List of Birmingham City F.C. players explained

Birmingham City Football Club, an English association football club based in the city of Birmingham, was founded in 1875 under the name of Small Heath Alliance. They first entered the FA Cup in the 1881–82 season. When nationally organised league football in England began, the club, by then called simply Small Heath F.C., was a founder member of the Football Alliance, formed the year after the Football League. In 1892, the Football League decided to form a Second Division, inviting the members of the Football Alliance to join; as one of the less successful members, Small Heath were placed in the Second Division. Since that time the club's first team has competed in numerous nationally and internationally organised competitions, and all players who have played in 100 or more such matches are listed below.

Each player's details include the duration of his Birmingham career, his typical playing position while with the club, and the number of games played and goals scored in domestic league matches and in all senior competitive matches. Where applicable, the list also includes the national team for which the player was selected, and the number of senior international caps he won.

Introduction

As of the date specified below, more than 200 men had made 100 or more appearances in senior competitive matches for Birmingham. Frank Womack holds the club record for league appearances, having played 491 matches between 1908 and 1928, closely followed by Gil Merrick with 485 between 1946 and 1959. If all senior competitions are included, Merrick has 551, followed by Womack's 515 which is the record for an outfield player. The goalscoring record is held by Joe Bradford, with 249 league goals, and 267 in total, scored between 1920 and 1935. No other player comes close: Trevor Francis is the nearest with 119 league goals, 133 in total, scored between 1970 and 1979. Bradford holds the record for league goals scored in a top-flight season with 29 in the 1927–28 First Division.[1] A club record for transfer fee received was set when Ché Adams joined Southampton in 2019; officially undisclosed, it was reported as £15 million.[2] Forty years earlier, Trevor Francis became the first player transferred between British clubs for a £1 million fee, and in 1896, future England international forward Fred Wheldon joined league champions Aston Villa for terms reportedly "higher than have ever been concluded": a fee of £350 plus the proceeds of a friendly match between the clubs.[3] Caesar Jenkyns was the first man capped by his country while a Birmingham (then Small Heath) player when he represented Wales against Ireland in February 1892. The player with most senior international caps while at the club is Maik Taylor with 58 for Northern Ireland,[4] and Harry Hibbs has most for England, with 25.

Bob McRoberts, Billy Beer, George Liddell, Merrick, Garry Pendrey, Francis and Gary Rowett all went on to manage the team. Others took part in significant matches in club history. Billy Ollis, Jenkyns, Ted Devey, Jack Hallam, Wheldon and Tommy Hands appeared in Small Heath's first Football League match in 1892. Eight men listed were part of Birmingham's pioneering venture into club football in Europe in the 1955–58 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, and ten played on the losing side in the 1956 FA Cup final (an eleventh, Roy Warhurst, missed the match through injury). In more recent times, Paul Tait scored the first golden goal to decide a Wembley cup final, against Carlisle United in the 1995 Football League Trophy.[5] Geoff Horsfield scored the extra-time equaliser that took the 2002 First Division play-off final into a shootout; Paul Devlin and Stan Lazaridis converted their spot-kicks as Birmingham were promoted to the Premier League for the first time.[6] Seven men listed here, including captain Stephen Carr and goalscorer Nikola Žigić, took the field as Birmingham won the 2011 League Cup; another two were unused substitutes. Just three years later, the first headed goal of full-back Paul Caddis's career, 93 minutes into the final match of the season, saved the team from relegation to the third tier of English football.[7]

Key

Positions key
Pre-1960s1960s–
GKGoalkeeper
FBFull backDFDefender
HBHalf backMFMidfielder
FWForward
UUtility player

