1962–63 Birmingham City F.C. season explained

Club:Birmingham City F.C.
Season:1962–63
Manager:Gil Merrick
Chairman:Harry Morris, Jr
Stdtitle:Ground
Stadium:St Andrew's
League:Football League First Division
League Result:20th
Cup1:FA Cup
Cup1 Result:Third round
(eliminated by Bury)
Cup2:Football League Cup
Cup2 Result:Winners
League Topscorer:Ken Leek (20)
Season Topscorer:Ken Leek (29)
Highest Attendance:42,228 vs Aston Villa, 27 October 1962
Lowest Attendance:11,293 vs Bury, League Cup semi-final 1st leg, 27 March 1963
Average Attendance:22,559
Pattern La1:_whiteborder
Pattern B1:_whitecollar
Pattern Ra1:_whiteborder
Pattern So1:_top_on_white
Leftarm1:000099
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Prevseason:1961–62
Nextseason:1963–64

The 1962–63 Football League season was Birmingham City Football Club's 60th in the Football League and their 36th in the First Division. They finished in 20th position in the 22-team division, two points clear of the relegation places. They entered the 1962–63 FA Cup at the third round proper and lost in that round to Bury after a replay. They entered the League Cup at the second round and reached the final, in which they defeated local rivals Aston Villa 3–1 on aggregate score to win the first (and, until 2011, only) major trophy in their history.

Because of the severe winter weather – the so-called "Big Freeze of 1963" – Birmingham played no matches for ten weeks, between 22 December and 2 March. Their third-round FA Cup-tie was played in the first week of March, two months later than the usual date of the first weekend in January.

Twenty-three players made at least one appearance in nationally organised first-team competition, and there were eleven different goalscorers. Half back Terry Hennessey played in 52 of the 53 first-team matches over the season (forwards Ken Leek and Mike Hellawell missed only two), and Leek finished as leading goalscorer with 29 goals, of which 20 were scored in league competition.

Football League First Division

See main article: 1962–63 Football League.

DateLeague
position		OpponentsVenueResultScore
F–A		ScorersAttendance
18 August 196222ndTottenham HotspurAstyle=background:#fccL0–351,140
21 August 196222ndArsenalAstyle=background:#fccL0–234,004
25 August 196220thLeyton OrientHstyle=background:#ffcD2–2Bullock, Hellawell23,411
29 August 196219thArsenalHstyle=background:#ffcD2–2Leek, Lynn pen27,038
1 September 196220thManchester UnitedAstyle=background:#fccL0–240,618
8 September 196221stBurnleyHstyle=background:#cfcW5–1Hellawell 2, Leek, Bloomfield, Bullock24,463
12 September 196221stWest Bromwich AlbionAstyle=background:#fccL0–125,560
15 September 196222ndSheffield WednesdayAstyle=background:#fccL0–522,255
19 September 196222ndWest Bromwich AlbionHstyle=background:#ffcD0–028,660
22 September 196218thFulhamHstyle=background:#cfcW4–1Harris, Leek, Auld, Lynn pen20,439
29 September 196220thLeicester CityAstyle=background:#fccL0–322,210
6 October 196222ndWest Ham UnitedAstyle=background:#fccL0–521,150
13 October 196222ndManchester CityHstyle=background:#ffcD2–2Regan, Stubbs21,114
24 October 196219thWolverhampton WanderersAstyle=background:#cfcW2–0Leek 226,226
27 October 196217thAston VillaHstyle=background:#cfcW3–2Leek 2, Lynn pen42,228
3 November 196213thSheffield UnitedAstyle=background:#cfcW2–0Stubbs, Hellawell19,186
10 November 196214thNottingham ForestHstyle=background:#ffcD2–2Harris, Leek22,024
17 November 196212thIpswich TownAstyle=background:#cfcW5–1Harris 2, Leek 2, Auld16,775
24 November 196215thLiverpoolHstyle=background:#fccL0–227,050
1 December 196214thBlackpoolAstyle=background:#ffcD1–1Leek12,955
8 December 196215thBlackburn RoversHstyle=background:#ffcD3–3Bloomfield, Leek 216,108
15 December 196216thTottenham HotspurHstyle=background:#fccL0–236,623
22 December 196215thLeyton OrientAstyle=background:#ffcD2–2Bloomfield 211,646
2 March 196318thManchester CityAstyle=background:#fccL1–2Harris28,798
9 March 196320thWolverhampton WanderersHstyle=background:#fccL3–4Auld, Lynn 2 (1 pen)18,219
16 March 196320thAston VillaAstyle=background:#fccL0–440,400
23 March 196321stSheffield UnitedHstyle=background:#fccL0–118,056
30 March 196320thSheffield WednesdayHstyle=background:#ffcD1–1Auld pen12,275
3 April 196319thBolton WanderersHstyle=background:#ffcD2–2Leek 213,200
6 April 196320thIpswich TownHstyle=background:#fccL0–116,756
13 April 196321stNottingham ForestAstyle=background:#cfcW2–0Leek 215,556
15 April 196321stEvertonAstyle=background:#ffcD2–2Bloomfield, Leek50,122
16 April 196321stEvertonHstyle=background:#fccL0–129,719
20 April 196321stBlackpoolHstyle=background:#fccL3–6Bloomfield, Leek, Auld15,396
24 April 196321stBolton WanderersAstyle=background:#ffcD0–012,949
27 April 196321stBlackburn RoversAstyle=background:#fccL1–6Auld9,482
1 May 196320thWest Ham UnitedHstyle=background:#cfcW3–2Harris, Auld, Hennessey14,410
4 May 196320thFulhamAstyle=background:#ffcD3–3Harris, Hellawell, Auld20,179
8 May 196320thLiverpoolAstyle=background:#fccL1–5Leek23,684
10 May 196320thManchester UnitedHstyle=background:#cfcW2–1Bloomfield 221,855
14 May 196320thBurnleyAstyle=background:#fccL1–3Bloomfield14,350
18 May 196320thLeicester CityHstyle=background:#cfcW3–2Harris, Auld, Lynn pen23,971

