Lee Clark set to be named Birmingham City manager

Lee Clark is set to be named the new Birmingham City manager in the next 24 hours.

The former Huddersfield boss will take charge at St Andrew's after impressing the Blues hierarchy.

Clark held two rounds of talks with Blues, who were looking for a new boss after Chris Hughton left for Norwich earlier this month.

Blues spoke to Alan Curbishley, but the club's former midfielder withdrew his application. They were also keen to meet Roy Keane, but he wanted to finish his Euro 2012 media duties first.

Ex-Hull chief Phil Brown was also linked with the job, but Clark will be handed the reins at St Andrew's four months after being sacked by Huddersfield.

Clark was axed by the Terriers in February after more than three years in charge despite Town chasing promotion in League One.

He took them to a 43-game unbeaten run in the league, the second longest unbeaten run in English football history, but lost the play-off final 3-0 to Peterborough in 2011.

The former Newcastle and Fulham midfielder will be tasked with winning promotion from the Championship after Birmingham lost in the play-off semi-final to Blackpool last season.

But he faces an exodus of players with Blues needing to balance the books.

Jordon Mutch was sold to Cardiff for £3m last week while goalkeeper Jack Butland, who was in England's Euro 2012 squad, is a £4m target for Southampton.

Keeper Ben Foster is likely to join Albion after his successful loan spell at The Hawthorns while Curtis Davies and Chris Burke could be reunited with Hughton at Premier League Norwich.