In recent years, lots of Birmingham City's joy had focused mainly on nurturing some top young talents, whilst the main team at the Blues routinely struggled to stay afloat in the Championship.
They will still be overjoyed that they were the starting club that enabled the likes of Jude Bellingham and more to go on to be top performers elsewhere, but Chris Davies' side will also be overjoyed that they are on course for an instant promotion back up to the second tier, with 12 wins notched up from 17 League One matches.
Birmingham City manager Chris Davies
It's safe to say that the list of homegrown gems Birmingham have been to able to produce over the years is an extremely impressive one, even when you take the obvious example of Bellingham out of the picture.
Top talents produced at Birmingham
There is, of course, also Jobe Bellingham, who has gone on to be a stylish operator at Championship level for Sunderland after exiting St. Andrew's.
He failed to register a single goal or assist when lining up from the Blues during 26 senior appearances, so Birmingham wouldn't have been too disheartened to move him onto the Black Cats for a reported £3m fee, even if he did go on to bag seven Championship strikes during his debut campaign.
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There are other examples where Birmingham would feel more hurt by their former academy product moving on for big bucks, with Demarai Gray's move to near neighbours Leicester City for around the £3.7m mark in 2016 stinging.
He accumulated eight goals and four assists in total for Birmingham before exiting, with his reputation as a winger who always operated on the front foot making him an obvious crowd-pleaser in the West Midlands.
Demarai-Gray-Birmingham
The now 28-year-old would go on to become an established face in the Premier League for Everton after starring for Leicester, with Nathan Redmond also thankful for his early Blues education in helping him become a star in England's elite division for the likes of Southampton and Norwich City.
One promising Blues youngster will hope he can reach the same heights as Redmond over time, with Premier League interest already reportedly coming the 18-year-old's way.
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Birmingham ace could be their next Redmond
It might well be strange to state that Romelle Donovan could go on to become the League One club's next Redmond, especially when you consider his failed loan stint out to Burton Albion.
Donovan made just nine appearances for the Brewers this season before his deal was cut short, which will obviously be disappointing for all parties involved, as this switch was clearly meant to be formative for the teenager whilst his parent club went all guns blazing for promotion.
Although this move to the Pirelli Stadium didn't go as anticipated, it's clear that Donovan has a bright future ahead of him as a skilful and quick winger down the right flank, having been gifted opportunities in the Birmingham first team last season.
He was even gifted a start whilst his side was worried sick about the growing possibility of relegation, with one late cameo against Stoke City last December showing off his exciting ability to fearlessly take on defenders for fun with weaving runs.
Donovan's numbers vs Stoke
Stat
Minutes played
Goals scored
Assists
Shots
Successful dribbles
Total duels won
Stats by Sofascore
From just 23 minutes of action, Donovan shone against the Potters with a ridiculous four dribbles successfully completed, alongside further showing off his tenacious character with five duels won.
Many at St. Andrew's must have anticipated that the 18-year-old attacker was going to gain more senior minutes after relegation, therefore, but a loan spell away would take place instead, even if Davies did label the daring forward as "really talented" in pre-season.
Romelle-Donovan
With the bump of Burton fresh, it will be intriguing to see if alleged admiration from top-flight Brentford comes to anything.
Davies will hope that the teenager stays put, with the Blues no doubt wanting to get more out of one of their own instead of losing them prematurely, as the Birmingham number 49 could then move onto the Premier League further down the line when he has made more of a name for himself.
Demarai-Gray-Birmingham-1 Related
[Birmingham thought they had "another Demarai Gray", now he plays in China](https://www.footballfancast.com/birmingham-city-sensation-next-demarai-gray-viv-solomon-otobar/ "Birmingham thought they had "another Demarai Gray", now he plays in China")
This Birmingham City wonderkid never lived up to his hype.