Birmingham City F.C.

Association football club in England

football club
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional football baseball club in Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, it was renamed Small Heath in 1888, Birmingham in 1905, and Birmingham City in 1943. [ 6 ] Since 2011, the inaugural team have competed in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football.

As Small Heath, they played in the Football Alliance before becoming laminitis members and first base champions of the Football League Second Division. The most successful menstruation in their history was in the 1950s and early 1960s. They achieved their highest finishing status of sixth in the First Division in the 1955–56 season and reached the 1956 FA Cup Final. Birmingham played in two Inter-Cities Fairs Cup finals, in 1960, as the first English club side to reach a major european final examination, and again the follow year. They won the League Cup in 1963 and again in 2011. Birmingham have played in the acme tier of English football for around half of their history : the longest period spent outside the top division, between 1986 and 2002, included two brief spells in the third base grade of English football, during which meter they won the Football League Trophy doubly. St Andrew ‘s has been their home grind since 1906. They have a long-standing and fierce competition with Aston Villa, their nearest neighbours, with whom they play the Second City bowler hat. The cabaret ‘s nickname is Blues, after the color of their kit, and the fans are known as Bluenoses .

history

The early years ( 1875–1943 )

Birmingham City were founded as Small Heath Alliance in 1875, and from 1877 played their home games at Muntz Street. The club turned professional in 1885, [ 8 ] and three years late became the inaugural football club to become a limit company with a board of directors, [ 9 ] under the name of Small Heath F.C. Ltd. From the 1889–90 season they played in the Football Alliance, which ran alongside the Football League. In 1892, Small Heath, along with the other Alliance teams, were invited to join the newly formed Football League Second Division. They finished as champions, but failed to win promotion via the trial couple system ; the following season promotion to the First Division was secured after a second-place finish and test equal victory over Darwen. [ 11 ] The club adopted the name Birmingham Football Club in 1905, and moved into their new home, St Andrew ‘s Ground, the follow year. Matters on the airfield failed to live up to their surroundings. Birmingham were relegated in 1908, obliged to apply for re-election two years later, and remained in the Second Division until after the first World War. [ 11 ] Frank Womack ‘s captainship and the creativity of scots external playmaker Johnny Crosbie contributed much to Birmingham winning their second gear Division Two entitle in 1920–21. Womack went on to make 515 appearances, a club read for an outfielder, over a twenty-year career. 1920 besides saw the debut of the 19-year-old Joe Bradford, who went on to score a baseball club record 267 goals in 445 games, and won 12 caps for England. In 1931, coach Leslie Knighton led the club to their foremost FA Cup Final, which they lost 2–1 to Second Division club West Bromwich Albion. Though Birmingham remained in the top escape for 18 seasons, they struggled in the league, with a lot reliance placed on England goalkeeper Harry Hibbs to make up for the lack of goals, Bradford excepted, at the other end. They were last relegated in 1939, the death entire season before the Football League was abandoned for the duration of the Second World War. [ 17 ]

Birmingham City : Post-war success ( 1943–1965 )

The list Birmingham City F.C. was adopted in 1943. [ 6 ] Under Harry Storer, appointed director in 1945, the club won the Football League South wartime league and reached the semifinal of the first post-war FA Cup. Two years by and by they won their third Second Division title, conceding only 24 goals in the 42-game temper. Storer ‘s successor Bob Brocklebank, though ineffective to stave off relegation in 1950, brought in players who made a major contribution to the cabaret ‘s successes of the future decade. When Arthur Turner took over as coach in November 1954, he made them play closer to their potential, and a 5–1 succeed on the last day of the 1954–55 season confirmed them as champions. In their first temper back in the First Division, Birmingham achieved their highest league finish of sixth place. They besides reached the FA Cup final, losing 3–1 to Manchester City in the crippled luminary for City ‘s goalkeeper Bert Trautmann playing the last 20 minutes with a broken bone in his neck. The following season the club lost in the FA Cup semifinal for the third base time since the war, this meter beaten 2–0 by Manchester United ‘s “ Busby Babes “. Birmingham became the beginning English cabaret side to take part in european competition when they played their first group game in the inaugural address Inter-Cities Fairs Cup contest on 15 May 1956 ; [ 23 ] they went on to reach the semifinal where they drew 4–4 on aggregate with Barcelona, losing the replay 2–1. They were besides the inaugural English club side to reach a european final examination, losing 4–1 on aggregate to Barcelona in the 1960 Fairs Cup final and 4–2 to A.S. Roma the follow class. [ 23 ] In the 1961 semifinal they beat Internazionale home and away ; [ 23 ] no other english cabaret won a competitive game in the San Siro until Arsenal managed it more than 40 years belated. [ 24 ] Gil Merrick ‘s side saved their best mannequin for cup competitions. Though opponents in the 1963 League Cup final, local rivals Aston Villa, were pre-match favourites, Birmingham raised their game and won 3–1 on sum to lift their beginning major trophy. In 1965, after ten years in the top flight, they returned to the Second Division. [ 26 ]

investment, promotion and descent ( 1965–1993 )

