Ethan Laird: Birmingham City defender says fans have power to make squad feel 'unstoppable'

Birmingham City defender Ethan Laird says the club's fans have the ability to make the players feel "unstoppable".

The result eased Birmingham's relegation worries, moving Tony Mowbray's side six points clear of the bottom three.

"It's brilliant because the results haven't been falling our way recently," Laird told BBC Radio WM.

Andre Dozzell's 77th-minute strike proved enough for Blues to see off Rovers, under the management of former Birmingham boss John Eustace, as they ended a run of three defeats in a row in all competitions.

"We've been playing well, but the results haven't come," Laird said. "We really needed this, and hopefully now we can get some momentum.

"We have that winning mentality, but sometimes we're not going to win, that's the way football goes. But now we've got the win and hopefully we'll keep building on it and create more chances to score more goals."

Giving your all to the fans 'part of Birmingham's DNA'

Back-to-back Championship away defeats - against West Midlands rivals West Brom and Sheffield Wednesday - checked Blues' early momentum under Mowbray after they took four points from the first two games under the former Sunderland, Blackburn and Baggies boss.

But victory over Blackburn was their fourth match at St Andrew's without defeat, and Laird is convinced the home crowd hold the key to their hopes of moving further clear of trouble.

"The fans need to realise their energy makes us play twice as good," the 22-year-old said.

"If they give us that energy, we're going to go even harder. I feel like the DNA of a Birmingham team is to pour your heart out to the fans.

"When the fans give us that back, you almost feel unstoppable, and that's why I always try to make that big tackle or stop to get the fans going because the players need it.

"Confidence is a big thing in football, and if the fans believe in us, we'll be unstoppable."