 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Brandon Singh Khela[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (2005-01-19)19 January 2005 (age 21) | ||
| Place of birth | Coventry, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Peterborough United | ||
| Number | 8 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2014–2023 | Birmingham City | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2023–2025 | Birmingham City | 3 | (0) |
| 2024 | →Ross County (loan) | 14 | (0) |
| 2025 | →Bradford City (loan) | 15 | (0) |
| 2025– | Peterborough United | 26 | (2) |
| International career | |||
| 2022 | England U17 | 2 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 22:00, 10 February 2025 (UTC) | |||
Brandon Singh Khela (born 19 January 2005) is an English professionalfootballer who plays as amidfielder forEFL League One sidePeterborough United. Khela came through the academy ofBirmingham City and in 2022 became the firstBritish South Asian to sign a professional contract with that club.[2] He spent the second half of the 2023–24 seasonon loan atScottish Premiership clubRoss County and the second half of the following season withBradford City, with whom he gained promotion fromLeague Two. In international football, he has representedEngland at under-17 level.
Khela was born inCoventry,West Midlands. He grew up in aSikh family in Birmingham and was introduced to football at a young age by his father, Dov Singh Khela.[3] He attendedArden Academy inSolihull.[4]
He joinedBirmingham City's academy as an eight-year-old,[5] and took up a scholarship with the club in 2021.[6] According to the under-18s lead coach Martyn Olorenshaw, Khela "is a creator and scorer of many goals for the team from behind the forwards and his technical ability continues to improve. Brandon also has a fantastic engine on him which makes his defensive work important to the team as well."[6] In the 2021–22 season, Khela played in 14 league matches for Birmingham's U18s as well as 8 forSteve Spooner's development squad.[7] He also trained with the first team, was included in the matchday squad by managerLee Bowyer for theEFL Championship visit toStoke City in February 2022,[7] and received a call-up to theEngland U17 team.[8]
Khela signed his first professional deal withBirmingham City, to begin in July 2022. Olorenshaw highlighted his attitude and work ethic, which "he backs up ... with serious talent".[9] Khela's signing was celebrated as a significant milestone in the club's history and a source of inspiration for young British South Asians who aspire to play at the highest level.[2]
Khela was included in the party for the first-team's pre-season training camp in Spain in July 2023,[10] and on 8 August 2023, he made his senior debut, replacingKeshi Anderson in the 81st minute of a 2-0EFL Cup victory overCheltenham Town atWhaddon Road.[11][3] He made his firstChampionship appearance on 3 October as a latesubstitute in a 4–1 win at home toHuddersfield Town.[12] He was a regular in the matchday squad for the first three months of the season,[13] and signed a three-and-a-half-year contract in November 2023,[5] but made no further appearances for the first team.[13]
Khela joinedScottish Premiership clubRoss County on 12 January 2024on loan for the rest of the season.[14] He made his debut on 27 January, starting and playing the first hour of the visit toCeltic, who scored in the first minute and held on to their lead,[13][15] and kept his place for the next match, but was used off the bench for all but one of his remaining 13 appearances.[13] On 14 April, he came on as a late substitute with Ross County leadingRangers 3–1; although he conceded an 89th-minutepenalty forhandball, his team held on to beat Rangers for the first time in their history.[16]
Ross County finished 11th in the table, which meant they faceda play-off againstScottish Championship promotion candidatesRaith Rovers to determine which would play in the Premiership next season.[17] With a 2–1 lead from the first leg, Ross County were 3–0 up in the second when Khela entered the match after 76 minutes. Ten minutes later, he scored his first senior goal to confirm a 4–0 win. According to theDaily Record's commentary, "[Will] Nightingale is denied as his header at the back post hits the post, before rebounding for substitute Khela, who does brilliantly to work the ball out of the congestion and send a lovely left-foot drive into the corner."[18][19]
Under new managerChris Davies, Khela played regularly in pre-season, and his versatility earned him selection for the opening matchday squad at home toReading inLeague One.[20] In the next fixture, away toCharlton Athletic in the EFL Cup, he made his first start for Birmingham, playing at left back in the absence ofLee Buchanan (injured) andAlex Cochrane (rested).[21][22] After 32 minutes, he scored what proved to be the only goal of the match, bending the ball round the goalkeeper from well outside thepenalty area. His arms-outstretched celebration mirrored that of his former youth team-mateJude Bellingham, who also scored the only goal of the match away at Charlton on his full debut.[23][24][25] Davies confirmed Khela's integration within the first team squad for the season: "I just thought his mindset and the conversation I had with him really showed me, for such a young guy, there's a real maturity there and a real desire to be here and play for this club. He can cope physically as well and he's obviously been up to Ross County to play men's football, and he's decent on the ball and the attitude is exceptional so I have been really impressed."[26]
Khela made six appearances for Birmingham in the first half of the 2024–25 season before joiningLeague Two clubBradford City on 3 January 2025 on loan for the remainder of the campaign.[27] It took time for him to work his way into the team,[28] but he then started ten matches in March and April,[13] initially standing in for the hospitalisedAlex Pattison alongside captainRichie Smallwood in central midfield and then partnering Pattison with Smallwood suspended.[29][30] According to the BradfordTelegraph & Argus season summary, Khela "showed an old head on very young shoulders" as his team gained promotion to League One.[31]
On 24th June 2025, Khela signed forEFL League One sidePeterborough United on a four year deal with an option for a fifth.[32]
In May 2022, he was called up to theEngland U17 squad to faceNorway and theUnited States infriendly matches inMarbella.[33] He played in both matches, coming on as a substitute in the 3–0 win against Norway on 4 June and starting in the 2–1 loss to the United States four days later.[34]
Khela's Sikh faith has played a significant role in his life and career. He has spoken about how his faith has helped him to stay focused and maintain a positive attitude, even in the face of adversity.[35] In April 2023, Khela and his younger brother Reiss, an academy player atLeicester City, spoke at aVaisakhi event hosted bythe Football Association atWembley Stadium.[36]
Khela's signing with Birmingham City was recognised as a historic moment in British football and a source of inspiration for young footballers of South Asian descent.[37][8] He has stated that he wants to be a role model for British South Asians in football.[7]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | EFL Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Birmingham City | 2021–22[13] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| 2022–23[13] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24[38] | Championship | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2024–25[39] | League One | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2[b] | 0 | 6 | 1 | |
| Total | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 1 | ||
| Ross County (loan) | 2023–24[38] | Scottish Premiership | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1[c] | 1 | 15 | 1 | |
| Bradford City (loan) | 2024–25[39] | League Two | 15 | 0 | — | — | — | 15 | 0 | |||
| Peterborough United | 2025–26[40] | League One | 25 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4[b] | 0 | 32 | 2 |
| Career total | 57 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 70 | 2 | ||