Businessman Clifford Coombs took over as chair in 1965, luring Stan Cullis out of retirement to manage the golf club. Cullis ‘s team played attractive football which took them to the semifinals of the League Cup in 1967 and of the FA Cup in 1968, but league football needed a unlike approach. [ 28 ] Successor Freddie Goodwin produced a team play adept, aggressive football that won promotion arsenic well as reaching an FA Cup semifinal. Two years late, the club raised money by selling Bob Latchford to Everton for a british record tip of £350,000, but without his goals the team struggled. [ 30 ] Sir Alf Ramsey briefly managed the club before Jim Smith took over in 1978. With delegating a certainty, the club sold Trevor Francis to Nottingham Forest, making him the beginning player transferred for a fee of £1 million ; [ 32 ] Francis had scored 133 goals in 329 appearances over his nine years at Birmingham. Smith took Birmingham straight back to the First Division, but a poor start to the 1981–82 season saw him replaced by Ron Saunders, who had merely resigned from league champions Aston Villa. Saunders ‘ team struggled to score goals and were relegated in 1984. They bounced back up, but the last home game of the 1984–85 promotion temper, against Leeds United, was marred by rioting, culminating in the death of a boy when a wall collapsed on him. This was on the lapp day as the Bradford City stadium fuel, and the events at St Andrew ‘s form part of the remit of Mr Justice Popplewell ‘s question into safety at sports grounds. [ 35 ] The club lacked constancy both on and off the discipline. Saunders quit after FA Cup get the better of to non-League team Altrincham, staff were laid off, the educate ground was sold, and by 1989 Birmingham were in the Third Division for the first fourth dimension in their history. In April 1989 the Kumar brothers, owners of a clothe chain, bought the club. A rapid dollar volume of managers, the absence of predict investing, and a threatened mass refusal of players to renew contracts was relieved only by a triumphant travel to Wembley in the Associate Members ‘ Cup. Terry Cooper delivered promotion, but the collapse of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International ( BCCI ) put the Kumars ‘ businesses into receivership ; in November 1992 BCCI ‘s liquidator put up for sale their 84 % holding in the football baseball club. [ 38 ]

Sale and reconstruction ( 1992–2007 )

The cabaret continued in administration for four months, until publisher David Sullivan bought it for £700,000, [ 39 ] installed the then 23-year-old Karren Brady as managing conductor and allowed Cooper money for signings. On the last day of the season, the team avoided relegation back to the third tier, but after a poor people begin to the 1993–94 temper Cooper was replaced by Barry Fry. The deepen did not prevent delegating, but Fry ‘s beginning full season brought promotion back to the second gear tier as champions, and victory over Carlisle United in the Football League Trophy via Paul Tait ‘s golden goal completed the “ lower-league Double “. [ 41 ] After one more class, Fry was dismissed to make way for the return of Trevor Francis. [ 42 ] Reinforced by players with top-level experience, including Manchester United captain Steve Bruce, Francis ‘s team narrowly missed out on a play-off side in 1998, and three years of play-off semifinal defeats followed. [ 8 ] They reached the 2001 League Cup final against Liverpool at Cardiff ‘s Millennium Stadium. Birmingham equalised in the last moment of normal time, but the equal went to a punishment shoot-out which Liverpool won. [ 43 ] By October 2001, miss of progress had made Francis ‘s position indefensible ; after a 6–0 League Cup get the better of to Manchester City, he left by common consent. [ 44 ] Bruce ‘s rejoinder as coach shook up a stale team ; he took them from mid-table to the play-offs, and beat Norwich City on penalties in the final to secure promotion to the Premier League. [ 45 ] [ 46 ] Motivated by the inspirational Christophe Dugarry, [ 47 ] Birmingham ‘s first top-flight season for 16 years finished in mid-table. Loan signing Mikael Forssell ‘s 17 league goals helped Birmingham to a top-half ending in 2003–04, but when he was injured, the 2004–05 team struggled for goals. In July 2005, president David Gold said it was time to “ start talking about being vitamin a good as anyone outside the top three or four ” with “ the best team of players for 25 years ”. [ 48 ] Injuries, loss of imprint, and miss of transfer window investment saw them relegated in a season whose lowlight was a 7–0 FA Cup get the better of to Liverpool. [ 49 ] Jermaine Pennant and Emile Heskey left for record fees, [ 50 ] [ 51 ] many others were released, [ 52 ] but Bruce ‘s amend recruitment scheme, combining free-transfer experience with new “ athirst ” players and calculating exploitation of the lend marketplace, brought automatic promotion at the end of a season which had included calls for his mind. [ 53 ]

