Tue Dec 07, 2021 7:48 am
Birmingham City hit by Covid
Saturday's opponents Birmingham City have been hit by an outbreak of Covid in their camp.
Manager Lee Bowyer revealed that members of his coaching staff were kept away from the training ground last week and missed the weekend's defeat at Millwall.
“They have all had Covid,” Bowyer explained. “They share an office, two of them share driving, so four of them have been off all week. I had to borrow Craig (Gardner) this week because I was on my own.”
One bonus to emerge from the defeat at The Den was the return of former Bluebirds keeper Neil Etheridge.
The keeper was making his first league start since his summer hospitalisation after contracting coronavirus.
The 31-year-old had featured in the League Cup and under-23 matches, but with first-choice stopper Matija Sarkic out with a hamstring injury, Etheridge deputised and did OK.
He may well keep the jersey for the clash at St Andrew's.