Vignal nears Birmingham return

Birmingham defender Gregory Vignal, who was among the substitutes against Sunderland at the weekend, stepped up his fitness levels by playing 90 minutes for the reserves last night after a recent calf problem.

Boss Alex McLeish has no fresh injury worries ahead of their Premier League encounter with Blackburn at Ewood Park tomorrow evening.

On-loan Sunderland utility player Teemu Tainio is available again after being ineligible to face his parent club.

James McFadden, Lee Bowyer and Sebastian Larsson are all contenders to start after being substitutes at the Stadium of Light.

Provisional squad: Hart, Carr, Dann, Johnson, Ridgewell, Gardner, Ferguson, Michel, Fahey, Benitez, Jerome, Tainio, McFadden, Bowyer, Phillips, Larsson, Vignal, Parnaby, Taylor.