Norwich City youth product Tom Adeyemi believes he has become a better player and is ready to emerge as a leader of the pack at Birmingham City.
The 22-year-old left Norfolk for the Midlands a year ago and was named Blues young player of the season after a difficult Championship campaign for Lee Clark's team.
The midfielder made 17 appearances for the Canaries during their League One title winning season in 2009/10 but the club's rapid rise to the Premier League saw the former Norwich School pupil edged out.
'It's difficult to be satisfied with the season when you've finished outside the relegation zone on goal difference,' Adeyemi admitted.
'But, at the same time for me, it was my first full season in the Championship, I have played near enough every game when I have been fit and I think I have performed to a reasonably high level.
'Hopefully I will be able to take that into next season and as a team we will be able to push on.
'I think I have matured as a player quite a lot.
'When I came I felt like I was one of the young lads, looking for other people to take the lead and just sort of get on with my thing.
'Over the course of the season it started to dawn on me that even though I am a young age I have played a lot of games and, the way my character is, I had the potential to be a leader.'
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