Sheffield Wednesday's relegation rivals backed by old boss to beat the drop after 'ideal' decision

Sheffield Wednesday have eight games remaining in their battle at the bottom and have automatic promotion-chasing Watford coming up next on Good Friday.

While Rotherham United, sitting just above the Owls in the table have played three fewer games, the team to target on the edge of the relegation zone are Birmingham City with whom Wednesday have a game in hand over.

The Blues are six points ahead of Darren Moore’s side and their next challenge comes in the shape of another team with Premier League ambitions, Swansea City on Friday night.

Birmingham’s hierarchy bit the bullet earlier this month by sacking Aitor Karanka and bringing in former Charlton manager Lee Bowyer to aid their fight.

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And it is that appointment which one of their former bosses believes will help the second city outfit ensure Championship football next season.

Barry Fry has described the decision to call upon Bowyer as ‘ideal’ and the director of football at Peterborough United believes it will help ‘underachieving’ Birmingham stay up.

“Lee is the ideal man to go into Birmingham City because he’s very positive, he’s very committed, he’s very passionate, he’s very knowledgable, he’s honest and he gets the best out of the players,” Fry told FFC. “And when you look at the Birmingham squad, it’s a good squad, but each and every one of them are underachieving.”

He added: “I back Lee, the Bluenoses will back Lee and I think he’ll do enough. Although he’s got a difficult task, he’ll do enough to keep the Blues in the Championship.”