Dwight Yorke is braced for a collision with his friend Ugo Ehiogu as he bids to make his Birmingham debut against Middlesbrough on Saturday.
Yorke is in contention to start against Middlesbrough at The Riverside Stadium on Saturday following his £250,000 move from Blackburn.
Should he play then he will be in direct confrontation with his former Aston Villa team-mate Ehiogu.
"I have speaking to Ugo who is a good and close friend of mine," said Yorke.
"The first thing he said to me was that he couldn't believe he could be playing against me on my Birmingham debut."
But Yorke is not taking a place in the Birmingham side for granted and he knows that he will have his work cut out to make the starting XI.
"It will be exciting," added Yorke, "but I am not expecting to come straight into the side.
"If that happens, great. Birmingham have some quality players and it is great to come here and have that competition to get into the side."