Birmingham City are fighting in the lower reaches of the Championship with their hands tied behind their backs.

Garry Monk is doing a stellar job of bringing them together as a unit and putting in solid performances, despite the horrible summer they had to endure.

There's the spectre of a points deduction looming large over St Andrew's as well as the inability to sign players, but still they plough on, picking up enough points to hopefully keep them away from the bottom of the Championship.

They've found a method that makes them solid, they've even been picking up enough points to postpone talk of a relegation battle, but there's a hint they could be doing much better under Monk.

That lack of recruitment has hit them hard, even though they have a decent squad of players to work with they're perhaps three or four short of a top ten assault.

The squad might have been stronger if they hadn't let these players go too early.

Duffy has proven to be a solid performer for Sheffield United this season and at 30-years old he still has plenty left in the tank.

Could he have been one to emerge from the shadows when the financial trouble kicked in? He's definitely a player whop would get into their side now and there's a thought perhaps they discarded him too early.

At the time, few were too concerned when Legzdins left, but in hindsight it was perhaps the wrong move.

This season Birmingham struggled to find a consistent number one with experience, both Stockdale and Kuszczak have been frozen out.

Lee Camp has stepped up now, but could Legzdins have already cemented his number one shirt before Camp arrived?

Lee made just 16 appearances for Birmingham before being shipped off to Luton Town in League Two, but he's rising to the top of the Scottish game at present with Heart of Midlothian. He's scored four in 13 outings with his side currently top of the division.

Should the Blues have held on to the midfielder, growing his experience with loan deals rather than getting rid so early?

Or is the top of the Scottish Premier League little barometer of his potential in the English second tier?