List of Birmingham City F.C. seasons explained

Birmingham City Football Club, an association football club based in Birmingham, England, was founded in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance. For the first thirteen years of their existence, there was no league football, so matches were arranged on an ad hoc basis, supplemented by cup competitions organised at local and national level. Small Heath first entered the FA Cup in the 1881–82 season, and won their first trophy, the Walsall Cup, the following season. During the 1880s, they played between 20 and 30 matches each season.

In 1888, the club became a limited company under the name of Small Heath F.C. Ltd, and joined the Combination, a league set up to provide organised football for those clubs not invited to join the Football League which was to start the same year. However, the Combination was not well organised and folded in April 1889 with many fixtures still outstanding. Small Heath were founder members of the Football Alliance in 1889–90, and three years later were elected to the newly formed Second Division of the Football League. They topped the table in their first season, failing to win promotion via the test match system then in operation, but reached the top flight for the first time in 1894.[1] They were renamed Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.The club's official history rated 1955–56 as their best season to date.[2] The newly promoted club achieved their highest ever finishing position of sixth in the First Division, reached the 1956 FA Cup Final, and became the first English club side to participate in European competition when they played their opening game in the group stages of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. Their only major trophy is the League Cup, which they won in 1963 and 2011; they reached the FA Cup final twice and the final of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup twice. During the 1990s, they twice won the Football League Trophy, a competition open to clubs in the third and fourth tiers of English football.

As of the end of the 2023–24 season, the club's first team had spent 57 seasons in the top division of English football, 60 in the second and 4 in the third. The table details their achievements in first-team competitions, and records their top goalscorer and average home league attendance, for each completed season since their first appearance in the Birmingham Senior Cup in 1878–79.

Key

Key to league record:

Key to colours and symbols:

1st or W Winners
2nd or F Runners-up
Promoted
Relegated
Top league scorer in Birmingham's division

Key to divisions:

Key to rounds:

Details of abandoned competitions – The Combination in 1888–89 and the 1939–40 Football League – are shown in italics and appropriately footnoted.

Seasons

List of seasons, including league division and statistics, cup results, top scorer and average league attendance
SeasonLeague[3] FA Cup[4] League CupOther[5] [6] Top scorer(s)
width=15% scope=col data-sort-type=textDivisionscope=col data-sort-type=numberscope=col data-sort-type=numberscope=col data-sort-type=numberscope=col data-sort-type=numberscope=col data-sort-type=numberscope=col data-sort-type=numberscope=col data-sort-type=numberscope=col data-sort-type=numberscope=col data-sort-type=textCompetitionscope=col data-sort-type=textResultscope=col data-sort-type=textPlayer(s)scope=col data-sort-type=numberGoals
scope=row1878–79data-sort-value="ZZ"data-sort-value=99Birmingham Senior CupR1n/adata-sort-value=-1
scope=row1879–80data-sort-value="ZZ"data-sort-value=99Birmingham Senior CupR2n/adata-sort-value=-1
scope=row1880–81data-sort-value="ZZ"data-sort-value=99Birmingham Senior CupR4n/adata-sort-value=-1
scope=row1881–82data-sort-value="ZZ"data-sort-value=99R2Birmingham Senior CupR22
scope=row1882–83data-sort-value="ZZ"data-sort-value=99R1Birmingham Senior CupR12
scope=row1883–84data-sort-value="ZZ"data-sort-value=99R1Birmingham Senior CupR32
scope=row1884–85data-sort-value="ZZ"data-sort-value=99R1Birmingham Senior CupR2No goalscorerdata-sort-value=0
scope=row1885–86data-sort-value="ZZ"data-sort-value=99SFBirmingham Senior CupR27
scope=row1886–87data-sort-value="ZZ"data-sort-value=99R1Birmingham Senior CupSF1
scope=row1887–88data-sort-value="ZZ"data-sort-value=99R2Birmingham Senior CupR12
scope=row1888–89data-sort-value="NLC"Comb116322417156thR1Birmingham Senior CupR15
scope=row1889–90data-sort-value="NLA"All22651144671710thR2Birmingham Senior CupR2271,068
scope=row1890–91data-sort-value="NLA"All22721358661610thDQBirmingham Senior CupR1172,545
scope=row1891–92data-sort-value="NLA"All2212555336293rdR2Birmingham Senior CupR2292,100
scope=row1892–93data-sort-value="Div 2"Div 22217239035361stR1Birmingham Senior CupSF26 ♦2,181
scope=row1893–94data-sort-value=28data-sort-value=21data-sort-value=0.5data-sort-value=7data-sort-value=103data-sort-value=44data-sort-value=42data-sort-value=2ndR1Birmingham Senior CupR125 ♦2,928
scope=row1894–95Div 130971450742512thR1Birmingham Senior CupSF136,440
scope=row1895–96style=background:MistyRoseDiv 1 30841839792015thR1Birmingham Senior CupR1116,233
scope=row1896–97Div 23016596947374thR1Birmingham Senior CupR2164,526
scope=row1897–98Div 230164105850366thQR3Birmingham Senior CupR2195,633
scope=row1898–99Div 234177108550418thR2Birmingham Senior CupR242 ♦5,588
scope=row1899–1900Div 23420687838463rdQR5Birmingham Senior CupR1245,176
scope=row1900–01style=background:#cfcDiv 2 3419105572448style=background:silver2nddata-sort-value="R6"QFBirmingham Senior CupR1175,558
scope=row1901–02style=background:MistyRoseDiv 1 341181547453017thdata-sort-value="R0"IntRBirmingham Senior CupR11113,058
scope=row1902–03Div 2 3424377436512ndR1Birmingham Senior CupR1167,411
scope=row1903–04Div 1341181539523011thdata-sort-value="R0"IntRBirmingham Senior CupR1811,386
scope=row1904–05Div 134175125438397thR1Birmingham Senior CupW1614,441
scope=row1905–06Div 138177146559417thdata-sort-value="R6"QF2411,868
scope=row1906–07Div 138158155252389thR11515,315
scope=row1907–08Div 1 389121740603020thR1915,473
scope=row1908–09Div 2381491558613711thR1810,607
scope=row1909–10Div 238872342782320thR1108,921
scope=row1910–11Div 2381281842643216thR11413,764
scope=row1911–12Div 2381461855593412thR12113,052
scope=row1912–13Div 2381810105944463rdR11615,157
scope=row1913–14Div 23812101648603414thR31017,411
scope=row1914–15Div 238179126239436thR32411,315
scope=row1915–19data-sort-value="ZZZ"

