![\"Emanuel](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0_JS311829505.jpg\")
Emanuel Aiwu left Birmingham City after the club’s relegation to League One(Image: Godfrey Pitt\/Action Plus\/REX\/Shutterstock)<\/p>\nBirmingham City offloaded 15 players last year after the club suffered relegation to League OneEmanuel Aiwu left Birmingham City after the club’s relegation to League One(Image: Godfrey Pitt\/Action Plus\/REX\/Shutterstock)<\/p>\n
Birmingham City’s squad was completely overhauled last summer after relegation from the Championship.<\/p>\n
New manager Chris Davies<\/a> arrived in June and proceeded to rip up the squad he inherited before making 17 new signings. Those decisions were vindicated as Blues raced to the League One title with a record 111 points.<\/p>\n Only Ethan Laird, Krystian Bielik,<\/a> Lee Buchanan, Paik Seung-ho, Keshi Anderson, Lukas Jutkiewicz and Jay Stansfield – who was signed on a permanent deal from Fulham following his loan move – survived the cull.<\/p>\n A number of players left the club on loan during last season but 15 were disposed of for good. Here is what has happened to the 15 players who left Blues<\/a> last year…<\/p>\n Released<\/p>\n John Ruddy<\/strong><\/p>\n Ruddy was offered a contract by Blues but turned it down in favour of a move to Newcastle United. He has been part of a five-man goalkeeping union at Newcastle this season and hasn\u2019t played a minute in any competition.<\/p>\n Neil Etheridge<\/strong><\/p>\n Philippines international Etheridge has helped Buriram United to their fourth straight Thai league title.<\/p>\n After two seasons warming the bench at St Andrew\u2019s, Etheridge was an ever-present between the sticks for Buriram, playing all 30 league games and only conceding 20 goals.<\/p>\n Marc Roberts<\/strong><\/p>\n Roberts ended up in League One too with Barnsley and played against Blues twice for the Tykes. Ironically, Roberts assisted a goal for Barnsley in their 6-2 defeat to Blues in April with one of the long throw-ins that were much maligned at St Andrew\u2019s.<\/p>\n Gary Gardner<\/strong><\/p>\n The Brummie midfielder didn\u2019t play a minute for Cambridge United due to a succession of injuries and has only started seven games in the last three seasons. It was recently announced that Gardner will leave Cambridge by mutual consent this summer.<\/p>\n Ivan Sunjic<\/strong><\/p>\n Sunjic moved to Cyprus to sign for Pafos FC and has been an important player in their title-winning season. The midfielder has recently switched his international allegiances from Croatia to Bosnia and Herzegovina, the country of his birth.<\/p>\n Scott Hogan<\/strong><\/p>\n Hogan is one of four ex-Blues players on the books of League Two side MK Dons \u2013 Connal Trueman, Jonathan Leko and Dan Crowley are too. The striker scored eight goals in 34 matches for Dons last season and will now be managed by Paul Warne.<\/p>\n Emanuel Aiwu<\/strong><\/p>\n The daring defender sealed a transfer to Sturm Graz last summer after Blues politely declined their option to sign him permanently from Cremonese.<\/p>\n Aiwu has been a fixture in Sturm Graz\u2019s line-up and they are on the verge of another Austrian title.<\/p>\n He started six Champions League games and their defensive performance wasn\u2019t abysmal, albeit they did lose five of those matches to finish 30th out of 36 in the league phase.<\/p>\n Cody Drameh<\/strong><\/p>\n It was another season fighting at the foot of the Championship for Drameh, this time with a Hull City side that survived on the final day.<\/p>\n Drameh made another 28 appearances in the Championship but faces an uncertain summer after Hull owner Acun Illicali sacked manager Ruben Selles.<\/p>\n Andre Dozzell<\/strong><\/p>\n Touted as a midfielder with Premier League potential by Tony Mowbray, Dozzell largely disappointed in Blues\u2019 colours. He was handed a Championship lifeline by newly-promoted Portsmouth and helped them to a 16th-placed finish.<\/p>\n Dozzell played 39 league games for Portsmouth last season and they have extended his contract by a further year.<\/p>\n Oliver Burke<\/strong><\/p>\n Everyone will remember Burke being booed at Rotherham and subsequently hooked at half-time by Gary Rowett<\/a>. Burke was playing no worse than usual but Blues fans had had enough.<\/p>\n Werder Bremen didn\u2019t plan to use Burke when he returned to Germany but the Scot stuck around and eventually played his way into the starting line-up.<\/p>\n Burke has contributed six goals in 27 appearances for Bremen and they tried to extend his contract before it was announced in April that he will depart. The 28-year-old is believed to have signed for fellow Bundesliga club Union Berlin.<\/p>\n RECORD-BREAKING Birmingham City are back in the Championship.<\/p>\n Chris Davies’ side passed the 100-point mark on their way to taking the League One title this season.<\/p>\n And this Birmingham Mail promotion special<\/a> charts the brilliant Blues’ path to glory, with match-by-match analysis, reaction, comment, brilliant celebration pictures and a Champions poster in the middle pages.<\/p>\n![\"Former](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0_JS351874062.jpg\")
Former Birmingham City striker Scott Hogan in action for new club MK DonsThe loanees<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0_BIRMINGHAM-CITY-PROMOTION-1.jpg\")
Birmingham City Champions 2024\/25 <\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/1746598463_180_0_BIRMINGHAM-CITY-PROMOTION-1.jpg\")
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