Shares in brummie football club Birmingham City were boosted by 0.5p to 23p despite slightly disappointing interims. Investors chose to focus on the recent dramatic gain of lucrative Premiership status following the Nationwide League Division One play-off final. For the first half to February, pre-tax profits of £1.2m gave way to a £1m loss on lower sales of £7.4m (£8.7m). Although in line with the management's expectations, the results were down on last year, when sales were boosted by the team's strong run to make the Worthington Cup Final. Its profit and loss account also felt the force of increased staff costs in the half year resulting from new player contracts and compensation costs. Chairman and porn magnate David Sullivan says the second half to August 'will show a strong performance in turnover, reflecting the successful play-off run and a few weeks of the new Premiership season'. But last year's strong first half 'set a high threshold for the year as a whole' that will be hard to beat.