A faded photograph of a posed group of men, outdoors. At the front are six men sitting on benches and two seated on the ground, each dressed in sports clothing, a light-coloured shirt with darker trim, white shorts, dark socks and boots. Standing at the back are eight men, some bearded, wearing hats and coats, and three men in sports clothing. In front of the men is a large trophy in the form of a shield.
Small Heath F.C. pictured in 1893 with the Football League Second Division trophy

Birmingham City Football Club, an English association football club based in the city of Birmingham, was founded in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance. For their first thirteen years, there was no league football, so matches were arranged on an occasional basis, supplemented by cup competitions organised at both local and national level. In 1888, Small Heath 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.[1] Small Heath were founder members of the Football Alliance in 1889, and three years later were elected to the newly formed Second Division of the Football League. They topped the table in their first season, though failed to win promotion via the test match system then in operation, but reached the top flight for the first time in 1894.[2] Since that time, they have not fallen below the third tier of the English football league system, and were promoted to the Premier League for the first time for the 2002–03 season.

Birmingham's first team have competed in a number of nationally contested leagues, and their record against each club faced in those competitions is summarised below. The opening match of the 1889–90 Football Alliance season pitted them against near neighbours Birmingham St George's,[3] their first Football League match was against Burslem Port Vale,[4] and they met their 109th and most recent different league opponent, Burton Albion, for the first time in the 2016–17 EFL Championship season. The team that Birmingham have played most in league competition is Manchester City, whom they first met as Ardwick in the 1891–92 Football Alliance season. Wolverhampton Wanderers have beaten Birmingham 62 times in the league, more than any other team: they overtook Manchester City's total of 60 victories in the 2017–18 EFL Championship season. Derby County have drawn 36 league encounters with Birmingham, one more than Everton and West Bromwich Albion. Birmingham have recorded more league victories against Leicester City than against any other club, having beaten them 50 times out of 124 attempts.

All statistics are correct up to and including the match played against Millwall on 9 March 2024.