The chinese years ( 2007–present )

In July 2007, Hong Kong-based businessman Carson Yeung bought 29.9 % of shares in the baseball club, making him the biggest one stockholder, with a view to taking entire control in the future. [ 54 ] Uncertain as to his future under possible newly owners, Bruce left in mid-season. [ 55 ] His successor, Scotland national team director Alex McLeish, was unable to stave off relegation, but achieved forwarding back to the Premier League at the first try. [ 56 ] Yeung ‘s company completed the coup d’etat in 2009, [ 57 ] and the team finished in ninth place, their highest for 51 years. [ 58 ] In 2011, they combined a second League Cup, defeating favourites Arsenal 2–1 with goals from Nikola Žigić and Obafemi Martins and securing reservation for the Europa League, [ 59 ] with relegation back to the second tier, after which McLeish resigned to join Aston Villa. [ 60 ] Birmingham narrowly failed to reach the hard rounds of the Europa League and the play-off final. With the club in fiscal convulsion and under a transfer embargo, director Chris Hughton left. [ 61 ] Under Lee Clark, Birmingham twice retained their divisional condition, albeit through Paul Caddis ‘s 93rd-minute goal in the last pit of 2013–14 to avoid relegation on finish difference, [ 62 ] but stay poor people form saw him dismissed in October 2014. [ 63 ] Gary Rowett stabilised the team and led them to two tenth-place finishes before being controversially dismissed by raw owners Trillion Trophy Asia in favor of the “ pedigree ” of Gianfranco Zola, who would aid the club ‘s “ strategic, long-run watch ” to take the club in a new direction. [ 64 ] Two wins from 24 matches under Zola left Birmingham needing two wins from the final three games to stay up, which they achieved under the managership of Harry Redknapp. [ 65 ] Redknapp lasted another month, [ 66 ] his former assistant Steve Cotterill five months, leaving successor Garry Monk another – ultimately successful – relegation battle. [ 67 ] [ 68 ] Despite budgetary restrictions and a nine-point tax write-off for breaches of the League ‘s Profitability and Sustainability ( P & S ) rules, the team finished 17th in 2018–19 ; however, Monk was sacked in June after conflict with the board. [ 69 ] He was succeeded by his adjunct, Pep Clotet, initially as caretaker. [ 70 ] In the 2019–20 season, a season that was suspended from March to June 2020 ascribable to the COVID-19 pandemic, the club once again invalidate relegation despite a 14-match winless run at the end of the season and the threat of a far points discount. [ 71 ] [ 72 ] Academy product Jude Bellingham was sold to Borussia Dortmund in the summer for a club-record distribute reported to be worth astir to £30 million, [ 73 ] after which Aitor Karanka lasted eight months as head passenger car before being replaced by early Birmingham musician Lee Bowyer. [ 5 ]