Players with 100 or more appearances

Table of players, including playing position, club statistics and international selection
scope=col rowspan=2Playerscope=col rowspan=2Posscope=col rowspan=2Club careerscope=col colspan=2Leaguescope=col colspan=2Totalscope=col rowspan=2International
selection
scope=col rowspan=2 data-sort-type=numberCapsscope=col rowspan=2 class=unsortableNotesscope=col rowspan=2 class=unsortableRefs
scope=col data-sort-type=numberAppsscope=col data-sort-type=numberGoalsscope=col data-sort-type=numberAppsscope=col data-sort-type=numberGoals
scope=rowGK1946–195948505510style=text-align:left23
scope=rowFB1908–192849105150style=text-align:left trial
scope=rowFW1920–1935414249445267style=text-align:left12
scope=rowFB1947–195840134403style=text-align:left England B
scope=rowFW1920–19324097143272style=text-align:left1
scope=rowDF1953–196436534303style=text-align:left2
scope=rowMF1960–19703502840434style=text-align:left youth
scope=rowGK1919–193138203950style=text-align:left1
scope=rowDF / MF1965–1980336939210style=text-align:left28
scope=rowGK1926–193935803880style=text-align:left25
scope=row $DF1964–197533413781
scope=rowDF1969–197930643605
scope=rowFW / HB1899–19123292335525
scope=rowGK1993–200428703540
scope=rowHB1914–19283311334914style=text-align:left7
scope=rowFB / HB1920–193232363456
scope=rowDF1973–19812861733723style=text-align:left England B
scope=row $DF / MF1986–19962742333626
scope=row *$FW2016–present3166333467[8] [9]
scope=row $FW1970–1979280119329133style=text-align:left12
scope=rowFW1924–193329898324107
scope=row $DF1995–20032621331418style=text-align:left[10] 12
scope=rowFW / HB1934–19502806131069
scope=rowGK1899–190828303060style=text-align:left trial
scope=rowFW / FB1936–19542686729172
scope=rowMF1997–20042483429142
scope=rowHB1923–19342601228412
scope=rowFB1928–193725692849
scope=rowHB1949–19562551428115style=text-align:left England B
scope=rowFW1952–1960244107277127
scope=rowFW1953–19612356027167style=text-align:left2
scope=rowHB1927–193624352667
scope=row $DF1997–20042262526628
scope=rowFB1951–195922712651style=text-align:left17
scope=rowDF2017–202324172537style=text-align:left
scope=rowFW1964–19702217925394
scope=rowFWdata-sort-value="1901–1913"23699251102style=text-align:left trial
scope=rowHB1902–19092363425035
scope=rowHB1952–196320632483
scope=rowHB1930–193823022462style=text-align:left3
scope=rowGK2003–201121402420style=text-align:left58[11] [12]
scope=row $GK1969–197820602400
scope=rowHB1950–19572131023910
scope=rowFB1920–192722812371style=text-align:left trial
scope=rowGK1952–196521202370
scope=rowFW / HB1889–19022015623270
scope=row $MF1965–1971196823113style=text-align:left0
scope=rowMF1996–20021871622319style=text-align:left2
scope=rowMF1999–200619182228style=text-align:left33
scope=rowHB1895–19021992122123style=text-align:left0
scope=rowFW1948–19542035121854
scope=rowDF1962–197018312171style=text-align:left15
scope=rowFW1971–19761755821773
scope=row $MF2002–201019342164style=text-align:left42
scope=rowU1936–19501921221414
scope=rowFB1903–191019912131style=text-align:left trial
scope=row $DF1984–199018702130
scope=rowDF1986–199118232134style=text-align:left youth
scope=rowFW1957–19641783021333style=text-align:left2
scope=rowGK1965–197018102120style=text-align:left8
scope=rowMF1988–19971701421218
scope=rowMF1977–19831861521119style=text-align:left
scope=rowMF1970–19751751120914style=text-align:left
scope=row $DF1970–197517142075
scope=row $MF2006–20111841920525style=text-align:left31[13]
scope=rowFW / MFdata-sort-value="1983–1991"1732920534