Key

All-time league record

Birmingham City F.C. league record by opponent
Opponent P W D L P W D L P W D L Win% First Last Notes
Home Away Total
AFC Bournemouth 9 0 3 6 9 3 0 6 18 3 3 12 016.67 1987–88 2021–22
Arsenal 62 30 15 17 62 4 18 40 124 34 33 57 027.42 1893–94 2010–11 [A]
Aston Villa 58 22 16 20 58 14 15 29 116 36 31 49 031.03 1894–95 2018–19
Barnsley 40 21 9 10 40 17 10 13 80 38 19 23 047.50 1898–99 2021–22
Birmingham St George's ‡ 3 1 1 1 3 0 0 3 6 1 1 4 016.67 1889–90 1891–92
Blackburn Rovers † 64 37 17 10 64 8 16 40 128 45 33 50 035.16 1894–95 2023–24
Blackpool 45 24 10 11 45 9 11 25 90 33 21 36 036.67 1896–97 2022–23
Bolton Wanderers 64 33 15 16 64 10 19 35 128 43 34 51 033.59 1894–95 2018–19
Bootle ‡ 4 3 1 0 4 2 1 1 8 5 2 1 062.50 1889–90 1892–93
Bradford City 11 7 4 0 11 4 4 3 22 11 8 3 050.00 1921–22 2001–02
Bradford Park Avenue 8 4 1 3 8 2 4 2 16 6 5 5 037.50 1908–09 1947–48
Brentford 21 10 5 6 21 11 5 5 42 21 10 11 050.00 1935–36 2020–21
Brighton & Hove Albion 13 4 5 4 13 2 3 8 26 6 8 12 023.08 1980–81 2016–17
Bristol City † 35 18 11 6 35 16 6 13 70 34 17 19 048.57 1902–03 2023–24
Bristol Rovers 6 3 3 0 6 0 5 1 12 3 8 1 025.00 1953–54 1994–95
Burnley 47 23 10 14 47 8 12 27 94 31 22 41 032.98 1894–95 2022–23
Burton Albion 2 0 1 1 2 0 0 2 4 0 1 3 000.00 2016–17 2017–18
Burton Swifts ‡ 8 7 0 1 8 6 1 1 16 13 1 2 081.25 1891–92 1900–01
Burton United ‡ 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 100.00 1902–03 1902–03
Burton Wanderers ‡ 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 100.00 1896–97 1896–97
Bury 32 16 5 11 32 10 4 18 64 26 9 29 040.63 1895–96 1998–99
Cambridge United 4 1 1 2 4 2 0 2 8 3 1 4 037.50 1979–80 1994–95
Cardiff City † 39 18 14 7 40 11 5 24 79 29 19 31 036.71 1920–21 2023–24
Carlisle United 9 6 1 2 9 2 2 5 18 8 3 7 044.44 1965–66 1984–85
Charlton Athletic 32 15 10 7 32 5 11 16 64 20 21 23 031.25 1936–37 2019–20
Chelsea 41 14 12 15 41 6 12 23 82 20 24 38 024.39 1907–08 2010–11
Chester City ‡ 4 3 1 0 4 3 0 1 8 6 1 1 075.00 1989–90 1994–95
Chesterfield 7 4 3 0 7 2 4 1 14 6 7 1 042.86 1899–1900 1950–51 [B]
Colchester United 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 1 1 0 050.00 2006–07 2006–07
Coventry City † 27 12 9 6 28 8 9 11 55 20 18 17 036.36 1919–20 2023–24
Crewe Alexandra 13 10 0 3 13 7 3 3 26 17 3 6 065.38 1889–90 2001–02
Crystal Palace 22 14 3 5 22 6 5 11 44 20 8 16 045.45 1965–66 2012–13
Darlington 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 1 1 0 050.00 1991–92 1991–92
Darwen ‡ 6 5 0 1 6 0 2 4 12 5 2 5 041.67 1889–90 1898–99
Derby County 58 26 15 17 58 10 21 27 116 36 36 44 031.03 1894–95 2021–22
Doncaster Rovers 10 6 2 2 10 6 1 3 20 12 3 5 060.00 1902–03 2013–14
Everton 59 18 18 23 59 6 17 36 118 24 35 59 020.34 1894–95 2010–11
Exeter City 2 1 1 0 2 1 0 1 4 2 1 1 050.00 1990–91 1991–92
Fulham 43 18 13 12 43 13 13 17 86 31 26 29 036.05 1908–09 2021–22
Gainsborough Trinity 10 6 4 0 10 4 3 3 20 10 7 3 050.00 1896–97 1911–12
Gillingham 2 2 0 0 2 1 1 0 4 3 1 0 075.00 2000–01 2001–02
Glossop 10 5 3 2 10 3 1 6 20 8 4 8 040.00 1898–99 1914–15
Grimsby Town 38 20 9 9 38 8 9 21 76 28 18 30 036.84 1889–90 2001–02
Hartlepool United 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 1 0 1 050.00 1991–92 1991–92
Huddersfield Town † 56 28 9 19 55 11 24 20 111 39 33 39 035.14 1910–11 2023–24
Hull City † 36 16 14 6 36 10 7 19 72 26 21 25 036.11 1908–09 2023–24
Ipswich Town † 38 16 14 8 38 8 5 25 76 24 19 33 031.58 1954–55 2023–24
Leeds City ‡ 7 4 1 2 7 0 2 5 14 4 3 7 028.57 1908–09 1914–15
Leeds United † 51 29 12 10 51 11 13 27 102 40 25 37 039.22 1920–21 2023–24
Leicester City † 63 32 11 20 62 18 12 32 125 50 23 52 040.00 1896–97 2023–24 [C]
Leyton Orient 18 10 6 2 18 7 7 4 36 17 13 6 047.22 1908–09 1994–95 [D]
Lincoln City 18 14 2 2 18 9 7 2 36 23 9 4 063.89 1891–92 1954–55
Liverpool 50 21 14 15 50 7 11 32 100 28 25 47 028.00 1893–94 2010–11
Long Eaton Rangers ‡ 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 100.00 1889–90 1889–90
