Blues’ boss Alex McLeish is a great believer in the old adage that patience is a virtue and so it was that playing the waiting game finally brought him the reward of Kevin Phillips.

The former Scotland international manager admitted he had had to bide his time over the summer before securing the services of the 35-year-old striker who he hailed after the 1-0 victory over Sheffield United as his “born finisher” and a match-winner.

A 93rd minute strike from the former Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion veteran was, in the end, the difference between the two sides giving McLeish the start he had demanded from his team as they try to steal a march on their Coca Cola Championship rivals in their quest for an automatic return to the top flight.

McLeish tempted Phillps to St Andrew’s with the two year contract which was not forthcoming at The Hawthorns but which the player was demanding as he tries to finish his career in the West Midlands on a high.

McLeish said: “After losing Mikael Forssell, I felt we needed a goal-scorer and Kevin was the one who stuck out a mile.

“I knew he had an issue with West Brom and we waited patiently in the wings. He got on with the players and the fans and the staff there and I can understand why it was difficult for him to leave but, in the end, we got our man. He is a match-winner and a player you can put your trust in.”

At 35, Phillips is certainly showing no signs of losing his hunger in front of goal and his new manager joked: “He has a few years on Teddy Sheringham [who retired last season aged 42], so he is really just a boy!”

McLeish admitted he had been faced with a selection headache after Phillips and Garry O’Connor impressed in pre-season.

He said: “They have done well but, in the end, Marcus Bent and James McFadden got the start. It could have been the other way around. Kevin and Garry could easily have started but it is a squad game and it will be hard. The guys who are on top form are going to make it difficult for me to leave them out. “

McLeish may have also faced a quandary at right back until discovering Stephen Kelly was out with a groin strain leaving the path clear for Stuart Parnaby.

He said: “Stephen was unfortunate to miss out but Stuart was definitely staking a claim and impressed in pre-season. We have two good full-backs.

“Stephen has had a scan and we now await the results to see how long he will be out. Martin Taylor played the second half with a dead leg and was clearly hobbling on one leg at the end but he came through and read the game well.

“I was pleased with the reception we got from the crowd, too. They did what I had asked them to and really got behind us.”

McLeish conceded it had not been pretty or creative. He said: “We never really created as much in the final third as I would have liked and some players didn’t show the guile I had expected but that will come.

“It was an important win and it was good in terms of giving players an introduction to the Championship. It was a game that will help players to build up a bit of character and they had to hold their nerve.