CHRIS Davies has challenged Ipswich Town to play Ed Sheeran tonight.
Birmingham City kick-off their campaign back in the Championship against the newly-relegated club with the global superstar listed on their staff.
Davies raised an eyebrow at the news that the Tractor Boys have followed recent tradition and handed the ginger crooner a squad number.
The lifelong supporter of the Suffolk club has been handed the squad No.17 since he became a club sponsor.
And Davies – who is a confirmed fan of the global superstar – says he ‘wouldn’t mind’ if his managerial rival Kieran McKenna decides to hand the (guitar) player his debut.
He said: “I’ve actually done a lot of research on him – and he’s great.
“I’ve listened to a lot of his music over the years. He’s very good.
“I’m not his biggest fan or anything like that but he’s very good – excellent, in fact.
“And I’m actually hoping he plays.”
Blues’ owners would like nothing more than to match Ipswich’s achievement in jumping through the divisions to the Premier League.
But the club’s boss has done his own homework and suggests that while it’s a tall order, he’ll be having a go.
He said: “People have been talking about double promotions, so I’ve gone back and for the last 100 teams who have been promoted from League One, five have got straight up again in that first season.
“Ipswich did it. Paul Lambert at Norwich City, then Nigel Adkins at Southampton. Joe Royle at Manchester City and then Graham Taylor at Watford.
“I think that’s it in the last 30 years. I went back to 1996 but I was getting a bit tired by then.
“It’s just something I do. I wanted to contextualise things.
“That shows you how rare it is.
“I think coming to this league, if you can make a consistent go of it throughout the season then, of course, you can push on.
“But my thinking is making a strong start, getting these players together over the next few weeks to something we feel is close to the finished article and pushing on from there.”