League table (part)

Pos!scope="col"
ClubPldWDLFAGAPts
18thBolton Wanderers421552255750.7335
19thManchester United4212102067810.8334
20thBirmingham City4210131963900.7033
21stManchester City42101121581020.5731
22ndLeyton Orient42692737810.4621
KeyPos = League position; Pld = Matches played;
W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost;
F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Pts = Points
Source[1]

FA Cup

See main article: 1962–63 FA Cup.

Because of the severe winter weather – the so-called "Big Freeze of 1963" – Birmingham played no matches for ten weeks, between 22 December and 2 March. Their opening third-round FA Cup-tie against Bury was postponed 14 times and abandoned once before finally being played two months after the originally scheduled date.[2]

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScore
F–A		ScorersAttendance
Third round5 March 1963BuryHstyle=background:#ffcD3–3Leek, Harris, Lynn pen37,913
Third round replay7 March 1963BuryAstyle=background:#fccL0–216,525

League Cup

See main article: 1962–63 Football League Cup and 1963 Football League Cup Final.

The first leg of the final, against Birmingham's near neighbours Aston Villa, was played on 23 May at St Andrew's. Birmingham took the lead when Jimmy Harris fed Bertie Auld who crossed for Ken Leek's powerful shot, but Aston Villa equalised via Bobby Thomson. Seven minutes into the second half, the same combination of players made it 2–1, and after 66 minutes Jimmy Bloomfield "ended an excellent run by scoring from a narrow angle, earning even the applause of Villa players"[3] to give Birmingham a 3–1 lead.[4] The second leg, four days later at Villa Park, was goalless. Former England centre half Trevor Smith marked Thomson out of the game,[5] Birmingham's defensive tactics included repeatedly kicking the ball out for throw-ins,[6] and Aston Villa were unable to break their opponents down.

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScore
F–A		ScorersAttendance
Second round26 September 1962Doncaster RoversHstyle=background:#cfcW5–0Leek 2, Bloomfield, Harris, Auld11,384
Third round15 October 1962BarrowAstyle=background:#ffcD1–1Wolstenholme6,289
Third round replay29 October 1962BarrowHstyle=background:#cfcW5–1Harris, Stubbs, Leek, Arrowsmith og11,765
Fourth round14 November 1962Notts CountyHstyle=background:#cfcW3–2Lynn pen, Harris, Auld13,187
Fifth round11 December 1962Manchester CityHstyle=background:#cfcW6–0Lynn 2 (1 pen), Leek, Auld, Leivers og, Sear og18,012
Semi-final 1st leg27 March 1963BuryHstyle=background:#cfcW3–2Bullock, Leek, Auld11,293
Semi-final 2nd leg8 April 1963BuryAstyle=background:#ffcD1–1Leek9,177
Final 1st leg23 May 1963Aston VillaHstyle=background:#cfcW3–1Leek 2, Bloomfield31,902
Final 2nd leg27 May 1963Aston VillaAstyle=background:#ffcD0–037,949

Appearances and goals

Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; FB – Full back; HB – Half back; FW – Forward

Players' appearances and goals by competition
NameLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotal
GoalsGoalsGoalsGoals
data-sort-value=1GK1800040220
data-sort-value=1GK2402050310
data-sort-value=2FB1702030220
data-sort-value=2FB33621734210
data-sort-value=2FB900020110
data-sort-value=2FB30001040
data-sort-value=2FB1700030200
data-sort-value=3HB3402070430
data-sort-value=3HB50001060
data-sort-value=3HB4212080521
data-sort-value=3HB3702070460
data-sort-value=3HB1300050180
data-sort-value=4FW36920944713
data-sort-value=4FW28920623611
data-sort-value=4FW1420011153
data-sort-value=4FW20000020
data-sort-value=4FW29821643713
data-sort-value=4FW4052090515
data-sort-value=4FW412021885129
data-sort-value=4FW21002041
data-sort-value=4FW1220031153
data-sort-value=4FW60000060
data-sort-value=4FW00002121

See also

References

General

Specific

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Birmingham City 1962–1963: English Division One (old) Table . Statto Organisation . 11 April 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304062523/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/birmingham-city/1962-1963/table . 4 March 2016 . dead . dmy-all .
  2. News: Bury Deserve To Replay . The Times . London . 6 March 1963 . 3.
    News: Replay The Big Freeze 1962–63 . The Independent on Sunday . London . reprint hosted at NewsBank . 19 January 2003 . 12 April 2012.
  3. News: Birmingham's lead . The Guardian . London . 24 May 1963 . 15.
  4. Matthews (1995), p. 33.
  5. News: Obituary: Trevor Smith – Tough and fearless footballer for the most successful side in Birmingham City history . Ponting . Ivan . The Independent . London . reprint hosted at NewsBank . 15 September 2003 . 14 June 2012.
  6. Book: Jawad, Hyder . Strange Magic: Birmingham City v Aston Villa . 6 March 2005 . Birmingham Post . 27–28.

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