![\"Birmingham](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0_JS372034209.jpg\")
Birmingham City are still benefitting from the sales of Jude (left) and Jobe Bellingham. <\/p>\nBirmingham City rarely used ‘club developed players’ during their League One title-winning season under Chris DaviesBirmingham City are still benefitting from the sales of Jude (left) and Jobe Bellingham. <\/p>\n
On the face of it, the EFL\u2019s \u2018club developed player\u2019 rule poses a problem for Birmingham City<\/a> \u2013 but scratch beneath the surface and it\u2019s been made irrelevant.<\/p>\n Blues are a club with a long history of promoting from within. Butland, Redmond, Gray, Bellingham (x2), Hall and James have all earned the chant \u2018one of our own\u2019 in recent years at St Andrew\u2019s.<\/p>\n Naming a club developed player in their EFL squad list or even a matchday squad, as per the rules, has never been a problem \u2013 until now.<\/p>\n Chris Davies<\/a> only named a club developed player in a Blues squad for a League One match four times last season. Brandon Khela was a substitute versus Reading, Wycombe and Barnsley, and Bradley Mayo featured on the bench at Bolton.<\/p>\n No club developed player \u2013 \u2018a player who has been registered with the relevant club for a minimum of 12 months prior to the end of his Under 19 Season\u2019 \u2013 made the squad Blues registered with the EFL at the end of each transfer window either.<\/p>\n That was despite the rules stating: \u201cEach club shall be required to nominate at least one Club Developed Player on either the Squad List, or on the Team Sheet for all League matches (including Play Off matches).\u201d<\/p>\n The punishment for not abiding by that rule is a reduced number of substitutes. But Davies need not worry about punishments and he will always be able to name nine substitutes for Championship games irrespective of whether he utilises a club developed player.<\/p>\n Get the latest Blues headlines sent straight to your phone<\/p>\n BirminghamLive has its very own Birmingham City<\/a> WhatsApp community to deliver the latest headlines straight to your phone. Just click this link<\/a> to receive daily Blues content and breaking news. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don\u2019t like our community, you can check out any time you like. Click on the name at the top of your screen while in WhatsApp and click ‘Exit Group’. Read our Privacy Notice.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Why? Well, there is a way to render the whole thing pointless.<\/p>\n If you read the small print on the EFL regulations, by transferring two or more club developed players to a club in a league that is the same level or higher prior to the date of the applicable league fixture, an exemption is made.<\/p>\n Better still, the club is exempt until those players turn 24. That means Jordan James, who transferred to Rennes last summer, Jobe Bellingham and even Jude Bellingham<\/a> count towards Blues\u2019 total.<\/p>\n