This article is part of Football League World's 'The Verdict' series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Birmingham City have made the decision to retire Jude Bellingham's number 22 shirt, following his departure to Borussia Dortmund.

It's a decision that has caused widespread debate, with many not deeming a player who has only broke through into the first-team this season worthy of having a shirt retired.

How do our team at FLW view the decision? Here, they take a look....

George Dagless

Bit odd.

It's a nice gesture for a potentially class player but it does seem a little over the top.

Plenty of people are going to lose their minds over it as well, though, which I don't really understand either, it's just a slightly strange situation.

Obviously, numbers are normally retired for long-serving members of a football club and we normally see 1-11 getting put aside.

The Blues obviously wanted to thank Bellingham for a fine season and send him on his way with their best wishes so fair play to them for that. It's a class enough gesture, it just seems a tad strong.

But each to their own, I just wonder what a second string goalkeeper will do now that the number 22 isn't available for next season?!

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Jacob Potter

What a bizarre thing to do.

Don't get me wrong, Bellingham has really impressed me with Birmingham City, but he's not made enough of an impact to retire the number for goodness sake!

I'm sure he'll go on to thrive with Borussia Dortmund, but he's hardly a legend with the Blues, so this doesn't make any sense to me.

I thought it was a joke when I first read about it, but given that this is somehow real, I'm sure there will be plenty of rival clubs that tear them to pieces over this.

It's laughable to say the least, and just about tops off an awful season for Birmingham City on the whole.

Chris Thorpe

I'm all for making pleasant gestures to a departing player but this is a bit ridiculous.

Bellingham has only played just over 40 games for the club and is now seemingly being heralded as a legend that warrants his shirt number being retired - it's pretty baffling.

From the player's perspective it must be a nice touch, as he has been with the club since he was a young boy and is now going on to bigger and better things at Borussia Dortmund.

But going back to my original point, is that really what constitutes being a legend nowadays? The games gone as they say!