Davey told www.barnsleyfc.co.uk :
"We have been talking with Kevin and his agent since the end of last season when we learned that he was available. He was very interested in what we had to say and we put an attractive two-year package to Kevin, which meant that his decision to join Birmingham City was not about money.
"Kevin's agent phoned me this morning to say that he has decided to join Birmingham City. It means that Kevin does not have to move his family from the Midlands and he believes that City, with their parachute payments from the Premier League, have a better chance of winning promotion next season.
"It shows just how far we have come as a football club that we can be in very serious discussions with Kevin throughout the summer. In the end it came down a straight choice between us and Birmingham City and his choice was down to family and football reasons rather than money.
"I am disappointed for the fans here at Barnsley because Kevin would have been an amazing signing for this football club and he would have been a hero on the terraces. Kevin scored 24 goals last season and that is the calibre of player we want here at Oakwell.
"We have come a long way as a club both on and off the field in the last two years and we will continue to improve. We want to bring that calibre of player here".
This shows the club's ambition in trying to lure big names to Oakwell, and hopefully we will be seeing a striker in before the beginning of the new season!