Birmingham are 'too good' for League One - Bielik

Krystian Bielik began his career in England with Arsenal and had spells on loan with Walsall and Charlton before joining Derby County in August 2019

Birmingham City captain Krystian Bielik says he believes the club are "too good for League One" and will be "a Championship team again" at the end of the season.

Blues have made a brilliant start to the campaign, winning six of their seven games so far to move two points clear at the top of the table.

Saturday's come-from-behind victory at home to Peterborough was sealed with Bielik scoring the winning goal as Blues fought back from 2-0 down to triumph 3-2.

"It seems like we always find a way to come back - we got two big punches in the face but we came back," Bielik, who said his winner would probably have been disallowed for handball had VAR been used, told BBC Radio WM.

"Full credit to the players, the manager and coaching staff.

"We're working so hard for these sorts of games when it's not going your way in the beginning but we find a way to win."

'I've missed winning games'

After a season-long spell with Blues in 2022-23, the Pole signed permanently from Derby County at the end of that season.

But last term was one of turmoil for Birmingham that saw them relegated from the Championship into the third tier for the first time in 30 years.

Following John Eustace's sacking by the club's new American owners with Blues sixth in the Championship, his replacement Wayne Rooney lasted 83 days before new boss Tony Mowbray was forced to step down for health reasons, leaving the club to fight relegation under the temporary control of, first, Mark Venus, then Gary Rowett.

Despite that upheaval, Bielik said he was determined to play his part in bringing back better times.

"I stayed because I wanted to win something. I missed the feeling of winning games," he said.

"The last two years at Birmingham was really average. We'd win one game and then lost two or three in a row. It was tough and we had to go through those moments.

"What is happening now, we fully deserve. Obviously we got relegated, and we're in League One, but we've played very well and we play very enjoyable football. "

"I'm here to enjoy football again because I haven't enjoyed it for a while."

Birmingham's fine run of six league wins on the spin for the first time since 1985 has given fans early hope that new boss Chris Davies - backed by significant investment in the squad - can take them straight back up.

And Bielik has no doubt the squad has the quality to do it.

"We're League One but I don't think there are any players in this team who are League One players," he said.

"All of them are at a higher level. In six months time we'll be a Championship team and a different animal.

"We stay humble and keep our feet on the ground and we don't want to choke on it. But the reality is we're too good for League One."