Jay Stansfield explains decision to join Birmingham City in blow to Sunderland, Millwall and QPR

Birmingham City match-winner Jay Stansfield has unveiled the reason he chose to move to St Andrew’s on loan amid competition from a host of Championship rivals.

Sunderland, Queens Park Rangers and Millwall were all credited with interest but it’s now become public knowledge that there were plenty of others after the striker.

The 20-year-old, who scored a 95th-minute stunner on the volley to beat Plymouth Argyle, spoke with great honesty in the post-match press conference on Saturday.

Delighted with what he described to be the best goal of his career to date, Stansfield smiled as he described the thought process of deciding on Birmingham as his destination.

“The ambition of the club and how together it is – it’s such a family club and that’s such a big part of what I look for,” Stansfield admitted.

“I was at Exeter last year and that was a massive family club. I feel that’s where I can develop and be myself, trying to be the best player possible,” the Fulham man continued.

Head coach John Eustace was over the moon with his latest recruit’s early impact and spoke of the fierce battle Blues had to go through to secure his services.

“He comes in with a real hunger. He’s got a great pedigree that he’s come from Exeter where he was on fire last year, he’s come from a Premier League club,” Eustace said.

“Jay’s an excellent player, it’s a real statement of intent that he chose us. He had 12 or 13 Championship clubs wanting him and it’s very pleasing that he wanted to come here.

“It was an outstanding finish [his goal]. We’ve watched him over the last two seasons and seen how he’s progressed. He’s going to be a big player for us,” Eustace continued.

Stansfield won’t have to wait long for his next opportunity to play as Birmingham take on Cardiff City on home soil in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday evening.