Recently by Rob Tanner

ALEX McLeish will call upon the Birmingham City board to release the funds to enable him to bring in more players before the transfer window closes after a spate of injuries depleted his squad.

Blues have made a perfect start to the season but injuries to Mehdi Nafti and Cameron Jerome weakened McLeish's options before the 2-0 victory over Barnsley on Saturday and the situation worsened as Garry O'Connor and Stuart Parnaby had to be substituted after picking up knocks.

Parnaby may have concussion, which will sideline him for at least a week, while O'Connor picked up a dead leg and was calling to be replaced just before he scored Birmingham's second goal.

The pair may not be out for long but Nafti, who has torn his hamstring, and Jerome, who has a thigh muscle tear, will be missing for approximately three weeks and McLeish believes further absentees could impact on his side's promotion push.

A CLOCK chosen by supporters in memory of one of Birmingham City's greatest ever players will get a timely unveiling at the home game against Doncaster Rovers in September.

The timepiece, which will take pride of place on the St Andrew's Main Stand, has been commissioned by the Board of Directors of Birmingham City FC to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of defender Jeff Hall.

After he passed away, a clock was erected in his name at St Andrew's but was unfortunately stolen when the stand was replaced. Now the club are set to mark the anniversary by bringing back the clock.

Hall's former team-mates Gil Merrick and Alex Govan have agreed to unveil the clock at the match on September 13.

DEFENSIVE strength will be the key to promotion, Birmingham City defender Martin Taylor has stated.

Blues' impressive array of strikers may be taking all the plaudits after the side's unbeaten start to the season but the fact that only one goal has been conceded in three games has almost gone unnoticed.

The inability to keep clean sheets was a major factor in Blues' relegation last season as they kept only three shut outs throughout the campaign.

Taylor, who has formed a formidable partnership with Liam Ridgewell at the heart of the defence, believes that their new found defensive solidity will be vital during the coming campaign.

"We would have liked to have kept a clean sheet at Southampton because that will be the crux of getting promoted," Taylor said. "If we are unable to score a lot of goals then there need to be plenty of clean sheets. We have been working on that a lot.

"It isn't just me and Liam though, we have been working hard on our shape and that was what was missing in the first half at St Mary's. We had it in the second half and when you have that good shape it is difficult for teams to break through and we want to keep as many clean sheets as possible."

AFTER his second match-winning substitute appearance in eight days, Kevin Phillips is rapidly transforming from Super Kev to Superb Sub. However, it is a tag the 35-year-old is not happy with.

Phillips has yet to start a Championship game for Blues but despite his frustration he realises he must be patient and wait for his chance.

Phillips scored the winner against his former club Southampton just 15 seconds after coming on but the former Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion striker wants to feature from the start.

IF ever Birmingham City needed added motivation for trying to regain their Premier League status as quickly as possible, then today's opponents Southampton will offer a shining example of what can happen if that goal is not achieved.

The Saints were an established Premier League club until they were relegated in 2005 and have struggled to separate themselves from the rank and file of the Championship ever since.

In fact, they were just two points above a further slip into League One last season and were only saved on the last day when they beat Sheffield United 3-2 to condemn Leicester City, another former Premier League side, to the drop into League One.

Once the advantage of the parachute payments system have gone, the dream of once again joining the elite of English football starts to slip away and Southampton are not the only ones. Blues and the Saints are two of 13 clubs in this season's Championship who have tasted Premier League action.