James Beadle

Beadle has barely stayed anywhere long enough to unpack, moving through Crewe, Oxford United and Sheffield Wednesday on loan before Birmingham gave him a proper run in goal. That route through three different dressing rooms in three different divisions forces a young keeper to adapt fast, learning what each level actually demands rather than being shaped by one voice alone. England trusted him enough to start a European Under 21 final, and he left that tournament a champion.

The question for Birmingham is whether a goalkeeper educated almost entirely away from his parent club can now settle somewhere for longer than a single spell. Loan spells build resilience and force quick decisions under pressure, but they rarely build the deep understanding with a back four that the best shot stoppers eventually rely on. Whether that partnership forms quickly in front of him is the thing worth watching.