Colours and badge

little Heath Alliance original kit The Small Heath Alliance members decided among themselves that their colours would be amobarbital sodium ; in the early days, they wore whatever blue shirt they had. The first uniform kit out was a colored blue sky shirt with a white sash and white shorts. several variations on a blue subject were tried ; the one that stick was the royal gloomy shirt with a white “ V ”, adopted during the First World War and retained until the late 1920s. Though the design changed, the imperial blue remained. In 1971 they adopted the “ penguin ” strip – royal blue with a broad white central front panel – which lasted five years. [ 76 ] Since then they have broadly worn plain, nominally royal bluing shirts, though the actual shade used has varied. Shorts have been either blue or white, and socks normally blue, ashen or a combination. White, yellow, red and black, on their own or in combination, have been the most frequently used colors for the away kit. [ 77 ] There were aberrations : the 1992 kit, sponsored by Triton Showers, was made of a blue material covered with motley splashes which resembled a shower curtain. [ 78 ] The home shirt has merely once featured stripes : in 1999, the blue shirt had a movement central empanel in narrow bluing and white stripes, a design exchangeable to the Tesco supermarket carrier bag of the time. [ 77 ] [ 80 ] When the clubhouse changed its name from Small Heath to Birmingham in 1905 it adopted the city ‘s coating of arms as its crown, although this was not constantly worn on the shirts. The 1970s “ penguin ” shirt carried the letters “ BCFC ” intertwined at the center of the thorax. The Sports Argus newspaper ran a competition in 1972 to design a fresh badge for the clubhouse. The winning entry, a line-drawn earth and ball, with a ribbon carrying the club ‘s name and date of foundation, in plain blue and white, was adopted by the cabaret but not worn on playing shirts until 1976. An experiment was made in the early 1990s with color in the earth and ball, but was soon abandoned. [ 82 ] In June 2020, the golf club announced a four-year partnership with Nike as supplier of kits, which carry the logo of the club ‘s star patronize, irish bookmaker BoyleSports. [ 83 ] The 2021–22 base kit out consists of a blue shirt with model battlefront in two shades of blue, blank shorts and blue socks, while the away kit out has a yellow shirt with amobarbital sodium pinstripes and trim, similar to the Europa League kit of ten years before, with blue shirts and white socks. [ 84 ] The club rarely spends more than three seasons with the lapp kit supplier. [ 82 ] The inaugural presenter to have its name on the shirt was Birmingham-based brewery Ansells in 1983. [ 82 ] They withdrew in mid-1985, [ 85 ] and the shirts went unsponsored until January 1987, when Co-op Milk paid a “ five-figure total ” to have its name displayed until the end of the season, which was a stand-in to the club not lone financially ; the vice-chairman claimed that as a “ big club … people expect us to have a shirt sponsor and we have been lagging behind ”. [ 86 ] Later sponsors included car retailer PJ Evans/Evans Halshaw ( 1988–1989 ), Mark One ( 1989–1992 ), Triton Showers ( 1992–1995 ), Auto Windscreens ( 1995–2001 ), Phones 4u ( 2001–2003 ), Flybe ( 2003–2007 ), F & C Investments ( 2007–2011 ), foreign exchange company RationalFX ( 2011–2012 ), “ life style and leisure ” business EZE Group ( 2012–2013 and 2015–2016 ), e-cigarette company Nicolites ( 2013–2014 ), mobile payment enabler Zapaygo ( 2014–2015 ), and 888sport ( 2016–2019 ). [ 82 ] [ 87 ]

