Birmingham will be without striker Garry O’Connor for the next six weeks after the player underwent a groin operation.

Birmingham City have agreed a deal to sign ex-Aston Villa midfielder Keith Fahey - the Irish Footballer of the Year.

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish has to wait on the fitness of three players for Saturday’s derby at Wolves.

Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish has played down fears that captain Lee Carsley is facing a spell on the sidelines.

Birmingham City academy graduate Ashley Sammons targets a regular starting place after signing his first professional contract.

Birmingham City skipper Damien Johnson is closing in on his first-team comeback after returning to full training.

Birmingham have signed Bolton Wanderers defender Nicky Hunt on a one-month emergency loan deal.

Birmingham are reported to be lining up a £1.5million swoop for Bolton defender Danny Shittu in January.

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish says he had no qualms about giving teenager Jared Wilson his debut at QPR.

David Gold last night criticised City of London Police over their protracted investigation into alleged corruption in football, describing the process as “appalling” and accusing the police of “chasing shadows”. The Birmingham City chairman said that those arrested as part of the inquiry had been left feeling as though “a Sword of Damocles” was hanging over them because of the continued uncertainty as to whether any charges will be brought. Eight high-profile figures in football remain on bail as part of the two-year investigation and Gold, who was speaking primarily about the arrests of David Sullivan, Birmingham’s plc chairman, and Karren Brady, the club’s managing director, in April in connection with allegations of false accounting and conspiracy to defraud, believes the police have had more than long enough to gather evidence to decide whether to proceed with charges against those under suspicion.”The whole process has been appalling,” said Gold, who remains confident that Sullivan and Brady, who have both strongly denied any wrongdoing, will be cleared in due course. “I will be glad when it is all done and dusted. I am sure that all of these months and months of the investigation… the police aren’t that stupid and, by this time, they would have found something if there is something to be found. It’s like a Sword of Damocles hanging over you and I think it’s appalling.”City of London Police would not comment last night other than to confirm that “eight people remain on bail” and that the two-year investigation is “ongoing”. Although a dossier containing evidence was delivered to the Crown Prosecution Service in July, there is no indication as to when the inquiry might come to an end. Indeed, much to Gold’s frustration, the CPS does not have to bring charges within any set time for offences that would be set down for the crown court and, as a result, those arrested could remain on bail for the foreseeable future.”I never knew this law existed, where this hangs over you,” added Gold. “It almost goes on indefinitely and you have got no recourse. You have got recourse in business where you say, ‘Put up or shut up’, if you are negotiating. If you were in Cuba or the old communist states or Uganda, these things happen. But this is a process that has been in place for many years and nobody has addressed it. There is no time limit but surely there has to be.”Gold, who has been interviewed twice by City of London Police as a witness and not a suspect, claimed that Sullivan and Brady had both found the experience extremely stressful. He admits he is concerned that others will take the attitude that “there is no smoke without fire” but believes that the investigation at St Andrew’s, which has looked into several transfer deals, including Aliou Cissé’s £300,000 move from Birmingham to Portsmouth in August 2004, will not produce any evidence of wrongdoing.”We are waiting for the police to say, ‘Thank you very much for all your help, there will be no further inquiries and enjoy the rest of your life,’” added the Birmingham chairman. “That’s what we are expecting. The longer this goes on, the more we are convinced the police are chasing shadows and that there is no substance in their inquiries. As far as Birmingham City Football Club is concerned, the sooner they announce that they have completed their inquiries and that there are no charges, the better for everybody.”Birmingham