Birmingham City release stars including Lee Bowyer, Sebastian Larsson and Kevin Phillips after relegation from the Premier League

EPL : Kevin Phillips, Birmingham City v Bolton Wanderer

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Birmingham City have released six players, including some big names, following their relegation from the Premier League.

Lee Bowyer, Sebastian Larsson, Kevin Phillips, Maik Taylor, Stuart Parnaby and Martin Jiranek have all been released by the Midlands side after their contracts expired this summer.

Three of the players – Bowyer, Larsson and Jiranek – played 90 minutes in the Carling Cup final victory against Arsenal this season and will most certainly be coveted by clubs after being made available on free transfers.

The Blues picked up just nine points from their 12 remaining games after that cup victory to be relegated on 39 points and manager Alex McLeish is looking to freshen up the squad in a bid to make an instant return to the Premier League.

Birmingham’s chairman Peter Pannu has said that the club has discussed its policy for the summer.

“We have discussed strategies and player movements and policies,” he said.

“Suffice to say there is by and large consensus in the way we believe we should proceed.”