BIRMINGHAM forward Jay Stansfield broke down in tears while discussing the club’s owner’s health during a television interview.
American businessman Tom Wagner spearheaded a takeover of the West Midlands outfit three years ago.
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But the 57-year-old sparked fears at the club when he had to be rushed to the hospital after suffering a stroke in February.
He was told to steer clear of the Blues’ games during his recovery, but he was finally able to make his return for their 2-2 draw with Wolves on Sunday.
He was given a raucous reception from the fans, and that love was clearly also felt on the pitch, as Stansfield gave an emotional response when asked about the homecoming.
The teary-eyed striker said after the match: “Yeah it’s special.
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“I’ve been in contact with him (Wagner) the last few weeks so to have him here is special.
Stansfield reckoned he could feel the difference Wagner made as the side came from behind twice to take a point, adding: “He gave us a big boost today.”
Wagner made his money as the co-founder of investment firm Knighthead Capital Management.
He bought into Birmingham in the summer of 2023, with NFL and New England Patriots legend Tom Brady also investing in the side as a minority owner the following month.
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The club suffered relegation to League One in the pair’s first season in charge, but bounced straight back the following year.
Their rise was documented in an Amazon Prime docu-series about the club, called Built In Birmingham: Brady & The Blues.
Alongside their new Hollywood billing, Birmingham have also experienced a boost in financing – with Stansfield smashing the record for the most expensive League One arrival ever when he signed from Fulham for a fee of £15million in 2024.
In fact, all three of the top most expensive arrivals to the British third tier were signed by Birmingham in that 2024/25 window, with Christoph Klarer and Willum Willumson arriving for around £3.5m each.
It’s not hard to see why Wagner is such a beloved figure at the club, although they have endured a mediocre start to the campaign in which they have drawn four of their five matches.
They might have more good news on the horizon though as Wagner continues to drive forward plans to build a new 62,000-seater stadium in the city.