Stadiums

little Heath Alliance played their foremost home games on barren ground off Arthur Street, Bordesley Green. As interest grew, they moved to a fenced-off field in Ladypool Road, Sparkbrook, where entree could be charged. A class later, they moved again, to a field adjoining Muntz Street, Small Heath, near the independent Coventry Road, with a capacity of about 10,000. The Muntz Street ground was adequate for 1880s friendly matches, and the capacity was gradually raised to around 30,000, but when several thousand spectators scaled walls and broke down turnstiles to get into a first Division match against Aston Villa, it became clear that it could no longer cope with the demand. Director Harry Morris identified a site for a newfangled ground in Bordesley Green, some three-quarters of a mile ( 1 kilometer ) from Muntz Street towards the city center. The web site was where a brickwork once operated ; the land sloped steeply down to stagnant pools, so far the stadium was constructed in under twelve months from bring clearance to opening ceremony on Boxing Day 1906. Heavy snow closely prevented the open ; volunteers had to net deliver and terraces before the couple, a scoreless draw against Middlesbrough, could go ahead. The earth is reputed to have been cursed by gypsies evicted from the locate ; [ 89 ] although gypsies are known to have camped nearby, [ 90 ] there is no contemporary tell for their eviction by the cabaret .
average and extremum league attendances at St Andrew ‘s The original capability of St Andrew ‘s was reported as 75,000, with 4,000 seats in the Main Stand and space for 22,000 under cover. By 1938 the official capacity was 68,000, and February 1939 saw the attendance phonograph record set at the fifth round FA Cup bind against Everton, variously recorded as 66,844 or 67,341. [ A ] On the outbreak of the Second World War, the Chief Constable ordered the ground ‘s blockage because of the risk from tune raids ; it was the lone ground to be frankincense closed, and was entirely re-opened after the topic was raised in Parliament. It was badly damaged during the Birmingham Blitz : the Railway End and the Kop as a result of bombard, while the Main Stand burnt down when a fireman mistake gasoline for body of water .
Main Stand, St Andrew ‘s, 2005 The replacement Main Stand used a prop up cantilever roof design, which meant fewer pillars to block spectators ‘ view of the pitch. Floodlights were installed in 1956, and officially switched on for a friendly peer against Borussia Dortmund in 1957. By the early on 1960s a stand had been built at the Railway End to the same design as the Main Stand, ceiling had been put on the Kop and Tilton Road End, and the flat coat capacity was down to about 55,000. Resulting from the 1986 Popplewell Report into the base hit of sports grounds and the former Taylor Report, the capacity of St Andrew ‘s was set at 28,235 for condom reasons, [ 35 ] but it was accepted that the stadium had to be brought up to modern all-seated standards. After the last home game of the 1993–94 temper, the Kop and Tilton Road terraces were demolished – fans took home a significant proportion as souvenirs – to be replaced at the start of the raw season by a 7,000-seat Tilton Road Stand, continuing round the corner into the 9,500-seat Kop which opened two months late. The 8,000-seat Railway Stand followed in 1999 ; [ 95 ] ten years late, this was renamed the Gil Merrick Stand, in respect of the golf club ‘s appearance record-breaker and former coach, [ 96 ] but the Main Stand has still to be modernised. In 2019, the golf club web site listed the stadium capacitance as 29,409. [ 3 ] In 2004 a proposal was put forward to build a “ sports village ” comprising a 55,000-capacity City of Birmingham Stadium, other sports and leisure facilities, and a ace casino, to be jointly financed by Birmingham City Council, Birmingham City F.C. ( via the proceeds of the sale of St Andrew ‘s ) and the casino group Las Vegas Sands. The feasibility of the plan depended on the government issuing a license for a ace casino, and Birmingham being chosen as the venue, [ 97 ] but this did not happen. The cabaret have planning permission to redevelop the Main Stand, [ 98 ] but club and council continued to seek alternative sources of fund for the City of Birmingham Stadium project. [ 99 ] In 2013, the Birmingham City Supporters ‘ Trust ‘s lotion for listing St Andrew ‘s as an Asset of Community Value ( ACV ) – a build up or other land whose main use “ furthers the social wellbeing or social interests of the local community ” and where it is naturalistic to believe it could do sol in the future. [ 100 ] – under the Localism Act 2011 was approved by Birmingham City Council. [ 101 ] This requires any propose sale to be notified to the Council, and provides for a six-month moratorium on that sale to allow the Trust and other community groups to submit their own bid. [ 101 ] In 2018, the club ‘s owners agreed a three-year sponsorship conduct under which the name became St Andrew ‘s Trillion Trophy Stadium. [ 102 ]

Supporters

Birmingham fans consider their main rivals to be Aston Villa, their nearest neighbours geographically, with whom they contest the Second City bowler hat. Lesser rivalries include boyfriend West Midlands clubs Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Bromwich Albion. According to a 2003 football Fans Census surveil, Aston Villa fans thought of Birmingham City as their main rivals, though this was not constantly the case. [ 103 ]
Birmingham City mascot Beau Brummie Birmingham ‘s supporters are generally referred to as “ Bluenoses ” in the media and by the fans themselves ; the identify is besides used in a derogative manner by fans of other clubs. [ 103 ] [ 104 ] A assemble of public sculpt in the shape of a ten-times-life-size question lying on a mound near the St Andrew ‘s earth, Ondré Nowakowski ‘s Sleeping Iron Giant, has been repeatedly defaced with blasphemous paint on its nuzzle. [ 105 ] Between 1994 and 1997 the clubhouse mascot took the phase of a blasphemous nose, though it is now a frank named Beau Brummie, a play on the name Beau Brummell and Brummie, the slang word for a person from Birmingham. A count of supporters ‘ clubs are affiliated to the football clubhouse, both in England and afield. [ 107 ] An action group was formed in 1991 to protest against president Samesh Kumar, the club blamed an internet prayer for the break down of the purchase of musician Lee Bowyer in 2005, [ 108 ] and antipathy towards the board provoked hostile tone and a pitch invasion after the last match of the 2007–08 season, [ 109 ] but when the club was in fiscal difficulties, supporters contributed to schemes which funded the purchase of players Brian Roberts in 1984 and Paul Peschisolido in 1992. A supporters ‘ hope was formed under the auspices of Supporters Direct in 2012. [ 111 ] There have been several fanzines published by supporters. Made in Brum, first issued in 2000, was the only one regularly on sale in 2013. [ 112 ] The Zulu began some years earlier and ran for at least 16 seasons. [ 113 ] The bully firm associated with the cabaret, the Zulu Warriors, were unusual in that they had multi-racial membership at a prison term when many such firms had associations with racist or rightist groups. [ 115 ] Visiting Birmingham fans during the club ‘s first away appearance in group phase of the UEFA Europa League in 2011 The fans ‘ hymn, [ 116 ] an adaptation of Harry Lauder ‘s “ Keep Right On to the end of the Road ”, [ 117 ] was adopted during the 1956 FA Cup crusade. The Times ‘s football analogous described in his Cup Final preview how