The Football League and FA Cup were suspended until after the First World War.

style=border-left-style:hidden data-sort-value="—"style=border-left-style:hidden data-sort-value="—"style=border-left-style:hidden data-sort-value="—"style=border-left-style:hidden data-sort-value="—"style=border-left-style:hidden data-sort-value="—"style=border-left-style:hidden data-sort-value="—"style=border-left-style:hidden data-sort-value="—"style=border-left-style:hidden data-sort-value="999"style=border-left-style:hidden data-sort-value="—"style=border-left-style:hidden data-sort-value="—"style=border-left-style:hidden data-sort-value="—"style=border-left-style:hidden data-sort-value="—"style=border-left-style:hidden data-sort-value="zzzz"style=border-left-style:hidden data-sort-value="-99"style=border-left-style:hidden data-sort-value="-1"
scope=row1919–20Div 242248108534563rdR31522,880
scope=row1920–21Div 2 42241087938581stR11631,244
scope=row1921–22Div 1421572048603718thDNE1027,967
scope=row1922–23Div 14213111841573717thR11925,328
scope=row1923–24Div 14213131641493914thR12420,395
scope=row1924–25Div 1421712134953468thR31122,547
scope=row1925–26Div 1421681866814014thR42721,649
scope=row1926–27Div 1421742164733817thR42324,372
scope=row1927–28Div 14213151470754111thR53221,646
scope=row1928–29Div 14215101768774015thR42423,406
scope=row1929–30Div 1421691767624111thR42322,193
scope=row1930–31Div 14213101955703619thstyle=background:silver data-sort-value="U"F2221,275
scope=row1931–32Div 142188167867449thR42823,380
scope=row1932–33Div 14214111757573913thdata-sort-value="R6"QF1420,044
scope=row1933–34Div 14212121854563620thR5824,718
scope=row1934–35Div 14213101963813619thdata-sort-value="R6"QF1722,795
scope=row1935–36Div 14215111661634112thR32022,955
scope=row1936–37Div 14213151464604111thR31625,452
scope=row1937–38Div 14210181458623818thR3926,434
scope=row1938–39style=background:MistyRoseDiv 1 421282262843221stR51722,432
scope=row1939–40Div 2321data-sort-value=0.505152nd1
scope=row1939–45data-sort-value="ZZZ"

The Football League and FA Cup were suspended until after the Second World War.

