Chris Davies savours Birmingham’s ‘truly special’ EFL points record

Boss Chris Davies described League One champions Birmingham’s new EFL points total record as “truly special” after a 2-0 win over Blackpool at Bloomfield Road.

Ethan Laird’s first-half goal and Alfie May’s second – six minutes after half-time – earned Birmingham victory, taking them onto 108 points, bettering Reading’s previous best of 106 in their 2005-06 title-winning Championship.

They could now finish with a staggering 111 points should they take maximum points at relegated Cambridge on Saturday.

“I have spoken to the players about the legacy we could leave this season and the mark we could make in the footballing world,” said Davies after his side’s 33rd League One success.

“I have been drumming it into them, to chase a record like this isn’t a club record, not something that people will brush over. Everyone will know in the next 24 hours what we have done.

“To achieve 108 points is truly special and a remarkable achievement. I said to the players just make sure you sit back, think about, reflect and understand what it takes to do that.

“Think how many football teams there have been, how many seasons there have been. And we are the team that have got the most points in the history of English football.

“I am so proud of them all. Not only have we broken the record but we have achieved it by having to play, I believe, more games in England or Scotland than anyone else.

“We will have played 60 games so it is not as though we have turned up fresh for every game.

“To achieve what we have tonight and to finish the season with that level of points is something I will really savour.”

Blackpool boss and former Blues manager Steve Bruce paid his own tribute to the record breakers.

“Overall, there was a gulf. They have got far better players all over the pitch than most of us have got.

“You could see why they had won the league by 20 odd points.

“They are well organised, well coached, well disciplined. I predicted it five or six months ago they would win by 20 points and they have got record totals.

“They remind me of the really good Wolves side that was in the Championship a few years ago.

“Congratulations to Birmingham. It is a club I have a big fondness for. They are an excellent football team and we found it very difficult.

“In the first half, in particular, we didn’t make it very difficult for them. In the second we made a mistake but were better.”