the Birmingham clans swept their side along to Wembley – the beginning english ever to reach a final without once playing at home – on the wings of the sung “ Keep right on to the end of the road ”. [ 118 ]

Player Alex Govan is credited with popularising the song, by singing it on the passenger car on the way to the quarter-final [ 119 ] and when he revealed in an interview that it was his favorite .

In the build-up to the 1956 FA Cup semi-final with Sunderland I was interviewed by the press and happened to let skid that my favored song was Harry Lauder ‘s old music hall total “ Keep Right on to the goal of the Road ”. I thought no more about it, but when the third goal went in at Hillsborough the Blues fans all started singing it. It was the proudest moment of my life .

ownership

small Heath F.C. became a express party in 1888 ; its first contribution issue was to the value of £650. The board was made up of local businessmen and dignitaries until 1965, when the club was sold to Clifford Coombs. By the mid-1980s the club was in fiscal trouble. Control passed from the Coombs class to early Walsall F.C. president Ken Wheldon, who cut costs, made redundancies, and sold off assets, including the baseball club ‘s train ground. inactive unable to make the golf club wage, Wheldon sold it to the Kumar brothers, owners of a clothing chain. debt was still increasing when matters came to a head ; the collapse of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International ( BCCI ) put the Kumars ‘ businesses into receivership. The club continued in administration for four months until Sport Newspapers ‘ owner David Sullivan bought the Kumars ‘ 84 % holding for £700,000 from BCCI ‘s liquidator in March 1993. [ 38 ] [ 39 ] Birmingham City plc, of which the football club was a wholly owned subsidiary company, was floated on the Alternative Investment Market ( AIM ) in 1997 with an emergence of 15 million newly shares, [ 123 ] raising £7.5 million of new investment. [ 124 ] It made a pre-tax profit of £4.3M in the year ending 31 August 2008. [ 125 ] In July 2007, Hong Kong businessman Carson Yeung, via the Hong Kong Stock Exchange ( SEHK ) -listed company Grandtop International Holdings Limited ( GIH ), bought 29.9 % of the plc from its directors. Although his intention to take full moon control of the club initially came to nothing, [ 126 ] GIH completed the purchase in October 2009 at a entire cost of £81.5M, re-registered the club as a private company, and renamed the holding company Birmingham International Holdings ( BIH ). [ 127 ] [ 57 ] [ 128 ] trade in BIH shares was suspended in June 2011 after Yeung ‘s apprehension on charges of money-laundering. [ 129 ] Publication of fiscal results was repeatedly delayed, [ 130 ] which led the Football League to impose a transfer embargo, [ 131 ] and offers for the club were entertained from 2012 onwards. [ 132 ] After Yeung resigned his positions with both club and company in early 2014, contribution deal resumed, [ 133 ] and following his conviction, [ 134 ] efforts intensified to dispose of the clubhouse, which had to be done bit-by-bit in order to retain BIH ‘s parcel list. [ 135 ]