style=border-left-style:hidden data-sort-value="—"style=border-left-style:hidden data-sort-value="—"style=border-left-style:hidden data-sort-value="—"style=border-left-style:hidden data-sort-value="—"style=border-left-style:hidden data-sort-value="—"style=border-left-style:hidden data-sort-value="—"style=border-left-style:hidden data-sort-value="—"style=border-left-style:hidden data-sort-value="999"style=border-left-style:hidden data-sort-value="—"style=border-left-style:hidden data-sort-value="—"style=border-left-style:hidden data-sort-value="—"style=border-left-style:hidden data-sort-value="—"style=border-left-style:hidden data-sort-value="zzzz"style=border-left-style:hidden data-sort-value="-99"style=border-left-style:hidden data-sort-value="-1"
scope=row1945–46data-sort-value="Z"data-sort-value=99"data-sort-value="SF"SF7
scope=row1946–47Div 242255127433553rddata-sort-value="R6"QF1932,462
scope=row1947–48Div 2 42221555524591stR31436,467
scope=row1948–49Div 14211151636383717thR31138,821
scope=row1949–50style=background:MistyRoseDiv 1 427142131672822ndR3934,310
scope=row1950–51Div 242209136453494thSF1924,728
scope=row1951–52Div 242219126756513rdR41924,570
scope=row1952–53Div 2421910137166486thdata-sort-value="R6"QF2620,046
scope=row1953–54Div 2421811137858477thR41522,594
scope=row1954–55Div 2 422210109247541stdata-sort-value="R6"QF2021,002
scope=row1955–56Div 142189157557456thFInter-Cities Fairs Cup2933,828
scope=row1956–57Div 1421591869693912thSFInter-Cities Fairs Cup3032,582
scope=row1957–58Div 14214111776893913thR3Inter-Cities Fairs CupSF2329,647
scope=row1958–59Div 142206168468469thR5Inter-Cities Fairs Cup2326,893
scope=row1959–60Div 14213101963803619thR3Inter-Cities Fairs CupF1926,880
scope=row1960–61Div 1421462262843419thR5R3Inter-Cities Fairs CupF1725,751
scope=row1961–62Div 14214101865813817thR3R1Inter-Cities Fairs CupR22023,587
scope=row1962–63Div 14210131963903320thR3W2922,559
scope=row1963–64Div 1421172454922920thR3R21021,996
scope=row1964–65Div 1 428112364962722ndR3R21019,714
scope=row1965–66Div 2421691770754110thR4R22314,398
scope=row1966–67Div 2421681870664010thdata-sort-value="R6"QFSF2119,798
scope=row1967–68Div 242191498351524thSFR32828,083
scope=row1968–69Div 242188167359447thR5R21726,008
scope=row1969–70Div 24211112051783318thR3R21324,028
scope=row1970–71Div 2421712135848469thR3R42124,164
scope=row1971–72Div 2 42191856031562nddata-sort-value="SF+"P3rdR2Anglo-Italian CupGroup30 ♦32,337
scope=row1972–73Div 14215121553544210thR3R42036,663
scope=row1973–74Div 14212131752643719thR4data-sort-value="R6"QFTexaco Cupdata-sort-value="R6"QF2033,048
scope=row1974–75Div 1421491953613717thSFR2Texaco CupSF1830,854
scope=row1975–76Div 1421372257753319thR3R31828,002
scope=row1976–77Div 14213121763613813thR4R22128,338
scope=row1977–78Div 1421691755604111thR4R2Anglo-Scottish CupGroup2923,910
scope=row1978–79Div 1 426102637642221stR3R2820,164
scope=row1979–80Div 2 422111105838533rdR5R3Anglo-Scottish CupGroup1820,427
scope=row1980–81Div 14213121750613813thR4data-sort-value="R6"QF1819,248
scope=row1981–82data-sort-value="Div 1"Div 14210141853614416thR3R21617,116
scope=row1982–83Div 14212141640555017thR4R4815,880
scope=row1983–84Div 1 4212121839504820thdata-sort-value="R6"QFR41514,106
scope=row1984–85Div 2 42257105933822ndR3R31912,522
scope=row1985–86Div 1 42852930732921stR3R3810,899
scope=row1986–87Div 24211171447595019thR4R3Full Members' CupR2197,426
scope=row1987–88Div 24411151841664819thR5R1Full Members' CupR1168,576
scope=row1988–89Div 2 468112731763523rdR3R2Full Members' CupR166,289
scope=row1989–90Div 3461812166059667thR3R2Associate Members' CupGroup208,558
scope=row1990–91Div 34616171345496512thR2R1Associate Members' CupW107,030
scope=row1991–92Div 3 462312116952812ndR1R3Associate Members' CupGroup2212,399
scope=row1992–93data-sort-value="Div 2A"Div 14613122150725119thR1R1Anglo-Italian CupR1812,328
scope=row1993–94Div 1 4613122152695122ndR3R2Anglo-Italian Cupdata-sort-value="B4Group"Prelim1014,378
scope=row1994–95Div 2 46251478437891stR3R2Football League TrophyW2516,941
scope=row1995–96data-sort-value="Div 2A"Div 14615131861645815thR3SFAnglo-Italian Cupdata-sort-value="R6"QF1518,098
scope=row1996–97data-sort-value="Div 2A"Div 14617151452486610thR5R21917,732
scope=row1997–98data-sort-value="Div 2A"Div 1461917106035747thR5R31918,751
scope=row1998–99data-sort-value="Div 2A"Div 1462312116637814thR3R31720,794
scope=row1999–2000data-sort-value="Div 2A"Div 1462211136544775thR4R41121,895
scope=row2000–01data-sort-value="Div 2A"Div 146239145948785thR3F1221,283
scope=row2001–02Div 1 462113127049765thR3R31521,978
scope=row2002–03data-sort-value="Div 1A"Prem381391641494813thR3R3928,831
scope=row2003–04data-sort-value="Div 1A"Prem3812141243485010thR5R21929,078
scope=row2004–05data-sort-value="Div 1A"Prem3811121540464512thR4R31128,760
scope=row2005–06style=background:"MistyRose" data-sort-value="Div 1A"Prem 388102028503418thdata-sort-value="R6"QFdata-sort-value="R6"QF827,392
scope=row2006–07Champ 46268126742862ndR4R41622,273
scope=row2007–08Prem 388111946623519thR3R3926,181
scope=row2008–09Champ 46231495437832ndR3R21419,081
scope=row2009–10data-sort-value="Div 1A"Prem381311143847509thR31125,246
scope=row2010–11Prem 388151537583918thdata-sort-value="R6"QFW1025,461
scope=row2011–12data-sort-value="Div 2B"Champ462016107851764thR5R3UEFA Europa LeagueGroup1819,126[7]
scope=row2012–13data-sort-value="Div 2B"Champ4615161563696112thR3R21416,702
scope=row2013–14data-sort-value="Div 2B"Champ4611112458744421stR4R4data-sort-value="Macheda"1015,457
scope=row2014–15data-sort-value="Div 2B"Champ4616151554646310thR4R21616,111
scope=row2015–16data-sort-value="Div 2B"Champ4616151553496310thR3R31117,602
scope=row2016–17data-sort-value="Div 2B"Champ4613141945645319thR3R11218,717
scope=row2017–18data-sort-value="Div 2B"Champ461372638684619thR4R2921,041
scope=row2018–19data-sort-value="Div 2B"Champ4614191364585217thR3R12222,483
scope=row2019–20data-sort-value="Div 2B"Champ4612142054755020thR5R11520,411
scope=row2020–21data-sort-value="Div 2B"Champ4613132037615218thR3R180
scope=row2021–22data-sort-value="Div 2B"Champ4611142150754720thR3R21016,161
scope=row2022–23data-sort-value="Div 2B"Champ4614112147585317thR4R11016,758[8]
scope=row2023–24Champ 4613112250655022ndR4R21321,180

