Birmingham City’s abundance of strikers will get the chance to impress manager Alex McLeish this weekend.

After the capture of Marcus Bent last week, McLeish now has five strikers to choose from with Cameron Jerome, Garry O’Connor, Kevin Phillips and James McFadden and all five will see considerable action as Blues continue their pre-season preparations.

On Saturday, Blues travel to take on Gillingham and Jerome and Bent will play, while Phillips, O’Connor and McFadden have been named in the squad to face Forest Green Rovers on Sunday.

McLeish has now challenged his strikers to make it impossible for him to leave them out when the Championship season kicks off in two weeks.

“Suffice to say we have a big challenge ahead of us to get back to the Premier League at the first time of asking and we have brought in players we believe have the power and the technical ability to get us there,” said the Blues boss.

“I have got my wish of getting a big, strong centre-forward who can mess defenders about and it’s about the sum of all parts - Marcus is one of those parts.

“We have a lot of options up front and it’s going to be difficult to keep them all happy. I would think most players who are secure in their own ability and mentally strong at any club would welcome competition and welcome players who are going to enhance the club because I believe they can excel themselves if they embrace that challenge, rather than say ‘that’s me down the pecking order’. It’s really up to the individual.

“The fact is that we’ve got that firepower, we still have to go out and do it, make it happen. At the same time, the challenge is there for the defenders. Whilst the boys are scoring goals, they’ve got to be keeping the door shut at the back.

“Nothing gave me more pride as a player in a football match than walking off with a shut-out and that’s something the defenders have to take great pride in, too.”

Bent said he was fully aware there were no guarantees he would be given a regular starting berth in Blues’ attack when he agreed to sign and said he welcomed the battle for a place.

The 30-year-old striker turned down a move to Cardiff City, where he was likely to be their main striker, in favour of joining Blues.

“My agent told me the situation at Birmingham but that did not deter me,” Bent said. “I cannot assume that it will be me and Kevin Phillips in attack. There are a lot of strikers here who have all been working hard.

“Kevin is a great professional and has done it at the very top. I have a lot of respect for him and for what he has done in the game.

“Gary O’Connor has been exceptional since I have come to the club. He has worked hard, held himself well up front and scored goals. I watched Jerome last year and he is young, powerful and quick. He can finish, as well.

“Faddy is another awesome, young, talented striker, so I am not going to assume it will be me and Kev in attack. If it is, hopefully we will have a good partnership. He was awesome last year with his experience. He is very fit and you wouldn’t have thought he was 35. He is quiet but you know he is there.”

The squad for Gillingham is: Maik Taylor, Artur Krysiak, Stephen Kelly, Martin Taylor, Liam Ridgewell, Franck Queudrue, Seb Larsson, Gary McSheffrey, Mehdi Nafti, Marcus Bent, Cameron Jerome, Krystian Pearce, Jordon Mutch, Sone Aluko, Jared Wilson, Ashley Sammons, Jake Jervis, Mitch McPike.

The squad for Forest Green is: Colin Doyle, Artur Krysiak, Radhi Jaidi, Stuart Parnaby, David Murphy, Lee Carsley, Garry O’Connor, James McFadden, Kevin Phillips, Krystian Pearce, Sone Aluko, Jared Wilson, Mitch McPike, Jacob Rowe, Shaun Timmins, Jake Jervis, Ashley Sammons.