Birmingham City Football Club has issued a formal statement regarding the health of its chairman, Tom Wagner, who has been hospitalised after suffering a stroke. The club confirmed that Wagner is currently undergoing treatment and is making a positive recovery, though he will temporarily step back from his day-to-day responsibilities.
Club Statement on Chairman's Health
In a statement posted on the official Birmingham City website, chief executive Jeremy Dale provided an update on Wagner's condition. "Birmingham City Chairman Tom Wagner recently suffered a stroke," Dale stated. "Thanks to rapid medical intervention, he received immediate treatment and is now receiving excellent care."
Dale continued, "We are pleased to share that he is making a good recovery. While he will be stepping back from day-to-day activity for a period of time to focus on his recovery, Tom remains closely connected to the club, and we all look forward to welcoming him back."
Commitment to Club Operations Unchanged
The statement emphasised that Wagner's commitment to Birmingham City remains steadfast despite his health setback. "Birmingham City Football Club is incredibly important to Tom and to the entire Knighthead team," Dale added. "Their commitment to the club is unchanged, and our plans and operations continue as normal under strong leadership."
The club has requested privacy for Wagner during his recovery period, stating, "We appreciate your continued support and ask that you respect Tom's privacy during his recovery."
Wagner's Role and Club Developments
Tom Wagner, aged 56, has been actively involved with Birmingham City since Knighthead Capital Management assumed ownership of the club in July 2023. Under his leadership, Knighthead has implemented significant improvements to the club's facilities and invested heavily in player acquisitions.
Perhaps most notably, the ownership group has committed to constructing a new 62,000-capacity stadium as part of a broader Sports Quarter development in Birmingham, signalling long-term ambitions for the club's growth and infrastructure.
On-Field Performance Context
Birmingham City's recent on-field performance provides context to Wagner's tenure. The club bounced back to the Championship last season after suffering relegation the previous year, topping League One with an impressive 111 points. Currently, after 32 matches in the Championship, Birmingham sits in 10th position.
Their most recent match resulted in a 0-0 draw against West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday. Following the match, manager Chris Davies expressed frustration with the result but praised his team's performance. "It was a battle as we knew it would be but over the course of the game you would have to say it is pretty incredible we have not won that match," Davies told BBC Radio WM.
Davies highlighted several missed opportunities, including a potential penalty that wasn't awarded and a remarkable goalline clearance. "There were moments around their goal, one handled off the line which was a certain penalty with VAR and one goalline clearance which was incredible," he explained. "There were fantastic saves, we hit the post and we had a goal disallowed."
Despite the disappointing result, Davies found positives in the performance. "It is frustrating that we didn't get the three points but we certainly did enough to win it. I really like how we finished and I have just told the players to get their heads up because they gave everything. Unfortunately we couldn't quite turn it into the three points but certainly from a performance there were a lot of positives."
The club's operations are expected to continue normally during Wagner's recovery period, with strong leadership in place to maintain stability both on and off the pitch.
