definitely been the footballer that I thought he was.
"Everyone can see the footballer that he is. He is a good technical player, I think he suits the way we try to play the game, and he has a lot of potential.
"We are trying to maximise that out of him really, he is doing fine.”
Ones to watch
On-loan striker Jay Stansfield impressed in the previous meeting between these two sides and subsequently became a Town transfer target in the January window.
The Fulham hitman stayed with Birmingham though and leads the team with nine goals this season. He will lead the line today.
Juninho Bacuna and Jordan James both have seven strikes each.
Bacuna leads the team with five assists, but keep an eye on Koji Miyoshi too - he's bagged five goals, including the winner against Sunderland, and laid on four assists.
He'll likely play wide on the right today.
Potential starting XI (4-2-3-1): Ruddy; Drameh, Roberts, Bielik, Laird; Dozzell, Paik Seung-ho; Miyoshi, Roberts, James; Stansfield
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