scope=row $DF / FW1971–19771704520553style=text-align:left8
scope=rowFW1970–1975166920411
scope=rowDF1989–19931681220313
scope=rowFW2006–20111813720242style=text-align:left
scope=rowMF1961–196517832023style=text-align:left16
scope=row $DF2017–202319182009
scope=row $DF1998–2004168920011style=text-align:left
scope=rowHB1912–192319241984
scope=rowFW1903–19081854419847
scope=rowDF2017–202418671977style=text-align:left England C
scope=rowHB1957–19611651519718style=text-align:left
scope=rowMF1984–198916851965style=text-align:left0
scope=row $MF2014–20201821019411
scope=rowMF1964–19701714119344style=text-align:left youth
scope=rowFW1969–19741606819384style=text-align:left0
scope=rowFB / HB1948–195617541904
scope=rowHB1930–193818381899
scope=rowFW1898–19051737018782
scope=rowFW1953–19581665318760
scope=rowFW1988–19931503018638
scope=rowFW1954–19581587418590
scope=rowMF2018–20241711518415style=text-align:left[14]
scope=rowMF2015–202117051846style=text-align:left
scope=rowDF2014–20191741418315style=text-align:left England C[15] [16]
scope=rowFW1928–19331654518254style=text-align:left2
scope=rowMF2015–20201682018021style=text-align:left24
scope=rowDF2011–201715301791style=text-align:left5
scope=rowGK1988–199314401760style=text-align:left0
scope=rowMF1989–19921423317643
scope=row $DF2012–201815831754style=text-align:left[17]
scope=rowFW1890–189615596175113style=text-align:left0
scope=rowDF2007–2012152917511style=text-align:left
scope=rowFW1953–19581494817455style=text-align:left3
scope=rowDF / MF1977–19841531017310
scope=rowMF2019–202416071737style=text-align:left0
scope=rowDF1988–199313601710
scope=rowDF2014–201815841705
scope=rowFB1897–190215441704
scope=rowDF1961–196815321702
scope=rowFW1897–19031511816723style=text-align:left unofficial
scope=rowDF1982–198613701670style=text-align:left
scope=rowFB1954–196113401660
scope=rowFB1911–192115201650style=text-align:left Victory International
scope=rowFB1930–193515021632
scope=rowDF2018–202215591619style=text-align:left1
scope=rowDF / MF1972–197914541605style=text-align:left
scope=rowDFdata-sort-value="2012–2017"1491515916style=text-align:left1[18]
scope=rowFWdata-sort-value="2010–2015"1373215936style=text-align:left15
scope=rowMF1991–19961161815920style=text-align:left
scope=rowFW2020–20241493515836style=text-align:left3[19]
scope=rowDF1984–198813701580style=text-align:left
scope=rowFW1933–19381474615650
scope=rowHB1888–18951311815520style=text-align:left4
scope=row $MF2011–20141312415527style=text-align:left5
scope=rowMF1979–19831301115515style=text-align:left
scope=rowHB1888–1895136615310
scope=rowFW1996–20021315015356style=text-align:left England semi-pro
scope=rowFW1998–20011293115242
scope=rowHB1922–192814601510
scope=rowFW1890–18951335415162style=text-align:left0
scope=rowFW1890–18961353915042
scope=rowFW1934–19461346315071style=text-align:left2
scope=rowMF1986–1993120815012
scope=rowMF1965–196912821492style=text-align:left Scottish Schools
scope=rowDF1961–19651302614730
scope=rowFW1960–19641222814632style=text-align:left[20]
scope=row $DF1978–198313011451style=text-align:left
scope=rowFW1961–19651252614531style=text-align:left0
scope=rowFB1956–196211701450
scope=rowDF2002–200613401440style=text-align:left32
scope=rowMF2009–201312191449style=text-align:left16
scope=rowHB1927–193113201430
scope=rowDF1978–198412311431style=text-align:left0
scope=rowHB1909–191513771427
scope=rowFB1896–190112911421
scope=rowMF1997–200212481428style=text-align:left[21] 14
scope=rowFW1977–19811182914141style=text-align:left
scope=row $data-sort-value="1996–2003"1233213938style=text-align:left10[22]
