“Pains me to say it” – Birmingham City domination claim made with Aston Villa, Wolves & West Brom in mind.

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…

By 2030, Tom Wagner expects Birmingham City will have moved into their new 62,000-seater stadium in the newly constructed Sports Quarter. According to Birmingham Live, the planning permission will be filed for approval in January, with construction expected to begin by the end of 2026. It’s an exciting time for Blues fans on the pitch, but it’s also looking increasingly promising off the pitch, and it’s only a matter of time before Birmingham competes with the top tier of English clubs in terms of both income and on-field success.

20 years can be a long time in football, so Football League World asked Birmingham City fan pundit Aaron Bastable if he believes that, given his club’s current trajectory, Birmingham will be the dominant side in the Midlands. It’s difficult to forecast what will happen in 2045, but Bastable believes they’ll be close to surpassing their bitter opponents by then.

Aston Villa are the only side in Birmingham’s way en route to Midlands dominance

Birmingham have only competed in seven Premier League seasons since its inception in 1992. That is the lowest of the four major sides in the Midlands: Aston Villa, West Brom, Wolves, and themselves. Bastable believes it is unlikely that Chris Davies’ side will be the finest in the area very soon. “I wouldn’t want to say we’d be the most dominant team in 20 years as, quite frankly, we have never been the most dominant team,” he told ESPN. “We could emulate Manchester City and start dominating, but we won’t because you can’t spend as much money and are limited in what you can and cannot do.

“Also, as much as it pains me to say it, [Aston] Villa are spending money, and they’re finishing in the top six whilst we’re a Championship team, so we’re quite far behind at the moment.” Aston Villa are expected to continue to establish themselves as a European-level Premier League side, having finished in the top seven in each of their previous three seasons. Bastable believes that they are what will prevent Birmingham from establishing full dominance in the Midlands anytime soon. However, things may change in 20 years, and with the fan commentator believing that his team might be at the level of Brighton or Bournemouth in five years, 15 years from now could see much greater success.

“I don’t think Wolves and West Brom will be in the same conversation as us [Birmingham and Aston Villa] because of the way we’re both going, and I think we’ll be a well-established top-flight, top ten team soon,” said the coach. “I believe we’ll be at Brighton’s level, but I’m thinking five years ahead. Twenty years is a long time. I’ll say no, but we won’t be far away.”

Birmingham won’t be the only side capable of growth in the next 20 years

It’s true that Birmingham will be one of the more exciting teams to follow over the next two decades in terms of growth, but with the unimaginable amount of money being thrown into the game these days, it won’t be a matter of the Blues buying their way to victory. Birmingham may be growing in significance off the pitch, but so will other teams. Bastable continued, “It all relies on the regulations and how rapidly we can advance. “If other teams start building new stadiums, how will they do?” Tom Wagner has undoubtedly given his team a head start, laying the groundwork for what may become a true powerhouse in English football in the near future. But if his commitments move elsewhere, or if other clubs receive similar funding in the coming years, a route to the top may not be as straightforward as it may seem right now.

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