Birmingham City have not had the season they would have wanted up until now and Steve Cotterill will be looking to change that.

The man charged with picking up from where Harry Redknapp left off, Cotterill knows he has a real job on to try and turn things around with the Blues low on confidence at the moment.

Even so, he should feel as though there is talent in the squad to be utilised and to get them up the table with the likes of Che Adams, Jota and Isaac Vassell all having great quality.

It's not all doom and gloom, then, and if it can be added to in the January window then the Blues should at least get away from the Championship drop zone.

With that in mind, then, we've been thinking about two players the club should look to sign and we've come up with these names...

Matt Smith

Valued at £675k by transfermarkt, the QPR forward has been limited to a super-sub role more often than not at Loftus Road this season.

Even so, he is their joint top scorer and is certainly the kind of player that the creative stars at Birmingham could work off of.

The striker will obviously want to be starting and if he cannot get that at QPR, the Blues should try and make him an offer.

James Collins

The veteran defender is valued at £1.8m by transfermarkt, but after picking up an ankle injury he might find it tough to get back into the West Ham team.

A reliable presence at the back, Birmingham need someone like the Welshman to come in and just help tighten things up - especially after they were battered 6-1 last time out against Hull City.

There's the obvious Aston Villa connection to get over, of course, but if he can help get the Blues up the table that'll be forgotten.

They should try and test the water.