Birmingham owner Yeung held in Hong Kong

A Hong Kong court has rejected Birmingham City owner Carson Yeung’s bid to attend the club’s first home game of the season.

Yeung, charged with five counts of money laundering involving more than 720 million Hong Kong dollars (€65m), appeared in court today offering to increase his bail to 3 million Hong Kong dollars (€272,000) so he could fly to England to attend Birmingham’s match against Coventry and attend to club business.

But a magistrate ruled that Yeung must remain in the Chinese territory at least until he enters a plea in a district court on August 30.

Birmingham fans were initially sceptical about Yeung, who made his fortune in the Hong Kong real estate market. His protracted pursuit of Birmingham ended in October 2009 with an £81.5m (€92.5m) takeover.

However, Yeung won over many fans when his first season as owner, 2009-10, ended with Birmingham’s highest top-flight finish for more than 50 years and some big-money signings.

Last season the club won the League Cup, its first trophy since 1963, but it was also relegated from the Premier League on the last day of the season.