Mansfield Town snap up Birmingham City youngster on season-long loan

The 20-year-old is a graduate of the Blues’ academy and appeared on two occasions in the Sky Bet Championship last season.

He has now signed a deal with Stags that runs until the end of the season.

Manager Nigel Clough said: “Ryan is a young midfielder, who played in the same Birmingham U23s team as Ryan Burke.

“He has some experience in the first team at Birmingham and shows a lot of potential.

“Recent injuries to George Lapslie, Harry Charsley and Jason Law have highlighted that we could be a little light in this area. He’ll therefore give good competition in midfield.”

After joining Birmingham City full-time as a scholar, Stirk signed on professional terms – a three-year deal with an option to extend for a further year – in November 2017.

He was also part of the Blues’ U18 side that reached the FA Youth Cup semi-final in 2018.

During the 2018/19 campaign, the midfielder made 23 appearances for Birmingham’s U23s.

Born in Birmingham, Stirk qualifies to play for Wales through his maternal grandmother and has represented them at U16, U17, U19 and U21 levels.

He is described by the Birmingham Mail as: “A diminutive but neat defensive midfielder who reads the game well and breaks up play before inviting team-mates into the play.”

The youngster may not yet be the final summer signing for Mansfield Town

With James Perch and Farrend Rawson behind on fitness after Covid isolation and Elliott Hewitt ill, Clough sent on striker Jordan Bowery as a centre half in the second half at Hull.

So the manager revealed they may yet consider bringing in extra cover there as well.

“We are talking to one at the moment, but if they're fit we've got a choice of three centre halves with Elliott, James Perch and Faz Rawson,” he said.

"It would have to be someone to come in and challenge them.

“As you can see from the size of the squad, we don't bring people in just for the sake of it.”