Cotterill: I’m gutted to be leaving St Andrew’s

DAVID Cotterill has revealed he ‘loved’ his time at Birmingham City and is ‘gutted to be leaving’.

The Wales international’s contract was terminated yesterday after he learned he didn’t feature in manager Steve Cotterill’s plans moving forward.

Cotterill, 30, was signed by Lee Clark in the summer of 2014 but enjoyed his best football under Gary Rowett, where he was instrumental in Blues achieving successive 10th-placed finishes in the Championship.

But he fell out of favour after Rowett’s sacking last year and was allowed to spend the second half of the campaign at Bristol City on loan.

He returned to St Andrew’s in the summer to be told he had no future at the club under Harry Redknapp.

And with six months to run on his contract, Blues and Cotterill have agreed to part company.

The winger said: “Gutted to be leaving BCFC. I’ve loved my time here. I want to thank the fans, my team-mates, all of the coaching staff. Also my wife and family for always supporting me.

“I hope the club can turn things around and get back to where it deserves and that’s in the Premier League.”

Cotterill only made eight appearances for Blues this season and is now free to join another club as the January transfer window approaches. His last start for Blues came in the 2-0 defeat to Barnsley at the beginning of November, which was just his third outing under his namesake’s stewardship.

He will be most fondly remembered by Bluenoses for his performances under Rowett where he struck up an understanding with striker Clayton Donaldson, who has also since left the club, as Blues mounted challenges for the play-offs.