Winger made 101 appearances for Birmingham City - He's now playing in Cyprus at 31 | OneFootball

Jeremie Bela was a fan favourite during his time at St Andrew's, but is now playing his football much further afield

Jeremie Bela was something of a shining light for Birmingham City through their turbulent years as a side constantly battling against the drop in the Championship.

The explosive winger played his part in keeping the Blues’ heads above water in all three of his seasons at St Andrew’s, with the Midlands outfit never finishing about 18th in the second tier during his time with the club.

His pace and trickery could often be relied on to produce something special in wide areas, with 24 goal contributions across his three seasons with the club proving that fact.

Since his departure in 2022, Bela has played back in his homeland of France, before making the switch to Cyprus for the current campaign, where he turns out for Omonia 29 Maiou.

Jeremie Bela shines during Birmingham City stretch

Birmingham signed Bela from Albacete in the summer of 2019, and right from the off he became a fan favourite at St Andrew’s thanks to his dynamism down the flanks.

The Angolan international announced himself to his new fanbase with a stunning free-kick in a 3-2 victory over Reading to get himself off the mark for his new employers, with a certain Jude Bellingham among the first to celebrate with him.

The tenacity of the wide man continued to gain plaudits during his time in England, as he never shied away from trying to take on his man down the sidelines, as well as producing many a rasping effort on goal.

In a time where the Blues needed players to stand up and be counted, Bela did so time and time again, with his contributions helping to keep City in the second tier by the skin of their teeth for much of his time at the club.

Lee Bowyer’s appointment saw the wide man utilised in a wing-back role during his final season with the club, and as his contract ticked down, it looked more and more likely that he was heading out the door as the summer approached, with two months out of first-team action during the run-in.

One final strike against Cardiff City marked his final and 101st appearance for the club in 2022, with a move to Clermont finalised during the off-season, as St Andrew’s waved goodbye to a player who had offered them hope when times had got tough.

Jeremie Bela struggles in France before Omonia 29 Maiou

The move to France saw Bela make the step up to Ligue 1, competing against the likes of PSG, Monaco and Lyon in the top tier, with Clermont finishing eighth in his first season with the club.

Game time was proving harder to come by though, with injuries limiting him to just seven starts across the campaign, before registering just one appearance from the first whistle in the following season, as the club dropped out of the top flight after an 18th-placed finish.

With his contract elapsing, a new adventure was about to begin, with a fourth country about to be added to his globetrotting career, as the catchily-named Omonia 29 Maiou offered him the chance to move to Cyprus.

The club were only formed in 2018 as a breakaway from the original Omonia Nicosia, with a number of disgruntled supporters becoming disillusioned with the way the club was run.

Having worked their way up through the Cypriot football pyramid, the club reached the top flight last year after earning promotion from the second tier, with Bela brought in to help their cause as they stepped into uncharted territory.

Things haven’t quite gone to plan though, with just three goals and one assist in his 20 league games this season, as Omonia sit bottom of the standings as the league splits into two for the remainder of the campaign.

You can bet your bottom dollar that he is still running defenders ragged when he gets the opportunity though, but right now he has a battle on his hands to get his side out of the mire they currently find themselves in.