Stevenage welcomes League 1 champions Birmingham City to the Lamex Stadium on Thursday, April 24, 2025, at 19:45, with nothing but pride to play for in their final three games of the season. The Boro have struggled recently, losing four of their last six matches, but managed to secure a victory against Bristol Rovers on Monday, April 21, 2025. Meanwhile, the Blues, who have already wrapped up the title, are aiming for history as they chase various records in the closing weeks of the campaign.
Birmingham City, having secured automatic promotion to the Championship last week, is on the hunt for several significant milestones. They are just one point away from reaching the 100-point mark and are eyeing the League 1 points record of 103, set by Wolverhampton Wanderers in the 2013/14 season, as well as the EFL points record of 106 established by Reading in the 2005/06 Championship season. Additionally, they could break a long-standing record held by Doncaster Rovers, who achieved 33 wins in the 1946/47 Third Division North campaign. The Blues need four more victories to surpass this historic achievement.
Stevenage manager Alex Revell has no new injury concerns ahead of the match and will be looking to build on their recent performance. Jamie Reid, who scored the decisive goal against Bristol Rovers, hopes to retain his place in the starting lineup. In support, Elliott List, Jordan Roberts, and Kyle Edwards provided strong attacking options in their last outing, and Revell might opt to keep this quartet intact. However, Dan Kemp, the team's top scorer this season, was a surprising omission in the last match, and it remains uncertain if he will be recalled for this fixture.
On the injury front for Birmingham, Scott Wright and Lee Buchanan are both sidelined with knee injuries, while Lyndon Dykes is dealing with a calf issue and is unlikely to return before the end of the season. Emil Hansson has also missed the last six matches, and his participation in Thursday's clash is doubtful. Birmingham manager Chris Davies made several changes for the match against Burton Albion, and players like Keshi Anderson, Paik Seung-ho, and Ethan Laird, who were benched on Easter Monday, could be reinstated in the starting eleven for this encounter.
As for the betting odds, Stevenage is priced at 3/1 to pull off an upset against the champions, while Birmingham is favored at 5/6 to secure the win. The draw is available at 9/4. Given Birmingham's recent form, which includes winning five of their last six appearances in League 1, they are expected to be a formidable opponent. Notably, both teams have scored in each of Birmingham's last five away games, making the "both teams to score" bet an attractive option at 10/11.
Last time these two teams met at St Andrew's in March 2025, both sides found the net, with Stevenage managing a late consolation goal. This trend of both teams scoring has been evident in Stevenage's last four home contests, suggesting that fans can expect an entertaining match.
In terms of match predictions, Birmingham's pursuit of history could see them claim another victory at the Lamex Stadium. Their psychological advantage from previous encounters this season, where they have beaten Stevenage twice already, could play a crucial role in their performance. With the potential for over 2.5 goals, as seen in Birmingham's last six victories, this match promises to be an exciting affair.
Fans can watch the match live on Paramount+ in the US, with kick-off set for 2:45 PM ET. As the season winds down, both teams have their own objectives, and this clash is sure to be filled with intensity and drama.
