CARLOS EDWARDS has already received a cheeky text from a former team-mate informing him that Birmingham's title celebrations have already started.

But Edwards is confident Sunderland can prove the Blues wrong over the course of tomorrow afternoon and follow up promotion to the Premiership by reclaiming the Championship trophy - even if the Black Cats don't know when they will be handed the silverware.

As revealed in The Northern Echo on Thursday, a Football League policy prevents the trophy from being presented at away grounds, meaning Sunderland or Birmingham will have to wait to celebrate properly.

And Edwards, who won the League One title with Luton when Sunderland last won the Championship two years ago, feels the Football League will be wrong to dampen the excitement from either side's success tomorrow by not wheeling out the trophy.

"It's very disappointing," said Edwards. "For the lads to walk away empty-handed on that day, that will be disappointing. We have to abide by the rules but it's unfair that if you win the trophy on an away ground you don't get to lift it.

"This might be the only time I win this and it would be nice to lift the trophy. But there's not much I can do about it."

With Birmingham at play-off chasing Preston and Sunderland at relegated Luton, both of the clubs destined for the Premiership are in the same position.

But the possibility of Sunderland, just a point behind the leaders going into the final day, landing the title has not prevented City striker Rowan Vine from getting carried away.

Vine, who spent a few seasons with Edwards at Kenilworth Road before the pair were sold in January for a combined £3.9m, has sent Edwards a picture of him popping open a big bottle of Champagne,".

Edwards said: "It's all good fun. We're all battling for the top-flight and the title. There will only be one winner and I hope it's us. If Birmingham win it, fair play to them, they deserve it as much as us. But only one of us will win the trophy. We will wait and see who it is.

"If it's us, I will send him a picture back. I will take a picture of the medal and send it to him. It's just good fun. He sent his picture with good intentions. He did it with good heart and love.

"The message said 'are you going to let us have the medals?' But it's survival of the fittest. We will see who comes away victorious."

After years of success under Joe Kinnear and Mike Newell at Luton, the Hatters have dropped from early pace-setters in the Championship to relegation certainties.

And Edwards is sympathetic towards the club that handed him his chance at a higher level, when he moved to Luton after spending five years with Wrexham after leaving the Trinidad Defence Force in 2000.

"It's weird but clubs always sell their best players," he said. "I've been at clubs in the past that always get rid of their best players, for whatever reason.

"At times, they just can't turn down the money being offered. For us to go to two of the better teams in the Championship is an honour for us but it's unfortunate for Luton.

"They are the ones who are being relegated, but myself and Rowan will benefit from leaving Luton.

"It does happen in this business. You win some, you lose some. You move on in your career and in your life. It's sad for them. But it's better for me and Rowan because the Premiership is where we want to be."