Cherries: Thomas completes Birmingham loan move (updated) (From Thisisdorset)

Cherries: Thomas completes Birmingham loan move (updated)

11:00pm Thursday 31st January 2013 in Latest Sport By Ian Wadley

UNSETTLED Cherries striker Wes Thomas has tonight completed a loan move to Birmingham City.

The two clubs have, in the past few minutes, confirmed that the frontman has finalised a switch to the Championship outfit until the end of the season.

That development came after the Daily Echo had this afternoon exclusively revealed news of Birmingham's interest in the 26-year-old Londoner.

Thomas had been consistently linked with a move away from Dean Court throughout the January transfer window.

A host of Championship clubs were rumoured to have showed an interest in Thomas with Burnley, Huddersfield, Derby and Watford thought to have been among the potential suitors.

They had been alerted by the former Crawley man's form during productive loan spells with Portsmouth and Blackpool this season.

Thomas returned to Cherries in January after netting three times in nine appearances for the Tangerines.

He made his first appearance for the Dorset club for more than two months when he came off the bench in the 1-1 draw with Swindon three weeks ago.

Eddie Howe then handed Thomas a start - his first for Cherries since August - in the FA Cup third round replay defeat at the hands of Wigan Athletic.

But he was understood to have been keen on a move away and put pen to paper with Birmingham after the Blues today jumped to the front of the queue.

Signed from Crawley Town 12 months ago, Thomas scored 10 goals in his first 20 games for Cherries.

But he failed to maintain that impressive record and fell down the pecking order under Paul Groves.