Birmingham City Football Club has today confirmed that club hero Nikola Zigic and winger Chris Burke have left the club following their contracts expiring.
Zigic signed for Birmingham for a record fee from Valencia under Alex McLeish and went on to score hugely important goals for Blues. The huge front man most famously scored the opening goal in Birmingham`s Carling Cup Triumph. The 33 year old, Serbia born, played 142 competitive games in royal blue and will now look elsewhere for his living.
Chris Burke joined Birmingham a year after Zigic on a free transfer from Cardiff City. The winger had a storming first season scoring 14 goals and 18 assistants for Birmingham in their bid to return to the Premier League. Burke, now 30 years old, played 145 times for Blues and leaves on a free transfer.
The departure of the two players had come to be expected over the past few weeks after manager Lee Clark revealed the two players were unwilling to renegotiate lower terms on their deals. It was hoped Nikola Zigic would remain on a significantly reduced deal due to his cult status with the club and that his family were very settled in Birmingham.
Burke was widely expected to leave as at the age of 30 it is far from in his best interests to be taking a wage cut as this could be his last pay increase. Bolton have been rumoured to be interested in the winger and some movement on his future will be more likely now the holidays are over and players return for training.
The midlands team have been unable to meet wage demands and financial investment needs since the arrest of the clubs then main investor and owner Carson Yeung. Yeung was convicted of money laundering earlier this year and remains in prison. The club is up for sale but no interested party has yet to complete a deal.
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