Birmingham City make statement after major St Andrew's stadium update

The construction company responsible for refurbishing Birmingham City's St Andrew's Stadium has filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators.

In 2020 parts of the Kop and Tilton Road End stands were found to be unsafe and since then games have been played in front of a reduced-capacity crowd.

The contractor, Buckingham Group, which was appointed in April this year, has stopped trading citing a combination of "extreme inflation" and "other challenges in the Sports and Leisure division".

"Buckingham Group has made us aware that it has filed for a notice of intention to appoint administrators," a statement read on the club's site.

"In April this year the Buckingham Group was appointed contractor, with the mandate to specifically complete the structural work to enable the lower tiers of the Tilton and Kop stands to reopen this season.

"It is our new owners stated ambition to ensure this work be completed in a timely manner, and all safety tests successfully passed, so our teams can play in front of 30,000 Blues fans again.

"The goal was set for the lower tier Tilton to open by the end of September and for the Kop to be fully open by the end of November.

"The club has and continues to hold emergency meetings with a range of experts to understand and assess the potential impact of Buckingham Group’s disappointing news.

"We want to give you your home back and to give our teams the level of noise and support that only a full St. Andrew’s can deliver. As soon as we have more information we will share it. Keep Right On."

Buckingham Group announced the news with "immeasurable regret" on it's site today (17 August).

"It is with immeasurable regret that the Buckingham Board has to announce that rapidly escalating contract losses and a sharp reduction in liquidity, together mean the Company is unable to continue trading at this current time.

"We know that this will come as a shock to all our valued stakeholders.

"As a result of the recent challenges, the board has filed a Notice of Intention to appoint Administrators to protect the business whilst we explore a sale of all or part of the business in a very short period (days/weeks).

"We will be liaising with clients and interested parties to optimise any solution and secure the best outcome for creditors.

"We emphasise the Company is currently not in Administration. Our main aim at present is to seek to protect jobs, and to preserve as much of the business as possible."