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Small Heath ., . 12 April 2024 . 27 May 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120527165830/http://www.fchd.info/SMALLHEA.HTM . live . Web site: Birmingham . none . 12 April 2024 . 24 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230924225520/https://www.fchd.info/BIRMINGH.HTM . live . and Web site: Birmingham City . Football Club History Database . Richard Rundle . 9 May 2024 . 5 September 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070905171637/http://www.fchd.info/BIRMINGC.HTM . live .
  2. Web site: BCFC club history . Birmingham City F.C. . 6 February 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160529124219/http://www.bcfc.com/news/article/bcfc-club-history-453059.aspx . 29 May 2016.
  3. Web site: Birmingham City Birmingham City league performance history . 11v11.com . AFS Enterprises . 9 May 2024 . 6 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230406100759/https://www.11v11.com/teams/birmingham-city/tab/leagueTables/ . live .
  4. Web site: Results Archive . The Football Association . 9 May 2024 . 31 July 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200731202140/http://www.thefa.com/competitions/thefacup/results-archive . live . Individual seasons accessed via dropdown menu.
  5. Web site: Birmingham City football club complete match record . 11v11.com . AFS Enterprises . 9 May 2024 . 21 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230221161550/https://www.11v11.com/teams/birmingham-city/tab/matches/ . live .
  6. Web site: Birmingham Senior Cup . The Birmingham City FC Archive . https://web.archive.org/web/20050514054937/http://www.bcfc-archive.freeserve.co.uk/bhamsnrcup.htm . 14 May 2005.
  7. Web site: Football League Statistics: Attendance . The Football League . https://web.archive.org/web/20131109023703/http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/Attendance/0,,10794~201110412~7,00.html . 9 November 2013.
  8. Web site: Sky Bet Championship – Average Attendances – Home Matches – 2022–2023 . Football Web Pages . 9 May 2023 . 9 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230509174539/https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/championship/attendances/2022-2023 . live .