Bruce set for Birmingham meeting to discuss future at club

Birmingham's co-owner, David Sullivan, has revealed that his manager, Steve Bruce, will meet the board on Friday to discuss his future following relegation.

Portsmouth's upturn in fortunes since January has seen them escape relegation from the Premiership and their victory at Wigan on Saturday condemned Birmingham and West Bromwich to the Championship along with Sunderland.

Sullivan admits Bruce's future is yet to be decided. He said: "We're having a meeting with Steve on Friday. He's putting forward his proposals, we're putting out our proposals, and by Monday next week we will make public the outcome of that meeting. It will be decided on Friday.

"It's very complicated but the ball is in Steve's court. Steve has to make the decision. We would very much like him to stay," Sullivan said. "He needs a few days to get his mind together and decide what he wants to do with his life. He needs to decide if he wants a break, or if he wants to come fighting back straight away, or take a sabbatical."

Birmingham had shown signs of escaping the drop in the new year but failed to grind out the results needed to pull clear of the bottom three. "What happened is very depressing," Sullivan continued. "I thought it would at least be decided on the last day of the season. But every bit of luck that's been going has gone Portsmouth's way and good luck to them. I know it sounds a bit negative but I think they were incredibly lucky. They got two penalties in their last two games. Middlesbrough put out a weakened side against them, West Ham put out a weakened side against them, Arsenal didn't play [Thierry] Henry."

Sullivan admitted some squad members will leave St Andrew's, but promised that several other players would be arriving. "Some of the players won't be here because their contracts are up," he said. "But we haven't got to get rid of anybody. We've got to decide who wants to stay and they will be joined by five or six new players who want to play for us and who want to take us back to the Premiership.

"We won't get rid of anybody we don't want to get rid of. We do realise we need some new blood. We're already looking at who is available. In the next few weeks I hope we will make a few new signings."

Sullivan confirmed that the on-loan players Nicky Butt and Jiri Jarosik will leave, as will Chris Sutton, who signed a short-term deal in January.