going ▁operations ▁on ▁both ▁kne es . ▁He ▁remained ▁at ▁B irmingham ▁to ▁have ▁another ▁go ▁at ▁res ur rect ing ▁his ▁career . ▁ ▁His ▁ 2 0 0 7 – 0 8 ▁pre - season ▁performances ▁were ▁good , ▁he ▁scored ▁five ▁goals ▁in ▁five ▁games . ▁His ▁manager , ▁Steve ▁Bruce , ▁was ▁enthus i astic ▁about ▁his ▁return ▁to ▁form . ▁He ▁continued ▁his ▁good ▁form ▁into ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁season , ▁scoring ▁the ▁opening ▁goal ▁of ▁the ▁match ▁against ▁Ch else a ▁and ▁cons olid ating ▁his ▁good ▁form ▁with ▁two ▁ass ists ▁in ▁the ▁next ▁three ▁matches . ▁He ▁scored ▁his ▁first ▁hat - tr ick ▁at ▁club ▁level ▁on ▁ 1 ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁in ▁the ▁ 4 – 1 ▁win ▁over ▁Tot ten ham ▁Hot sp ur , ▁a ▁so - called ▁" per fect ▁hat - tr ick " ▁– ▁one ▁goal ▁scored ▁with ▁the ▁left ▁foot , ▁one ▁with ▁the ▁right , ▁and ▁one ▁with ▁the ▁head . ▁In ▁his ▁final ▁season ▁at ▁B irmingham , ▁he ▁finished ▁the ▁season ▁as ▁their ▁top ▁sc orer ▁with ▁nine ▁goals ▁as ▁the ▁club ▁were ▁re leg ated ▁from ▁the ▁Premier ▁League . ▁ ▁Hannover ▁ 9 6 ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁following ▁the ▁club ' s ▁re leg ation ▁from ▁Premier ▁League , ▁For ss ell ▁signed ▁a ▁pre - cont ract ▁agreement ▁to ▁join ▁Hannover ▁ 9 6 ▁on ▁a ▁free ▁transfer ▁when ▁his ▁B