West Brom verdict issued on Birmingham City's new stadium - "careful they don't end up with an MK Dons situation" | OneFootball

FLW's West Brom fan pundit gives his opinion on rivals Birmingham City's new stadium plans and the prospect of Black County Derby's there

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Birmingham City have lifted the curtain on the first images of their brand-new stadium and it’s fair to say this is no small project.

The idea first surfaced back in April 2024 when the club snapped up the 48-acre former Birmingham Wheels site, and now, nearly a year and a half later, the first look at what the future could hold for the Blues has been released.

Branded the Birmingham City Powerhouse until naming rights are agreed, the stadium sits at the centre of a multi-billion-pound redevelopment, with a jaw-dropping 62,000-seat capacity, and a design which can be seen from up to 40 miles away.

As for when these images can be turned into a reality, Birmingham have set the target for the doors open in the 2030–31 season. And for club owner, Tom Wagner, he certainly has big plans in the Black County as he believes the site could generate as much as £750 million a year once fully up and running.

So with a stadium so massive and ambitious, Blues fans will certainly look forward to what the next decade can hold for their history. But from a Baggies fans' perspective, Football League World's West Brom fan pundit, Callum, will be looking forward to beating the Blues in their new backyard.

West Brom verdict issued on Birmingham City's new stadium plans - "they've got to be careful"

Since taking the reins at Birmingham City in July 2023, Wagner has made it clear of the ambitions he had for the club's future, and after rapid progress by smashing the League One points tally last year on the pitch, the hard work behind-the-scenes when it comes to the development of their new stadium has now come to fruition.

For Football League World's West Brom fan pundit, Callum, he acknowledges the impressive steps that the club are taking in setting themselves up for the years ahead. However, he believes that their rivals have "got to be careful" otherwise they could end up getting too big for their boots as seen before with other EFL clubs.

Callum said: " There's definitely a lot to take in looking at the first images of what they hope their ground will look like, but I'm not entirely sure what's going on with those pillars."

"With the estimated capacity that they're going for, I think their owners are definitely getting a bit ahead of themselves."

"It's all well and good and great for their club, showing lots of ambition, but with the high capacity they're going for, they've got to be careful they don't end up with an MK Dons situation where they've got a ground much bigger than what they're going to average with their turnouts, with their fan base."

"I think definitely in the future, hopefully Albion will go on to win a few games there, but obviously we need to get our own stuff in shape very soon."

"Hopefully, the difference between our owners and theirs is, I think Shilen Patel's been very sensible. He knows what he's got himself in for whilst, of course, Birmingham City have made a few questionable decisions going from when we first came in, sacking John Eustace, and ultimately getting the club relegated."

"They do seem that they are turning themselves around to try and establish them as a championship club again, but I think that we should be focused on the now rather than the future and getting ahead of themselves with their pipe dreams."

Black County Derbies are on the horizon at the Birmingham City Powerhouse

While the blueprints, budgets and bold ambitions will ultimately dominate many fans' way of thinking when it comes to Birmingham City's new stadium, one angle that’s impossible to ignore is what the new stadium could mean for the rivalry between West Brom and the Blues.

A 62,000-seat fortress for a side currently residing in the Championship, maybe even the Premier League, by the time it is completed, sets the stage for some truly fiery Black Country clashes in the years to come.

If both clubs find themselves competing in the same division by the time the Powerhouse opens its doors, those derby days could give the fixture a whole different meaning with more energy, louder crowds and a bigger stage. It will surely raise the stakes even higher than what they already are for who takes the bragging rights.

For Blues fans, it’s a chance to enter a new era and foster a real home advantage. Whereas, for Albion supporters, it’s an opportunity to spoil the party on enemy territory. One thing’s for sure is that if this stadium becomes what Birmingham have set out for it to be, then the fixtures between these two rivals will become those that cannot be missed.