Exclusive: Lee Hendrie reacts to big Birmingham City new stadium update - 'I find this a difficult one' | OneFootball

Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie has given his thoughts on Birmingham City's recent stadium announcement.

Birmingham City have been operating in a different stratosphere when compared to the club's fortunes since their Premier League relegation in 2011.

After years of relegation scraps, ownership struggles, and lacklustre football, the Blues are showing serious ambition under their American ownership, who took charge of the club in 2023 shortly before their relegation to League One.

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However, the club has returned to the Championship as a different beast, and the ambition is not stopping there, with Birmingham revealing plans for their brand-new 62,000 seater Birmingham Powerhouse Stadium.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie has given his thoughts on a move away from St Andrew's and the impact that it can have on a club moving forward.

"To some extent" - Lee Hendrie drops claim on Birmingham City move

"I find this a difficult one," Hendrie told FLW when asked whether the Blues will lose an edge by leaving St Andrew's.

"Changing stadium, like Birmingham City, with the history that lies beneath - it is not necessarily about being successful. It is memories of big games and players, with the likes of Trevor Francis and lots of big names that have been there and had success."

Replacing the old Muntz Street Ground, St Andrew's opened in 1906 and has been Birmingham City's home ever since. And while the argument can be made that the Blues will lose an iconic part of their history, Hendrie admits that the move will be a positive step forward for the club.

"St Andrew's has been a fortress over the years. To some extent, there is a negative to that. But, the positive is that a bigger stadium brings more fans, and that is obviously what Birmingham are looking at."

Stadium plans reveal just how ambitious Birmingham City are

Birmingham took League One by storm last term, smashing the points record of 103 set by West Midlands rivals Wolves, finishing the season with a whopping 111.

And they have returned to the Championship as a club unrecognisable from the one seen in the division before their drop.

Over the summer, the club showed serious ambition, with the likes of Kyogo, Tommy Doyle, Marvin Ducksch, Demarai Gray and more all making the move to St Andrew's. And while Chris Davies' side have not necessarily fired on all cylinders just yet, the level of ambition particularly shows that Birmingham are not looking to hang around in the EFL for too long.

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With top-flight dreams in mind, the recent stadium news offers the next step on the path to turning Birmingham City into one of English football's jewels.

With the designs in mind, it is clear that time has been taken to preserve the character of the club and region, with the Blues not looking to follow the designs of many other modern stadia that can often be unrecognisable from one another, besides the colours.

The move will have to be done correctly. The club will lose a big part of their identity by moving away from St Andrew's, but the plans point in the direction of the correct due diligence being done. The simple fact of the matter is that the Blues are not looking to mess around in their new era.