Loughborough ‡ 4 4 0 0 4 2 1 1 8 6 1 1 075.00 1896–97 1899–1900
Luton Town 30 16 8 6 30 13 10 7 60 29 18 13 048.33 1897–98 2022–23
Manchester City 67 40 12 15 67 9 13 45 134 49 25 60 036.57 1891–92 2010–11 [E]
Manchester United 50 17 20 13 50 9 9 32 100 26 29 45 026.00 1889–90 2010–11 [F]
Mansfield Town 2 1 1 0 2 1 0 1 4 2 1 1 050.00 1989–90 1990–91
Middlesbrough † 57 28 16 13 58 13 17 28 115 41 33 41 035.65 1899–1900 2023–24
Middlesbrough Ironopolis ‡ 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 1 1 0 050.00 1893–94 1893–94
Millwall † 25 11 9 5 25 8 6 11 50 19 15 16 038.00 1946–47 2023–24
Milton Keynes Dons 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 100.00 2015–16 2015–16 [G]
New Brighton Tower ‡ 3 3 0 0 3 0 2 1 6 3 2 1 050.00 1898–99 1900–01
Newcastle United 48 21 12 15 48 8 14 26 96 29 26 41 030.21 1893–94 2016–17
Newport County 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 2 1 1 0 050.00 1946–47 1946–47
Northampton Town 2 2 0 0 2 0 1 1 4 2 1 1 050.00 1966–67 1989–90
Northwich Victoria 2 2 0 0 2 2 0 0 4 4 0 0 100.00 1892–93 1893–94
Norwich City † 32 15 8 9 33 4 11 18 65 19 19 27 029.23 1965–66 2023–24
Nottingham Forest 57 24 13 20 57 15 19 23 114 39 32 43 034.21 1889–90 2021–22
Notts County 26 15 6 5 26 5 8 13 52 20 14 18 038.46 1893–94 1993–94
Oldham Athletic 12 4 4 4 12 4 3 5 24 8 7 9 033.33 1908–09 1996–97
Oxford United 13 4 6 3 13 6 3 4 26 10 9 7 038.46 1968–69 1998–99
Peterborough United 7 3 4 0 7 2 2 3 14 5 6 3 035.71 1991–92 2021–22
Plymouth Argyle † 15 9 4 2 15 7 5 3 30 16 9 5 053.33 1946–47 2023–24
Portsmouth 43 26 9 8 43 12 14 17 86 38 23 25 044.19 1927–28 2011–12
Port Vale 14 11 1 2 14 6 2 6 28 17 3 8 060.71 1892–93 1999–2000 [H]
Preston North End † 48 25 11 12 49 7 14 28 97 32 25 40 032.99 1894–95 2023–24
Queens Park Rangers † 32 19 7 6 31 7 11 13 63 26 18 19 041.27 1950–51 2023–24
Reading 21 9 4 8 21 8 8 5 42 17 12 13 040.48 1986–87 2022–23
Rotherham Town ‡ 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 100.00 1893–94 1893–94
Rotherham County ‡ 2 1 1 0 2 1 1 0 4 2 2 0 050.00 1919–20 1920–21
Rotherham United † 18 12 3 3 17 6 7 4 35 18 10 7 051.43 1951–52 2023–24
Sheffield United 53 29 10 14 53 12 11 30 106 41 21 44 038.68 1892–93 2022–23
Sheffield Wednesday † 52 26 18 8 52 12 11 29 104 38 29 37 036.54 1889–90 2023–24
Shrewsbury Town 9 3 2 4 9 1 3 5 18 4 5 9 022.22 1979–80 1994–95
Southampton † 21 9 7 5 21 5 3 13 42 14 10 18 033.33 1946–47 2023–24
Southend United 6 4 1 1 6 1 1 4 12 5 2 5 041.67 1990–91 2006–07
South Shields 2 1 1 0 2 0 0 2 4 1 1 2 025.00 1919–20 1920–21
Stockport County 18 14 2 2 18 5 3 10 36 19 5 12 052.78 1900–01 2001–02
Stoke City † 50 26 12 12 50 10 11 29 100 36 23 41 036.00 1890–91 2023–24 [I]
Sunderland † 56 27 13 16 56 11 9 36 112 38 22 52 033.93 1894–95 2023–24
Sunderland Albion ‡ 2 0 0 2 2 0 0 2 4 0 0 4 000.00 1889–90 1890–91
Swansea City † 20 10 7 3 20 8 7 5 40 18 14 8 045.00 1946–47 2023–24 [J]
Swindon Town 10 5 3 2 10 4 3 3 20 9 6 5 045.00 1969–70 1999–2000
Torquay United 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 100.00 1991–92 1991–92
Tottenham Hotspur 41 18 10 13 41 8 6 27 82 26 16 40 031.71 1908–09 2010–11
Tranmere Rovers 10 5 4 1 10 3 1 6 20 8 5 7 040.00 1989–90 2000–01
Walsall 14 11 1 2 14 7 2 5 28 18 3 7 064.29 1889–90 2001–02 [K]
Watford † 21 11 4 6 22 3 4 15 43 14 8 21 032.56 1969–70 2023–24
West Bromwich Albion † 63 23 16 24 63 15 19 29 126 38 35 53 030.16 1894–95 2023–24
West Ham United 43 23 10 10 43 15 11 17 86 38 21 27 044.19 1919–20 2011–12
Wigan Athletic 13 4 5 4 13 2 5 6 26 6 10 10 023.08 1989–90 2022–23
Wimbledon ‡ 3 1 0 2 3 1 0 2 6 2 0 4 033.33 1984–85 2001–02 [G]
Wolverhampton Wanderers 65 23 20 22 65 15 10 40 130 38 30 62 029.23 1894–95 2017–18
Wrexham 2 2 0 0 2 0 1 1 4 2 1 1 050.00 1979–80 1994–95
Wycombe Wanderers 2 0 0 2 2 1 1 0 4 1 1 2 025.00 1994–95 2020–21
Yeovil Town 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 2 1 0 1 050.00 2013–14 2013–14
York City 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 1 0 1 050.00 1994–95 1994–95

