TROY DEENEY has been released by Birmingham City.
The former Premier League star is one of 13 players to be released by the Championship side.
The 34-year-old lifelong Blues fan and SunSport columnist signed from Watford two years ago and scored 11 goals in 54 Championship appearances for his boyhood heroes.
Other senior players who have been told they can leave include former captain Harlee Dean, Jordan Graham, defenders Kevin Long, George Friend and French left-back Maxime Colin.
Blues boss John Eustace has also lost five loan players who have returned to their parent clubs as new owner Tom Wagner and Knighthead Capital Management clear the decks of some of their highest earners.
City suffered losses of £24.8million in their last financial figures and an estimated £12million for the first six months of the current one.
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Some of Blues’ released stars could renegotiate new deals according to club sources.
Krystian Bielik, Hannibal, Reda Khadra, Dion Sanderson, Auston Trusty have all also left the club following the end of their loans.
Prior to Deeney’s arrival at Birmingham, he spent 11 years at Watford.
He became a club legend at Vicarage Road as he scored 140 goals in 419 games for the club.
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Deeney was able to help the club earn promotion to the Premier League in 2015.
He also made one of the most memorable moments in Championship history by scoring an iconic playoff semi-final goal against Leicester City in 2013.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
