Former Blues star discusses Birmingham City ‘brick wall’ and his horrific transfer

Odin Bailey has had a busy two years since deciding to leave Birmingham City and pursue a career away from his childhood club.

Bailey realized in the summer of 2022, after eight substitute appearances and four loan spells, that he needed to expand his wings. He accepted failure in his bid to make the first squad at St Andrew’s.

“It was very difficult (to leave),” Bailey admitted in an interview with the Keep Right On Podcast. “The fact that it was so difficult and I still went through with it demonstrates my mindset and where I was. I felt like I was sprinting into a brick wall near the end. No matter what I accomplish, I will never be given an opportunity. To be fair, it could have simply been my frustration with wanting to play first-team football. In the end, I decided it was best for my career to go out and sign somewhere and prove myself and others incorrect.”

Bailey admitted that his first season away from Blues, whom he had previously represented for 15 years from youth to first team, was a complete disaster. Bailey found Salford City to be less than he had hoped for.

Bailey discovered Neil Wood, a head coach who used him sparingly to say the least. Bailey was coming to terms with fatherhood while also suffering with the trauma of losing his friend Cody Fisher, who was stabbed to death in Digbeth nightclub Crane on Boxing Day 2022.

“Last season was a nightmare if I’m being honest, on and off the pitch,” he said. “I’d just had my little one, which isn’t a nightmare; it’s one of the finest things that’s ever happened to me, but everyone understands the demands and responsibility that come with having a child. Your life turns upside down. I joined the team shortly after having the baby.

“Cody Fisher, who was stabbed in Birmingham, and I were very close.” So there were a lot of things going on and off the pitch, as well as some family concerns, that put me in a state similar to depression. Looking back, I’d say I was definitely depressed.

“To be honest, I fell out of love with football. I wasn’t playing; I was simply training every day. I wasn’t putting up matchday squads, and I was just receiving the usual chestnut from managers when you weren’t playing. It ended up being a very awful decision.”

Bailey feared being one of the many talented kids that go by the wayside. He went on to say, “At the start of this season, I felt I needed to leave, not just for my mental health but also for my career. Having one season without playing is tough enough, but if it turns into two seasons before you know it, I might be in the National League or out of football.”

Stockport boss Dave Challinor threw Bailey a lifeline. A line was drawn in the sand, and Bailey moved to Edgeley Park in the hopes of helping Stockport improve from fourth position in League Two.

“One of the main reasons I was so excited to join Stockport is the club’s recent success. If you spent five minutes around the training ground, you’d never guess it was a League Two club. The training facilities are unbelievable.

“I’m familiar with Birmingham, and the staff and training pitches are extremely comparable. The setup is excellent, and it is unlike anything I have seen from a League Two club previously.”

Stockport are no longer a League Two club. They will play against Blues in League One next season after storming to the League Two title, leaving Hollywood-backed Wrexham in their wake.