John Ruddy wants everyone who has contributed to Birmingham City’s relegation to be held accountable for their mistakes.
Blues dropped into League One for the first time in three decades after results went against them on the final day of the Championship season. A 1-0 win over Norwich City saw Blues reach 50 points but victories for Plymouth, Sheffield Wednesday and Blackburn ensured they finished 22nd in the Championship.
There is a long list of reasons why Blues will play League One football next term, but Ruddy highlighted their inability to collect enough points in the two away games against Rotherham United and Huddersfield Town leading up their finale with Norwich.
“We didn’t do enough leading up to this game in the two games previous to this,” said Ruddy, who captained Blues in their final three league games. “To only pick up two points… I think we’re the only team in the league that hasn’t scored against Rotherham. It’s those games where the damage is done.
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“Ultimately, the league table doesn’t lie at the end of a season. Over the course of 46 games, that’s what it comes down to.”
“I hope everyone takes accountability. We certainly do as players, I certainly do as an individual. There was a lot of change and, as I said previously, some of it was enforced and some of it was self-inflicted. I hope everybody who made those decisions is held accountable and takes responsibility for it.”
Knighthead made some mistakes in their first season of ownership but Blues are in safer hands than they were 12 months ago. Ruddy expects the club to be challenging for a place in the Premier League in the near future.
“The owners have got a plan that they are excited about,” he added. “Most of us that are here probably won’t be here to see that come to fruition but the plans are in place and the balls have started to roll and, for me, this club will be in the Premier League within five years. I don’t think today’s result will affect that but they have to have short-term goals as well as long-term vision.”
