Alfie Chang
 Chang pictured in September 2021 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alfie James Chang[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 4 September 2002[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Worcestershire, England[3] | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Birmingham City | ||
| Number | 15 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2021 | Birmingham City | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021– | Birmingham City | 13 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15:56, 11 August 2024 (UTC) | |||
Alfie James Chang (born 4 September 2002) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for EFL League One club Birmingham City.
Early life and career
[edit]Chang attended Droitwich Spa High School.[4] He took up a two-year scholarship with Birmingham City's Academy in July 2019.[5] According to the then academy manager Kristjaan Speakman, Chang "is most effective as a deep midfield player. In this position he is able to dictate the tempo of the game and through calm and composed possession is able to demonstrate an excellent range of passing. In higher areas of the pitch he has the creativity and cleverness to construct play able to create opening for forward players."[5]
Playing in central midfield, he captained Birmingham's under-18s in their 2020–21 FA Youth Cup campaign,[6] and played for Birmingham's U23 team as they beat Sheffield United U23 in the national final of that season's Professional Development League.[7] Chang was one of five under-18s offered their first professional contract in 2021,[8] and one of four who accepted.[9]
Chang was given a squad number and named on the bench for Birmingham's EFL Cup first-round match at home to Colchester United of League One. He remained unused, but in the second round of the same competition, on 24 August, he replaced Dion Sanderson after 73 minutes to make his senior debut as Birmingham lost 2–0 at home to Fulham.[10] His next appearance was also his first senior start, in the first round of the 2022–23 EFL Cup away to Norwich City, which Birmingham lost on penalties. "A composed midfield performance" in that game[11] was followed four days later by his Football League debut. With Ryan Woods on the verge of leaving the club, Chang started alongside Jordan James in central midfield in Birmingham's visit to Cardiff City in the Championship; he played 75 minutes of the 1–0 defeat.[12][13]
In August 2023, Chang suffered a "significant knee injury" in training,[14] which kept him out for the entire 2023–24 season.[15]
Career statistics
[edit]- As of match played 10 August 2024
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Birmingham City | 2021–22[16] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | |
| 2022–23[2] | Championship | 13 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 17 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24[17] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2024–25[18] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 13 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 20 | 0 | |||
References
[edit]- ^ "Club list of registered players" (PDF). English Football League. 23 June 2020. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 July 2020. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
- ^ a b "Games played by Alfie Chang in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
- ^ "Player | ALFIE CHANG". Birmingham City Football Club.
- ^ "Year 11" (PDF). Newsletter. No. 302. Droitwich High School. 30 September 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2021.
- ^ a b "Revealed: Blues' new scholars for 2019/20". Birmingham City F.C. 1 July 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
- ^ Murphy, Daniel (12 March 2021). "Liam Delap gives Man City food for thought in transfer market with excellent FA Youth Cup display". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
- ^ Dick, Brian (24 May 2021). "Blues U23s vs Sheff Utd U23s player ratings: Man City trainee sparkles as George blunts Blades". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
- ^ "Birmingham City: Jon Toral and Dan Crowley among 13 players released". BBC Sport. 17 May 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
- ^ "Blues quartet sign pro deals". Birmingham City F.C. 15 July 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
- ^ "EFL Cup: Birmingham City 0–2 Fulham". BBC Sport. 24 August 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
- ^ Lee, Matt (9 August 2022). "Birmingham City player ratings as Bellingham, Chang & Williams shine in Norwich defeat". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
- ^ Holland, Josh (13 August 2022). "Birmingham City transfer 'agreed' as midfielder misses Cardiff City clash". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
- ^ Pearlman, Michael (13 August 2022). "Cardiff City 1–0 Birmingham City". BBC Sport. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
- ^ "Injury Update: Alfie Chang". Birmingham City FC. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ Dicken, Alex. "Chris Davies explains the situation with Birmingham City's forgotten man". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ "Games played by Alfie Chang in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
- ^ "Games played by Alfie Chang in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
- ^ "Games played by Alfie Chang in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 August 2024.