Tom English: McLeish's goose isn't cooked, but it's simmering

THE people in charge of Birmingham City were not long in laying down the law to Alex McLeish after the club's relegation from the Premiership. McLeish has been given a vote of confidence wrapped in an ultimatum. The gist: "Your job is safe but you'd better get us back in the big league next season, or else."

McLeish has done some exceptional things as a manager, but returning Birmingham to the Premiership at the first attempt is a very big ask when you consider the ground rules that will surely be laid down by Peter Pannu, acting chairman.

The pair of them are due to meet soon to thrash out a plan for next season. We could hazard a guess at how that will go.

"Alex, I want to reassure you that we will not be selling our stellar names in the summer."

"That's great news, Mr Chairman. We can build our promotion campaign around Ben Foster and Scott Dann, Roger Johnson and Craig Gardner and big Zigic up front."

"Of course, Alex. We'll keep them all, unless somebody wants to buy them, that is"

"Eh?"

"Do the math, Eck. We get 40m in television money in the Premiership. That was 75 per cent of our turnover. We'll only be getting 16m in the Championship. The auditors say we need to raise 17.5m in a hurry just for working capital to keep the club going. Who do you think we are - millionaires? "

"But what about the 80m Carson Yeung said he was going to invest?"

"He was misquoted."

"So we have to get back in the Premiership or we're goosed?"

"Not 'we'. You. You're goosed."

"Thanks chairman."

The glory of Wembley must seem like a distant memory to McLeish.