Tom Wagner’s entrance was initially only noticed by those closest to the director’s box as the Blues chairman eased down the steps to his front-row seat.
Once the rest of the crowd spotted the American, there was a huge roar – this was a long-awaited moment.
The toll his illness has taken on the 57-year-old was plain to see, with a prominent scar on his head and his left arm sporting a sling.
His presence in the stadium mid-recovery was nonetheless significant, serving as a sign that Knighthead’s ambitious plans for the club can reasonably be assumed to be on track.
The club’s owners are not a one-man band. But Wagner is the figurehead, the charismatic presence and the man capable of influencing political and business leaders.
His return to St Andrew’s was inevitably emotional, borne out by almost tearful tributes paid by goalscorer and record-signing Jay Stansfield in his post-match media duties.
Everyone involved with Birmingham City needed to see Tom Wagner. And he knew that.