Notes

  1. ^ Arsenal statistics include matches played against Woolwich Arsenal.
  2. ^ Chesterfield statistics include matches played against Chesterfield Town.
  3. ^ Leicester City statistics include matches played against Leicester Fosse.
  4. ^ Leyton Orient statistics include matches played against Clapton Orient and Orient.
  5. ^ Manchester City statistics include matches played against Ardwick.
  6. ^ Manchester United statistics include matches played against Newton Heath.
  7. ^ a b Wimbledon F.C. relocated to Milton Keynes in 2003, and was rebranded as Milton Keynes Dons F.C. a year later. That club renounced all claims to Wimbledon's history in 2007, since when it has regarded itself as a new club founded in 2004.[5]
  8. ^ Port Vale statistics include matches played against Burslem Port Vale.
  9. ^ Stoke City statistics include matches played against Stoke.
  10. ^ Swansea City statistics include matches played against Swansea Town.
  11. ^ Walsall statistics include matches played against Walsall Town Swifts.

Sources

References

  1. ^ Shury, Alan; Landamore, Brian (2005). The Definitive Newton Heath F.C. (2nd ed.). Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 11. ISBN 1899468161.
  2. ^ "Small Heath". Football Club History Database. Richard Rundle. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
  3. ^ Matthews (2010), p. 224.
  4. ^ "Birmingham City football club match record: 1893". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
  5. ^ "Wimbledon become MK Dons FC". guardian.co.uk. 21 June 2004. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
    "History and Honours of Wimbledon FC returned to Merton". Wimbledon Independent Supporters Association. 2 August 2007. Archived from the original on 20 February 2012. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
    "Wimbledon FC patrimony is returned to its rightful home in Borough of Merton". Football Supporters Federation. 3 August 2007. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007.

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