scope=rowU1934–19471311713717style=text-align:left2
scope=rowHB1938–195011941374
scope=row $DF1983–1986111813714style=text-align:left England B
scope=rowHB1902–190713031363
scope=row $MF2003–200712181359style=text-align:left
scope=rowMFdata-sort-value="1981–1988"118613512style=text-align:left youth
scope=rowHB1891–189612121342
scope=rowMF1974–19771151613418style=text-align:left0
scope=rowMF1983–198711151347
scope=rowMF / FW1997–20011072213427style=text-align:left[23] 12
scope=rowDF2008–2013106713213style=text-align:left youth
scope=rowFW1967–19721184613152style=text-align:left youth
scope=rowDF2003–200711351285style=text-align:left7
scope=rowFW1963–19671122312825
scope=rowDF1972–197710111282style=text-align:left youth
scope=rowDF1968–197211221274
scope=rowHB1931–193511451265
scope=row $FW2000–20031082312629
scope=rowMF2014–201811761256style=text-align:left2
scope=rowHB1913–192211641254
scope=rowMFdata-sort-value="2010–2019"1091412516style=text-align:left[24] [25]
scope=row $MF1978–19811081612522style=text-align:left youth
scope=rowFB1904–190711621242
scope=rowDF1996–199910411242style=text-align:left England B[26]
scope=row $FW2016–20191163412338
scope=rowMF1975–19781101112211
scope=rowDF2009–201210601210style=text-align:left0
scope=rowFW1961–19641054912160style=text-align:left5
scope=rowFW1956–19611002312127style=text-align:left
scope=rowHB1909–191911341204
scope=rowFW1911–19211101612019
scope=row $FW1994–1996883512042
scope=rowFW1957–19601053411942style=text-align:left England B
scope=rowFW1986–19891033111936
scope=rowFW1921–19261131111811
scope=row $GK1979–198210201180
scope=row $FWdata-sort-value="2003–2008"1013011837style=text-align:left[27] 28[28]
scope=rowFW2014–20171133211733
scope=rowMFdata-sort-value="1988–1992"10161179
scope=rowDF2004–20099921173style=text-align:left
scope=rowFB1927–193211101161
scope=rowFW1931–19361081711618style=text-align:left3
scope=rowGK1960–19649801160style=text-align:left English Schools
scope=rowMF1990–1993951311616
scope=rowFW1919–19231103111535
scope=rowMF1979–1982971211514style=text-align:left10
scope=rowFW1958–1961963211540
scope=rowFW1960–1964933711553style=text-align:left
scope=rowFW1947–195110461146style=text-align:left0
scope=row $GK1980–19849401140style=text-align:left England B
scope=rowGK1902–191210601110
scope=rowFB1936–194710501110style=text-align:left10
scope=row *MF2022–present1051111113
scope=rowFW1983–1988951211116style=text-align:left1
scope=rowMF2014–20171031410915style=text-align:left4
scope=rowFW1939–1949943210937
scope=rowFW1982–1984922510933style=text-align:left0
scope=rowFW1946–1949931510818style=text-align:left1
scope=rowDF1979–19829301080style=text-align:left0
scope=rowDF1957–19629101070
scope=rowFW1901–19051001210613style=text-align:left0
scope=rowHB1946–19499361068
scope=rowHB1949–19539331064style=text-align:left3
scope=row $DF2011–2013891110612[29]
scope=rowHB1949–19549701050
scope=rowMF2021–202495910510
scope=rowFW1984–1987923810543style=text-align:left youth
scope=rowMF2011–201488710513style=text-align:left English Schools
scope=rowFW1966–1968833510445style=text-align:left0
scope=rowFW1910–1914974710348
scope=rowFW1892–1896966210364
scope=rowHB1911–19159631034
scope=rowMF1977–19809241034style=text-align:left0
scope=rowU1896–1899911410315
scope=rowDF1998–200087610311
scope=rowFW1998–200283810313style=text-align:left0
scope=row $DF1980–19839231023style=text-align:left10
scope=rowDF1985–19888911021style=text-align:left England B
scope=row $MF1994–1997771810225
scope=rowDF1994–19967201023
scope=rowFW2019–20229671019
scope=rowDF1999–20018571018style=text-align:left

