Birmingham City's final day of the season, on which they host Norwich City, contains one obvious non-negotiable - they must win to stand any chance of remaining in the Championship next term. A point might do it, but that'd involve a five-goal swing occurring elsewhere. Beat Norwich, and the pulses of a cluster of sides above them in the table will begin to race.
If you thought that last summer was a big job in terms of the recruitment and the overhaul of the squad, then what awaits in the coming months could be like deja vu. Blues were extremely busy and brought in 13 players before this season, but those signings were necessities when you consider how many players left the club at the end of last season.
The likes of Troy Deeney, Harlee Dean, Maxime Colin and George Friend headed the list of individuals who departed last campaign. Blues also parted with the likes of Tahith Chong, Jobe Bellingham, Sam Cosgrove and a number of loanees including Auston Trusty, Hannibal and Reda Khadra.
Another significant series of decisions await for Tony Mowbray upon his return, as well as technical director Craig Gardner and CEO Garry Cook. Clearly, the divisional status of the club will play a significant hand in deciding if Blues keep any of their out of contract players on beyond this summer or not. Either way, there's an opportunity to clean the slate with the contracts of a host of senior performers due to expire.
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Hopefully it's a positive outcome on Saturday. Blues supporters are entitled to feel fed up with yet another final day episode in which they will see their club fight for its Championship life. It's happened too often in the last ten years, that much is obvious. What is necessary now is that Blues overcome one final hurdle and *deep breath and exhale* start again in the summer.
That'd mean a St Andrew's farewell for as many as 15 players, if Blues do take the opportunity to remove significant earners from the wage-bill and rebuild.
The goalkeepers
Both senior keepers John Ruddy and Neil Etheridge are out of contract this summer. Ruddy has been by and large a successful addition after signing on a free transfer the summer before last. He's racked up 88 appearances and has kept Etheridge at arm's length - the Philippines international has played only 13 games in the last two years. In 2021 he was admitted to hospital after contracting Covid.
The defenders
Marc Roberts is Blues' second longest serving player in the squad currently. He is three games shy of making 200 appearances for the club, having arrived from Barnsley in 2017. Having suffered an injury in March, he made his return to action at Huddersfield on Saturday and could feature on the final day. There is an option for another season in his contract.
The midfielders
Gary Gardner has endured a couple of injury hit years. The 31-year-old scored a memorable free kick against Albion earlier in the season but that was a rare high in what has otherwise been a extensive period of frustration. Gardner's only start came at Middlesbrough under Wayne Rooney. More recently the substitute cameos have been minimal.
Then there's Ivan Sunjic , who has had a more prominent role to play this term having returned from his loan spell with Hertha Berlin. Given a new lease of life by Eustace, he's by and large been a regular in the starting XI this term and scored in the recent win over Coventry.
Keshi Anderson begun the season well under Eustace but suffered an injury and played next to no part under Rooney. He has come back into the limelight in more recent weeks and set up Koji Miyoshi's opener at Huddersfield on Saturday. Anderson also has an option in his contract.
The forwards
Blues, like with the goalkeepers, have two permanent, out and out centre forwards on their books - and both are likely to say farewell after Saturday's game with Norwich. Scott Hogan has scored just two league goals in well over a year of football for Blues, despite being the club's top scorer in each of the last two seasons. He hasn't featured for more than ten minutes or so under Gary Rowett.
Then there is Lukas Jutkiewicz, who falls into the modern day legend category. The striker has accelerated his recovery in order to be available to Rowett in the club's final couple of games of this season, as they seek to produce another daring escape act. Jutkiewicz, the only player remaining from Rowett's permanent tenure in charge, is the longest serving player. He has scored 67 goals in 330 appearances.
The loanees
Like in any given season, some loanees have been hits, others indisputable misses. Jay Stansfield has given Blues a chance of survival with his goals this term, and while there will always be calls to 'sign him up', it remains to be seen what Fulham have planned for him next. He did sign a long term contract at Craven Cottage prior to joining last summer.
Cody Drameh and Andre Dozzell both fall into a similar category. Right-back Drameh has been an earnest addition, happy to play on both sides of the defence and a player who is looking to earn himself a deal somewhere with his contract at Leeds due to expire. Dozzell, equally, is a Mowbray signing and his deal with QPR is also up.
Defender Emanuel Aiwu and winger Oliver Burke are the other loanees. Neither have comprehensively impressed over the course of the season, although the club do have the option to sign the former on a permanent basis should they wish to.
The youngsters
Goalkeeper Bradley Mayo and defender Marcel Oakley also see their contracts expire. Keeper Mayo has been on the bench in the league and the cup this year in the absence of the injured Ruddy. Oakley, who scored the winner against Colchester United in the League Cup in 2021.
The club have options on Junior Dixon, Laiith Fairnie and Femi Olofinjana.
The remaining contracted squad
Dion Sanderson, Ethan Laird, Manny Longelo, Lee Buchanan, Paik Seung-ho, Jordan James, Alfie Chang, Krystian Bielik, Juninho Bacuna, Brandon Khela, Koji Miyoshi, Siriki Dembele, Tyler Roberts, Alex Pritchard, Romelle Donovan, George Hall, Ben Beresford, Josh Home