Going into 2015, the Football League made public their concerns over Yeung ‘s attempts to impose his choice of directors on the BIHL board despite his conviction disqualifying him from exerting influence over a golf club. [ 136 ] Relationships became increasingly factional, as illustrated by the failure of three directors, including the club ‘s de facto chief administrator Panos Pavlakis, to gain re-election, followed the next day by their reinstatement. [ 137 ] On 17 February, the circuit board voluntarily appointed receivers from accountants Ernst & Young to take over management of the company. Their statement stressed that no winding-up petition had been issued and the company was not in liquidation. [ 138 ] [ 139 ] In June 2015, the receivers struck deals with the previous major shareholders such that legal natural process against them would be dropped in return for their agreement not to obstruct any transfer of ownership to their preferable bidder, the british Virgin Islands -registered investment fomite Trillion Trophy Asia ( TTA ), wholly owned by chinese businessman Paul Suen Cho Hung, who in turn agreed that the company would not be sold on within two years. The summons completed in October 2016, leaving TTA owning 50.64 % of BIH ‘s share capital, a degree of ownership that required them to make an offer for the remainder. [ 140 ]

Honours

Trophy cabinet with the Carling Cup trophy Birmingham City ‘s honours include the keep up : [ 141 ] second Division / First Division / The Championship ( floor 2 )
third gear Division / Second Division ( level 3 )
FA Cup
Football League Cup
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
consociate Members ‘ Cup / Football League Trophy
Birmingham Senior Cup

• Winners: 1905

Small Heath first entered the Birmingham Senior Cup in 1878–79 – ten years before the foundation of the Football League – and won for the first time in 1905, defeating West Bromwich Albion 7–2 in the final. Its importance declined with the increase in League fixtures, and from 1905–06 onwards, Birmingham fielded teams containing reserve-team players.[142]

Football League South ( wartime )

Preparatory to the Football League resuming in 1946–47, the First and Second Division clubs from the last pre-war season were divided geographically between the Leagues North and South for 1945–46. Going into the last day of the season, Aston Villa were top of League South but had finished their programme two points (one win) ahead of the chasers but with a worse goal average. Charlton Athletic were second, above Birmingham by 0.002 of a goal.[144] While Charlton could only draw at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers, Birmingham won away at Luton Town, so claimed the title by 0.3 of a goal.[145]

Records and statistics

Chart of English Football League performance of Birmingham City F.C. since the 1892–93 temper Birmingham achieved their highest eat up situation, of sixth in the top flight, in the 1955–56 First Division. [ 147 ] [ 26 ] Frank Womack holds the record for Birmingham league appearances, having played 491 matches between 1908 and 1928, close followed by Gil Merrick with 485 between 1946 and 1959. If all aged competitions are included, Merrick has 551, less close followed by Womack ‘s 515 which is the commemorate for an outfield musician. The musician who won most international caps while at the cabaret is Maik Taylor with 58 for Northern Ireland. [ 149 ] The goalscoring record is held by Joe Bradford, with 249 league goals, 267 altogether, scored between 1920 and 1935 ; no other player comes close. Walter Abbott holds the records for the most goals scored in a season, in 1898–99, with 34 league goals in the Second Division and 42 goals in entire. [ 50 ] The club ‘s widest victory margin in the league was 12–0, a scoreline which they achieved once in the Football Alliance, against Nottingham Forest in 1899, and twice in the Second Division, against Walsall Town Swifts in 1892 and Doncaster Rovers in 1903. They have lost a league match by an eight-goal allowance on eight occasions : doubly in the Football Alliance and five times in the First Division, all away from home, [ 150 ] and once at home, beat 8–0 by AFC Bournemouth in the championship in 2014. [ 151 ] Their record FA Cup win was 10–0 against Druids in the fourth qualifying orotund of the 1899 competition ; their criminal record FA Cup frustration was 7–0 at home to Liverpool in the 2006 quarter-final. [ 151 ] Birmingham ‘s home attendance record was set at the fifth-round FA Cup draw against Everton on 11 February 1939. It is variously recorded as 66,844 or 67,341. [ A ] The highest transportation fee received for a Birmingham actor is, according to the Sky Sports web site, “ a guarantee £25 million up front ” received in July 2020 from Borussia Dortmund for Jude Bellingham, which made him the most expensive 17-year-old in universe football ; the deal besides included add-ons “ worth ‘several millions more ‘ ”. [ 153 ] The highest fee paid is £6.3m for croatian midfielder Ivan Šunjić, who joined from Dinamo Zagreb in July 2019. [ 154 ]

Players

First-team squad

note : Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Squad correct as of 3 September 2021. [ 155 ] [ 156 ]

Out on loanword

note : Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. [ 155 ] [ 156 ]

