Birmingham City

Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Jay Stansfield will return to Fulham this summer after a season-long loan at Birmingham City.

Despite it being a disappointing season for Blues, who were relegated to League One on the last day of the season, the forward's talent shone through and he won the hearts of the fans.

They say 'never fall in love with a loan player,' but that is exactly what happened at St Andrew's.

The 21-year-old completed the clean sweep of five awards at Blues' end-of-season event, including supporters' player of the season and an award for players' player. He was the campaign's top goalscorer with 13 and won Goal of the Season for his debut goal against Plymouth Argyle in injury time.

In a season that has seen five managers in the dugout and Tom Brady becoming co-owner, Stansfield kept the fans' hope of survival alive until the very last minute,

But with Birmingham playing in the third tier next season, a permanent move for the England-under-21 international is highly unlikely.

So what next?

Image source, Getty Images

Stansfield has played eight times for Fulham since signing from Exeter City's academy in January 2020.

He was loaned back out to his boyhood club in 2022, wore the number nine shirt that his dad Adam wore and played in front of a stand bearing his father's name.

Including his spell at Birmingham, he has made 84 senior appearances and scored 22 goals.

However, competition for a place in the first team at Fulham is fierce with Marco Silva boasting seven forward options already.

Rodrigo Muniz has 10 goals this season and he is followed by Bobby De Cordova-Reid on seven and Alex Iwobi on six. Willian and Raul Jimenez have also netted five.

Stansfield only signed a new four-year-deal with the club last August but could opt for a move away from Craven Cottage to continue playing first-team football.

Yet at just 21-years-old - and with that contract giving him three more years in west London - it would appear he remains on the club radar as one to watch in the future.

Whether that will be at Craven Cottage next season, or away from it, we will have to wait and see.

What do you reckon, Fulham fans?

Would you like Stansfield to get his opportunity next season? Or is he still too young?

Let us know your thoughts here

Image source, Getty Images

Here are the Opta stats ahead of tonight's Championship match between Birmingham City and Cardiff City.

• Birmingham City have won just one of their last 10 league meetings with Cardiff City (D3 L6) though that sole win did come in the reverse fixture this season (1-0).

• Cardiff City are unbeaten across their last four away league games against Birmingham City (W2 D2) whilst also scoring two or more goals in each of the last three, including a 2-0 victory in this fixture last season.

• Each of Birmingham’s last six league games at St Andrew’s have been decided by a one-goal margin (W3 L3), with the Blues beating Preston 1-0 in their most recent such game there.

• Cardiff have won four of their last six away league games in midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday), though have lost two of their last three such games.

• Five of Cardiff’s last eight Championship goals away from home have come from corners, while 10 of their 22 overall on the road in the competition in 2023-24 have come that way (45%).