New Birmingham City signing Stuart Parnaby insists there's nothing for the club to fear on their Premiership return.

"When teams get promotion everyone expects them to struggle or go back down," he said. "You can understand why people think that, but I'm quite confident about our chances next season.

"I don't see Reading having a better team than us, and we don't know yet who the manager is going to sign to strengthen us.

"Hopefully we will go into the Premiership with a team that can push for mid-table. With the players that are here and the plans the manager has, I am quite optimistic."

Parnaby was at the FA's Lilleshall school of excellence with midfielder Neil Danns and knows winger Gary McSheffrey.

"Dannsy's a year younger than me, he's a great lad and I know Gary from when we came through the England youth set-up.

"I'm sure I will settle in quickly and get on with the rest of the lads. There seem to be quite a few around the same age at Birmingham."