Reserves and Academy

retire numbers

In admiration of Jude Bellingham ‘s contribution in a unretentive time with the first team – the club ‘s youngest debutant, at 16 years and 38 days, and youngest goalscorer, he completed a full temper before becoming Birmingham ‘s record transmit and the world ‘s most expensive 17-year-old, [ 153 ] “ showing what can be achieved through talent, difficult work and commitment ” while retaining a “ wish, humble and engaging off-the-field demeanor ” – the baseball club retired his count 22 shirt “ to remember one of our own and to inspire others. ” [ 170 ]

Birmingham City Women

Birmingham City Ladies Football Club was formed in 1968. The first base team worked their means through the leagues until promoted to the FA Women ‘s Premier League in 2002. After Birmingham City F.C. withdrew fiscal support in 2005, the club were only able to continue because of a personal contribution. They re-affiliated with Birmingham City in 2010, were laminitis members of the FA WSL the following year, and won the FA Women ‘s Cup in 2012. [ 171 ] A second-place end in the 2012 FA WSL earned them qualification for the 2013–14 Champions League, in which they reached the semi-final. After TTA took over Birmingham City F.C. in November 2016, the women ‘s club became an built-in part of the organization. [ 172 ] It was formally renamed Birmingham City Women in 2018, and would be known as homely Birmingham City except where that would cause confusion with the men ‘s team. [ 173 ]

baseball club officials

Owners :

As of 11 May 2021[4]

• • Birmingham Sports Holdings Ltd 75.00%
  • Oriental Rainbow Ltd 21.64%

Directors :

As of 11 May 2021[174]

• • Wenqing Zhao
  • Chun Kong Yiu
  • Gannan Zheng
  • Yao Wang

Coaching staff :

As of 3 September 2021[175]

celebrated managers

Gil Merrick was the first base Birmingham director to win a major trophy, the League Cup in 1963. Merrick besides led the club to the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup final in 1961, following Pat Beasley who had done the lapp in 1960. Leslie Knighton took the club to the final examination of the FA Cup in 1931 ; Arthur Turner did besides in 1956, a well as taking commit of the club ‘s highest league finish, sixth place in the 1955–56 First Division. Birmingham reached the 2001 Football League Cup Final under Trevor Francis, [ 43 ] whose successor as permanent wave coach, Steve Bruce, twice achieved promotion to the Premier League. [ 46 ] [ 53 ] Birmingham won the League Cup for the irregular time under Alex McLeish in 2011. [ 59 ] The 1966 World Cup -winning director, Sir Alf Ramsey, took charge of the baseball club concisely in 1977 .

Notes

1. a b[50] and Rothmans Football Yearbook. Others, including the history page of Birmingham City F.C.’s website,[8] Matthews’ Encyclopedia, and The Times newspaper from the Monday following the match,[93] say 67,341. Some sources give the record attendance as 66,844 : these include the records foliate of Birmingham City F.C. ‘s websiteand Rothmans Football Yearbook. Others, including the history page of Birmingham City F.C. ‘s web site, Matthews ‘, andnewspaper from the Monday following the equal, say 67,341 .

References

Sources

• Gall, Caroline (2006). Zulus: Black, White and Blue: the Story of the Zulu Warriors Football Firm. Milo Books. ISBN 978-1-903854-53-2.
• Goodyear, David; Matthews, Tony (1988). Aston Villa A Complete Record 1875–1988. Derby: Breedon Books. ISBN 0-907969-37-2.
• Holden, Jim (2000). Stan Cullis: The Iron Manager. Derby: Breedon Books. ISBN 1-85983-211-3.
• Jawad, Hyder (2005). Strange Magic. Birmingham City v Aston Villa. Birmingham Post.
• Lewis, Peter, ed. (2000). Keeping right on since 1875. The Official History of Birmingham City Football Club. Lytham: Arrow. ISBN 1-900722-12-7.
• Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
• Matthews, Tony (October 2000). The Encyclopedia of Birmingham City Football Club 1875–2000. Cradley Heath: Britespot. ISBN 978-0-9539288-0-4.
• Radnedge, Keir (1998). “Inter-Cities Fairs/UEFA Cup”. The Complete Encyclopedia of Football. Carlton Books. ISBN 978-1-85833-979-5.
• Rollin, Jack, ed. (1990). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1990–91. London: Queen Anne Press. ISBN 0-356-17911-7.
• Rollin, Jack (2005). Soccer at War 1939–45. London: Headline. ISBN 978-0-7553-1431-7.
• Rollin, Glenda; Rollin, Jack, eds. (2010). Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2010–2011 (41st ed.). London: Headline. ISBN 978-0-7553-6107-6.

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