By Jamie Holt

BIRMINGHAM defender George Friend believes the club’s struggles earlier in the season have helped the players bond better as a squad.The Blues struggled under previous boss Aitor Karanka, but since the Spaniard was replaced by Lee Bowyer they have pulled clear of the threat of relegation.Their safety was confirmed with a 2-1 win at Derby last week and Friend is delighted to play his part, even if his playing time has been limited under Bowyer.The 33-year-old said: “If I’m not playing I still want to be involved. We’ve all got really close over...