Birmingham City hero Kevin Francis is backing new signing Nikola Zigic to be a fans' favourite.

Francis, the popular Brummie striker who was the club's tallest ever player until Zigic's arrival, predicted that the Serbian star would be a hit at St Andrew's.

"I think he's going to be good for Blues," Francis told the Birmingham Mail. "He's an established international, a World Cup player, and he knows where the back of the net is. In the clips I've seen of him, he scores a range of goals, he's not one-dimensional. He's played in Spain, in a top league, and done well there when he's been given the opportunity.

"I like the look of him. He's tidy on the floor and probably will score more goals than the others and Cameron Jerome did, which is what we need, although he had a really good season to be fair."

And the height factor?

"Whatever he does do, it will always be overshadowed by how tall he is," Francis said, talking from experience.

"He will be described as a 'towering' so and so, he will be called a 'lanky' so and so. Supporters will give him stick.

"If he was 6ft 4in, nothing would be made of it. It's weird like that - but that's the way it goes. It's life.

"I am sure he has heard worse in his career and it doesn't really need me to tell him to ignore what people say and just get on with showing what he can do."