Players with fewer than 100 appearances

See main article: List of Birmingham City F.C. players (25–99 appearances) and List of Birmingham City F.C. players (1–24 appearances).

Footnotes

Player statistics include games played while on loan from clubs listed below. Unless individually sourced, loaning clubs come from the appearances source or Web site: Birmingham City: 1946/47–2013/14 . Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Players Database . Neil Brown . 23 March 2020 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190609200931/http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/birmingham/birmingham.html . 9 June 2019.

References

General

Player of the Year

Specific

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Top League Goalscorers . https://web.archive.org/web/20030410031013/http://www.bcfc-archive.freeserve.co.uk/toplgescorers.htm . 10 April 2003 . The Birmingham City FC Archive . Tony Jordan.
  2. News: Confirmed: Birmingham City sanction club record transfer . Brian . Dick . Birmingham Mail . 1 July 2019 . 23 July 2019 . 23 July 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190723173822/https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/confirmed-birmingham-city-sanction-club-16512612 . live .
  3. News: Facts and Fancies . Centre-Forward . The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent . 29 June 1896 . 11 . Speculation has been rife in football circles as to the price paid by Aston Villa for the transfer of Wheldon, the Small Heath inside left. It turns out that the terms are higher than have ever been concluded, it being officially stated at the annual meeting of the Small Heath club in Birmingham on Friday evening that the sum guaranteed was £350, with a prospect of a still further amount conditional on the proceeds of a match to be played in the autumn..
  4. Web site: Maik Taylor . NIFG . Jonny Dewart . 26 March 2020 . 26 February 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210226073416/https://nifootball.blogspot.com/2007/05/maik-taylor.html . live .
  5. News: Fry's delight as Carlisle succumb to sudden death . Trevor . Haylett . The Independent . London . 24 April 1995 . 25 March 2020 . 4 November 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121104083519/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/frys-delight-as-carlisle-succumb-to-sudden-death-1616946.html . live .
  6. News: Birmingham reach Premiership . BBC Sport . 12 May 2002 . 3 January 2014 . 12 January 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160112224237/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/1979806.stm . live .
  7. News: Birmingham City: Lee Clark revels in Championship survival . BBC Sport . 3 May 2014 . 25 March 2020 . 2 April 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200402105630/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/27269418 . live .
  8. [Burnley F.C.|Burnley]
  9. Web site: L. Jutkiewicz . Soccerway . Perform Group . 17 August 2024 . 8 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231008100058/https://uk.soccerway.com/players/lukas-jutkiewicz/16078/ . live .
  10. Web site: Jamaica International Matches Details 1998–2010 . Barrie . Courtney . RSSSF . 13 January 2011 . 23 April 2013 . 7 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230407181917/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesj/jam-intres-det2.html . live .
  11. [Fulham F.C.|Fulham]
  12. Player profile linked from Web site: All Birmingham City football club players: 2011 . 11v11 . 22 February 2023 . 25 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230225170241/https://www.11v11.com/teams/birmingham-city/tab/players/season/2011/ . live .
  13. [Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]
  14. [Aston Villa]
  15. Web site: Match results The C Team . England Football Online . Chris Goodwin & Glen Isherwood . 6 January 2023 . 18 February 2023 . 20 October 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211020111452/http://www.englandfootballonline.com/matchrsl/MatchRslTmC.html . live .
  16. [Charlton Athletic]
  17. Player profile linked from Web site: All Birmingham City football club players: 2017 . 11v11 . 25 February 2023 . 25 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230225170238/https://www.11v11.com/teams/birmingham-city/tab/players/season/2017/ . live .
  18. [Swindon Town]
  19. [Aston Villa]
  20. Web site: England – U-23 International Results – Details . Courtney . Barrie . 27 March 2004 . RSSSF . 29 April 2015 . 13 April 2004 . https://web.archive.org/web/20040413100658/http://www.rsssf.com/tablese/eng-u23-intres-det.html . live .
  21. Web site: Jon McCarthy . NIFG . Jonny Dewart . 27 March 2020 . 20 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200920163859/http://nifootball.blogspot.com/2007/07/jon-mccarthy.html . live .
  22. [Sheffield United F.C.|Sheffield United]
  23. Web site: Peter Ndlovu – International Goals . Holstein . Dick . Owsianski . Jarek . Passo Alpuin . Luis Fernando . RSSSF . 6 December 2006 . 10 March 2010 . 10 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221210184039/https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/ndlovu-intlg.html . live .
  24. .
  25. [West Bromwich Albion]
  26. Web site: England – International Results B-Team – Details . Courtney . Barrie . 21 March 2004 . RSSSF . 15 July 2011 . 4 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304032317/http://www.rsssf.com/tablese/eng-b-intres-det.html . live .
  27. Web site: Forssell Mikael . Finnish . Football Association of Finland . 23 April 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130803235949/http://www.palloliitto.fi/maajoukkueet/miesten-maajoukkue/pelaajat/mikael-forssell . 3 August 2013.
  28. [Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]
  29. 1714351707935686902 . BBCMOTD . Curtis Davies has made his international debut at the age of 38! He's started for Sierra Leone in a friendly against Somalia. . Match of the Day . Match of the Day . 17 October 2023 . 21 October 2023.