Jude Bellingham reacts to Birmingham City dressing room insight from David Davis | OneFootball

Former Birmingham City star Jude Bellingham has reacted to a recent admission from ex-teammate David Davis

Jude Bellingham has enjoyed a remarkable rise to superstardom after bursting onto the scene at boyhood club Birmingham City during the 2019/20 Championship campaign.

Aged just sixteen at the time, Bellingham's potential had long excited many insiders at Birmingham in his rise through the club's academy ranks and he showcased what the hype was about - and then some - as he proceeded to make 41 Championship appearances, scoring four times and winning the EFL's Young Player of the Season award.

Rather unsurprisingly, the midfield prodigy earned the admiration of Europe's elite as a frantic transfer race played out, and German giants Borussia Dortmund eventually won the race by sealing a reported £22.75 million deal with Blues.

Such was Bellingham's seismic, memorable impact throughout his single season at St Andrew's, Birmingham took the eyebrow-raising decision to retire his shirt number.

Blues, however, saw precisely what was to come with Bellingham, who gradually established himself as a world-class talent for Borussia Dortmund before ascending to even greater heights at Real Madrid after completing a blockbuster £88.5 million move to the Spanish capital nearly three years ago.

Still aged just 22, Bellingham is now widely-recognised among world football's leading talents as he continues to shine for both club and country.

Despite reaching the pinnacle of the game, though, his breakthrough in the Second City is anything but lost on the Los Blancos starlet, nor are those who he shared the pitch with during his first-ever season playing professional football.

Jude Bellingham reacts to David Davis' Birmingham City dressing room insight

Revered by Bluenoses to this day, Bellingham still actively engages and interacts with Birmingham on social media, evidencing just how close the club remains to his heart.

His impact at Birmingham will never be forgotten by those who witnessed it, including ex-Blues midfielder David Davis. The now-35-year-old, who currently plays his football for National League North outfit Kidderminster Harriers but made 194 appearances for Blues between 2014 and 2020, looks back on his time alongside Bellingham with fondness.

Recently speaking as a guest on the Made in Brum Podcast, Davis reflected on Bellingham's 'outrageous' performances at Championship level and recalled one particular moment which spoke volumes of the rising star's humble nature in the face of intensifying hype.

Following Birmingham's frantic 5-4 home defeat to Leeds United in December 2019, which saw Bellingham get on the scoresheet as Blues came back from a goal behind on three occassions before ultimately losing out in the final throes of additional time, Davis revealed how players told the academy product afterwards that he had just added another £10 million onto his transfer value.

But, as Davis remembers it, Bellingham simply laughed, safe in the knowledge that it was indeed the case while remaining level-headed.

Davies explained: "Some of the things he was doing at 16 was outrageous, grabbing games by the scruff of the neck in the Championship.

"I know how good he is, but with the young ones, all you want to do is make sure they're willing to learn.

"The thing about him is that people say 'don't mistake confidence for arrogance.' He's obviously on that level where people could think he's arrogant.

"The thing is, you have to be self-assured now don't you? These players now are self-assured, but he knows what he wants and how good he is, so why wouldn't he be that confident?

"It's just the era that we're in, and the media love to bring you down.

"But humble is an understatement. We used to banter him, I remember he came off against Leeds and there had already been the rumours (of an exit) and we went "you've just added another £10 million" there and he's just laughing.

"He knew it was right, but he's not big-time whatsoever.

"He was just a normal kid and loved playing for Blues. I can't lie, when they retired his number I was thinking 'what the...?' It's a Blues thing to do. But they were right."

Davis has only been proved right about declaring that Bellingham isn't big-time, as the 46-cap England international took to the comments section of that clip - posted via the podcast's Instagram page - to react to his former teammate's high praise.

Bellingham commented "Real one!!! @diggad91 💙💙💙." to which Davis responded by saying: "@judebellingham my brother 💙."

Birmingham City fans will love new Jude Bellingham, David Davis exchange

This latest exchange and trip down memory lane will put a smile on the faces of Bluenoses, who haven't had all that much to cheer about in what has been an underwhelming campaign relative to Birmingham's spending spree and vocal ambitions of competing for promotion after winning the League One title.

A mid-table finish now beckons and there's plenty of uncertainty surrounding the future of Chris Davies, who could well be dispensed in order to facilitate a fresh charge for promotion next term.

For the time being, then, while the dying embers of this season bear limited fruit, Birmingham fans will love the exchange and bond between two players who, at different stages of their careers, held it down for the club during a difficult period of mediocrity at Championship level.

Davis was a solid servant for Birmingham in his own right, and much like Bellingham, supporters will take a lot from the fact he still cherishes his time in the Second City to this day.