Demarai Gray delivers brilliant answer to Birmingham City promotion talk.

Demarai Grey has returned to Birmingham City and is eager to resume his Blues career ahead of the 2025/26 Championship season.

Demarai Grey believes Birmingham City will get his ‘best years’ after making an emotional return after nearly a decade away.

Grey, a self-proclaimed Blues supporter who rose through the club’s youth to the first squad before leaving in January 2016, is back where it all started ahead of what promises to be an exciting Championship season.

Grey, who turned 29 just a few days ago, feels he still has a lot to give and embraces the pressure brought on by the club’s transfer market activities. Blues are expected to contend for back-to-back promotions after signing Grey, Celtic great Kyogo Furuhashi, and England Under-21 goalkeeper James Beadle, to mention a few.

He doesn’t shy away from it: “It’s obviously good that the club is held in high regard, and perhaps to challenge and compete.” Grey informed Blues TV.

“But, based on my experience, I know the Championship is difficult; it’s a long season, it’s relentless, and we have to be ready. “I believe we can compete and challenge, and the club will recruit. I’m here to add to our current squad, which is fantastic, so I’m confident the club has plans.

“But for me, I want to win, I want the club to play at the top level, and that’s why I’ve returned, to experience those things, and with the club’s desire and productivity, I feel we’re more than capable. “As long as we approach the season with the right mentality, everything has to align, the reason people are talking is because people can see it, so it’s down to us as a squad, players and managers to deliver the best we can and aim as high as we can.”

Grey returns to the Blues after a couple of years with Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia, where he played 47 Pro League matches but struggled to stay fit, with former coach Dean Holden saying:

“We just weren’t able to get him on the pitch for long enough.” Grey, on the other hand, recovered from a late-season niggle to play for Jamaica at the Gold Cup, and he is looking forward to training again with Chris Davies and Ben Petty.

“I feel good physically, I feel fit I know my capabilities I don’t want to come on the camera now and say ‘I am going to do this or that’ because talk is cheap,” he went on.

“But I believe in where I am now, in my ability; I am 29, and I have not returned to where I was towards the conclusion of my career, when I lost my pace.

I feel like I’m at the pinnacle of my powers. I’ve returned to Birmingham so that I may give it my all. “I’ve already worked with Chris and Ben; they know my abilities as a player and have seen me grow and develop.

“I’m having a great time at the club.” The gaffer was assistant while I was there [at Leicester], I know how he is as a man and as a coach, I think we had a wonderful relationship, and I learnt a lot during my time with him and Brendan.”

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