He is Birmingham City's Little General, Alex McLeish’s on-field orchestrator.

And Barry Ferguson, one of the Premier League’s pass masters, couldn’t be happier with his footballing life.

For 13 years, apart from a spell at Blackburn Rovers, Ferguson was tied to Glasgow Rangers.

After leading them to the 2009 SPL and Scottish Cup double, it looked as if he would see out his career at Ibrox.

But Ferguson became restless and, with the infamous ‘Boozegate’ affair when on national duty continuing to loom large, he opted to cut his ties.

McLeish identified him as the ideal man to underpin Blues’ midfield following promotion from the Championship.

And Ferguson, 32, has revelled in his new lease of life.

“I love it here,” he enthuses. “I have said plenty of times before I wasn’t enjoying my football the last few months in Scotland.

“I made the decision with Rangers that I had to move on because I was going pretty stale up the road. I was playing the same teams week in, week out.

“The manager gave me the opportunity to come down and I think I had to prove again that I could play at this level.

“I’m enjoying every minute of it. The boys are fantastic, everything about the club is great and I’m enjoying my football.

“I have got another two years left on my contract now and hopefully I will see them out.”

Ferguson’s older brother, former Rangers midfielder Derek, revealed that Ferguson was finding the quiet life out of the Glasgow spotlight a pleasant change.

And it had contributed to his contentment.

That, and the worry about the media circus, made Ferguson’s decision to stay out of the Scotland fold all the more obvious.

“He is enjoying the quiet life down there,” says Derek. “He’s away from the goldfish bowl up here.

“I can see it in him physically, he is looking better. He’s a happier man, he is not in the spotlight.”

Ferguson, who was voted players’ player-of-the-year last season, said the togetherness in the ranks at St Andrew’s was strong, and it would help them through a sticky start to this campaign.

“People look at me as if I’m stupid, but it’s definitely the best team spirit I’ve ever experienced, I’ve ever played in. I’m not just saying that because I’m enjoying myself. You go in and you see at half-time, even when we are on top in a game, people are still at each other.

“Not fighting or anything like that, but it’s great. It should be like that.

“We don’t like our standards to fall and if anybody does let them fall, then there’s someone else down their throat. It makes the manager’s job a lot easier.”

As the years have moved on, Ferguson has moved back to a more reserved role.

“Obviously I’m not getting any younger. The manager, when I signed, wanted to play me in a certain position, sitting, and trying to get us playing football.

“I used to get forward but I think that’s my best position, in front of the two centre-backs. Whether I play with Lee Bowyer or Craig Gardner, both of them can bomb on and I can protect and then start the passing going when we get the ball back.”

Ferguson made more passes than any Premier League player last season, edging out Arsenal’s Cesc Fabregas as the man who keeps a game circulating the most. Blues have had problems so far at the top end of the pitch trying to score on a consistent basis, and maintain a creative edge.

But they continue to pass the ball, even if towards the close when they are chasing a result when it’s desperate stakes, it has to be pumped into the penalty area. Against Bolton Wanderers, Liverpool and in the first-half at Albion, Blues dominated and dictated.

But the ultimate verdict has not always gone their way, which has frustrated all and sundry.

“I don’t think we get enough credit for the way we try to play the game. But it’s the work rate too, throughout the team. It’s fantastic. Everybody fights for each other, and once we do that, we get the ball and start to play a bit.

“I just enjoy playing,” he adds. “I think if you ask my team-mates, I’m a moaning wee so and so!

“I just want the ball and I just want to play a certain way I believe football should be played. As I say, I moan when I haven’t got the ball, I moan when I have got the ball!”

The battle for midfield places has increased since Ferguson signed. It has kept him on his toes, and the club’s medical department are helping him to maintain his effectiveness.

“Lee Bowyer, last season, we had a great partnership and we knew we were in for a fight when we signed Craig Gardner, obviously Michel as well. There’s a lot of competition for places.

“The fans have been great to me, they’ve appreciated what I’ve done and I’m happy with that. I just want to carry on with what I gave last year. I put pressure on myself to keep producing.

“As I’ve said, I’m not getting any younger. But the staff, the sports science side of it, the doctor [chief medical officer Ian McGuinness] has brought a lot of people in, and that’s helped me. You’ve got to look after yourself more than you did years ago.

“They’ve got new ideas, they’ve given me ideas, and I take them on board so hopefully I can play on for another two or three years.”