Birmingham City have a clear formula which will make them the best EFL team in history
Birmingham City are on 86 points in League One this season - and they still have nine matches left remaining of their campaign
Birmingham City are cruising towards the League One title and an immediate return to the Championship after their latest success on Saturday when they dispatched Shrewsbury Town at St Andrew's - and gained a little revenge for the reverse fixture in the process.
Ben Davies and Ethan Laird both found the net to put Blues firmly in control before Alfie May's long-awaited brace from the bench brought to an end a 16-game drought for the striker. Vadaine Oliver replied for the lowly visitors who look as though they'll be playing in the fourth tier next term.
Blues have lost just once in 23 games since November, when they were beaten by the Shrews, and in that time, have opened up a significant gap to the chasing pack in of other promotion hopefuls in League One.
Guided by Chris Davies, who it must be remembered is in his first ever managerial job, they are now nine points clear of second placed Wrexham and a giant 12 points ahead of Wycombe Wanderers in the play-offs. All the while, Blues have two games and one game in hand respectively, too.
Ahead of the Easter weekend, and with one eye already firmly on the summer to come and the assault planned on the Championship, points tallies are being drawn up by supporters who will look to work out what is required from here, and which weekend may be the one that seals promotion.
Blues, you could argue, have bigger fish to fry from here, though; not often can a side in the EFL, since its rebranding in 2004, enjoy such a position of strength without aspiring to break records. Blues this term have averaged 2.32 points a game and continuing that across their remaining nine games would guarantee that they become the most successful EFL team ever.
Much has been made of the comparisons of Wolverhampton Wanderers who, under Kenny Jackett, marched back to the Championship after a single season in this division in 2013-14. They claimed 103 points, winning 31 but losing five games that year. A whole decade on, Blues are well positioned to surpass that tally - and then some.
Across the three EFL divisions, the highest tally recorded since the rebrand in 2004 was that of Steve Coppell's excellent Reading side, who clinched the Championship title in 2006. They staggeringly claimed 106 points and scored 99 goals that season, boasting a goal difference of +67 and losing just twice across the whole campaign.
Blues are, right now, exactly five wins behind Reading and, although matching the Royals' outstanding goal difference might prove a mountainous task from here (Blues are on +38), beating their three-figure tally is within their reach if they continue on the same curve which they've managed to for the vast majority of this season.
The small matter of 21 more points accumulated across the forthcoming nine matches - at a rate of 2.33 points per game, or seven wins - would break existing records and ensure this Blues side creates EFL history.
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