CHESTER’S EVIL EYE ON LUK
JAMES CHESTER has told Birmingham City that he isn’t fazed by facing red-hot striker Lukasz Jutkiewicz.
Aston Villa’s skipper comes face-to-face with a forward he has battled against since their days playing youth team football.
Despite the fact that Jutkiewicz has picked up the Championship’s player of the month award after bagging eight goals in as many matches, Chester says that today’s clash will hold no surprises.
The Wales international has NEVER conceded a goal against Jutkiewicz and is keeping his fingers crossed that continues at Villa Park.
He said: “It’s going to be difficult against Lukasz. I’ve BIRMINGHAM CITY won’t find out until next year if they will be deducted points – after going legal to plead their case with the Football League.
The St Andrew’s club are facing punishment for breaching the regulations over Financial Fair Play and originally expected to be told the verdict last month, with a 12-point deduction looking likely.
But after deploying solicitors in a bid to mitigate against any punishment, it will now be February before they learn what steps will be taken against them.
A number of rivals were fuming after Birmingham broke the three-year £39million ceiling for losses.
A transfer embargo was put in place for a time last summer, but owners enraged the Championship still further by signing Kristian Pedersen from Union Berlin for £1.5m.
That tipped six or seven clubs over the edge, including Leeds United and Bristol City, who wanted action taken – but were left astonished when the registration of the Denmark Under-21 international was given the green light.
The authorities relented when it was deemed by them to be unfair on the player, who pleaded ignorance when he put pen to paper, as the fall-out following the signing continued.
It was only when rumours began to surface of a points deduction – under new rules – that Blues conformed, later working with the authorities and were allowed to make loan signings.
Since then Birmingham have employed leading solicitors Mischon de Reya to take up the matter.
The Football League have suspended judgement against the Blues, who are permitted to make just one loan signing during the January transfer window, as part of an agreed arrangement.
It is understood that Birmingham’s owners were not aware of just how seriously financial issues were being taken by the Football League, despite several internal warnings.
They had promised boss Garry Monk a significant summer war chest, with Pedersen’s signature supposed to be the first of many – then the brakes were applied on a £20m forecast spend.
It explains why the Brum chief fell out with his senior goalkeepers Tomasz Kuszczak and David Stockdale.
Monk told both that he’d pursue a new first-choice man in the summer – he wanted Ipswich’s Bartosz Bialkowski, and intended to promote highly-rated Connal Trueman as the Pole’s No.2, bringing in Rob Green as another option.
Then the transfer block left Monk with egg on his face, and forced him to turn to veteran Lee Camp instead. played against Jutkiewicz a lot of times throughout my career.
“He was at Everton when I was at Manchester United and we were both a lot younger.
“We’ve had a lot of battles over the years – I don’t know how many – but I think I’ve won more than I’ve lost.
“He’s a real threat though. Birmingham appear wellorganised, difficult to beat
Deduction
and are playing well for the manager.
“It’s going to be a different side coming to Villa Park than the one we’ve faced over the past couple of years.
“But we are happy with the way it’s going ourselves at the moment.
“The atmosphere is always good at these games and our results have been excellent against them.”