Jay Stansfield unhappy at Birmingham City? Duo can't be happy 'with what's going on' at St Andrew's | OneFootball

FLW's Blues fan pundit has claimed two players may currently be dissatisfied at St. Andrew's

Birmingham City's return to the Championship in 2025/26 has been one of inconsistency, and, as a result, frustration, due to the newfound expectation levels set at St. Andrew's @ Knighthead Park.

Chris Davies is approaching two years in charge of Blues, having been appointed as manager by Knighthead Capital Management in June 2024. It's fair to say that quite a lot has happened in B9 during that particular timeframe.

In what is the 40-year-old's first managerial role, he was able to oversee a record-breaking first campaign at St. Andrew's as Birmingham won the League One title at a 19-point canter whilst breaking club and divisional spending records on route to the EFL's all-time high accumulation of 111 points.

With the club set to move into its new 62,000-seater Powerhouse stadium as part of the multi-billion Sports Quarter development project in East Birmingham in 2030, owner, Tom Wagner, has constantly set out his vision of making Blues a Premier League side again for the first time since 2011.

Although a season of consolidation in the Championship would normally be accepted, Bluenoses have become increasingly frustrated in the past week after seeing their chances of a play-off spot slip away due to below-par performances.

As such, all doesn't fully appear well on the surface after what was a largely positive beginning to 2026 which included a seven-game unbeaten streak and an extremely active winter transfer window, during which six new players were recruited.

With that in mind, Football League World quizzed our Birmingham City fan pundit, Jason Moore, on which players he believes are likely to be 'unhappy' with their current situation at the club.

Jay Stansfield and James Beadle namedropped in 'unhappy' Birmingham City player claim

Speaking to FLW, Moore highlighted two players in particular at different ends of the pitch in the form of Brighton and Hove Albion loanee and goalkeeper, James Beadle, and club-record signing, Jay Stansfield.

Beadle has endured a mixed season with Blues after joining on loan from the Seagulls, initially having to bide his time before replacing Ryan Allsop as the mainstay between the sticks for Davies for the majority of the season.

This is the 21-year-old's third Championship loan stint, having previously spent the best part of 15 months with Sheffield Wednesday, and Moore believes he will be unhappy due to the criticism which has often come his way as a result of playing out from the back.

"I don't think James Beadle's going to be too happy because of the amount of stick he gets from Blues fans," said Moore.

"I can't imagine he's too happy with Chris Davies constantly making him play out from the back when it's clearly not 'his game'.

"I'd be very surprised if he's OK with everything that's going on. Another player I think that's not happy is Jay Stansfield, because he gets pelters left, right and centre," he added.

"He gets it from every single fanbase, and now he's getting it from his own fans because he's simply not been good enough since we beat Norwich at home (4-1 on November 22nd). He's been really poor.

"Some of the stick is a little bit unwarranted. But, I suppose that's what you get as the 'poster boy' of the 'project'.

"I'd say neither Beadle nor Stansfield will be happy with what's going on, but it is what it is when you're a professional footballer."

Jay Stansfield has been the subject of long-term criticism despite current Birmingham City woes

As Moore alluded to, Stansfield has often been the subject of criticism, mainly down to the transfer fee which Blues parted with to sign the striker on a seven-year contract in August 2024.

After scoring 12 Championship goals during his loan stint when Birmingham were relegated just months before his permanent switch, much was expected of the England Under-21 international this term, but he has only scored once since the aforementioned rout over the Canaries.

However, he and Beadle still have plenty of learning to do in their careers, and they will hope that, in the long run, the current frustrations will serve them well when it comes to handling situations with experience.