Yeung up to Gold standard

Birmingham chairman David Gold believes new owner Carson Yeung will drive the Blues to new heights.

Gold, who is keen to stay on as chairman, insists Yeung is unlikely to pour money into the club in the same way as new owners at Chelsea and Manchester City have in recent years.

However, he promised Birmingham fans that Yeung, who hails from Hong Kong, is passionate about football and not simply a businessman.

Yeung yesterday took his shareholding beyond the 90% mark, and his investment company Grandtop Holdings intend to complete a compulsory purchase of the remaining shares with a view to taking the club off the Alternative Investment Market and into private ownership.

He will soon be handed the keys to the club, and Gold’s brother Ralph, co-owner David Sullivan and chief executive Karren Brady are poised to depart. Sullivan last night played down reports he would look to invest in West Ham and said he planned to take a break from football.

Assessing Yeung’s intentions for Birmingham, Gold said: “I don’t think you’re looking at another (Roman) Abramovich and I don’t think you’re looking at another Arab situation like at Manchester City.

“But I do believe you’re looking at people who are committed that do have substantial funds, and I believe they are here not just to join a football club or own a football club and see it go backwards.”