Beckham, Brady and McElhenney watch Birmingham win ‘Hollywood derby’ | Birmingham City

Tom Brady had bragging rights for Wrexham’s Hollywood owners as two goals from much-deserved summer signing Jay Stansfield gave Birmingham a 3-1 win over St Andrew’s.

In addition to seven-time Super Bowl champion and Blues minority owner Brady and Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney, former England captain David Beckham and his son Romeo were in the stands. They watched as Jack Marriott silenced the home fans with an early opener from Jack Marriott, only for Stansfield to fire home a rebound to level the score in his first league start in front of 27,980 fans.

Much was made of Stansfield’s move from Fulham for a reported £15m transfer fee, but it paid off when he put Birmingham ahead with a second early in the second half. Tomoki Iwata’s stunning goal helped secure the points before Krystian Bielik was sent off late on.

Wrexham took an early lead – Tom O’Connor’s inswinging corner caused chaos under the bar and Bailey Peacock-Farrell struck for Marriott to fire home. But the visitors were unable to keep a fifth successive clean sheet when Alfie May’s first-time effort stung the palms of Arthur Okonkwo and the ball fell for Stansfield to slam home the rebound.

Birmingham turned the game around, thanks in large part to a spectacular cross from Alex Cochrane that found Stansfield’s head and he nodded in for his second of the night. The hosts were given breathing space in the 59th minute when Iwata unleashed a thunderbolt from 25 yards that flew past Okonkwo to make it 3-1.

Things began to escalate after Paul Mullin appeared to get close to Alex Cochrane’s leg – leading to a full-scale melee, with James McClean at the forefront. The former West Brom man was immediately taken off, prompting a loud reaction from the Birmingham faithful.

Birmingham were reduced to a man for the final four minutes after Bielik was shown a second yellow card for a late foul on Andy Cannon, but the damage was done and ended the visitors’ unbeaten start to the season. The Blues are now level on 13 points with leaders Wrexham.