Birmingham on verge of return to Championship with 6-2 thumping of Barnsley

Birmingham City is one win away from returning to the English Championship with a 6-2 thumping of Barnsley, bringing midfielder Paik Seung-ho back to the second division.

Birmingham City midfielder Paik Seung-ho looks on during a League One match against Barnsley at St. Andrew's in England in a photo shared on Birmingham's official X account on April 5. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Birmingham City midfielder Paik Seung-ho is one win away from returning to the Championship, as his side is 12 points clear at the top of the League One table after a 6-2 win over Barnsley on Saturday.

Birmingham sit on 92 points from their opening 39 matches in the 2024-25 season as of press time Sunday.

Wrexham are in second place with 81 points from 41 fixtures, with Wycombe coming in at No. 3 at 75 points from 40 matches.

Birmingham can lock in a runner-up finish with just one win, which would send them back to the second-tier Championship after facing relegation last season.

Paik, who joined then-Championship side Birmingham in January 2024 on a two-and-a-half-year deal, saw his team slip down to League One in his debut season and has spent the entirety of this season in the third tier as one of only two Korean players alongside teammate Lee Myung-jae.

Paik has been a regular pick this season, having picked up one goal and three assists in 42 matches across all competitions.

His return to the Championship would see him join countrymen Stoke City midfielder Bae Jun-ho and Swansea City forward Eom Ji-sung if both teams stay in the second division next season.

Fellow Korean midfielder Yang Min-hyeok of QPR, meanwhile, is due to return to Tottenham Hotspur in May after the end of his loan spell.

Paik progressed through the Barcelona youth system but struggled to see much playing time with the Spanish club, falling foul of FIFA’s Article 19 “Protection of Minors” rule and ending up on the bench for years.

He eventually made two appearances for Barcelona’s B team before bouncing around in Europe and returning to Korea in 2021 by joining Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.

After playing as a regular pick in the K League 1, he embarked on a journey in Europe again by joining Birmingham last year.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]