Alex McLeish led Birmingham to victory in the 2010/11 League Cup.

Birmingham City Football Club, an English professional football club based in the city of Birmingham, was founded in 1875. When league football began, the first team – then playing under the name Small Heath – competed in the Football Alliance before being elected to the newly formed Second Division of the Football League in 1892.[1] At that point, club secretary Alf Jones – its first paid official – assumed some of what are now seen as managerial responsibilities.

There have been 43 full-time managers:[a] the most recent appointee, Tony Mowbray, joined in January 2024 to replace Wayne Rooney, who arrived in October 2023 and left 83 days later, setting a club record for shortest tenure. Bob McRoberts was appointed in 1911 as Birmingham's first manager whose role did not include secretarial duties. George Liddell has had the longest tenure, of six years and two months (267 matches) in the 1930s, while Trevor Francis has managed the team for most matches: 290 over five years and five months between 1996 and 2001. All three formerly played for the club. Under Arthur Turner, Birmingham won the 1954–55 Second Division title, followed up with what remains the team's highest league finish, sixth place in the 1955–56 First Division, and reached the 1956 FA Cup Final. Gil Merrick in 1963 and Alex McLeish in 2011 oversaw League Cup wins and Barry Fry led his team to a "double" of third-tier title and Football League Trophy in 1994–95.

All managers who have taken charge of at least one competitive match are listed below. Each manager's entry includes his dates of tenure and the club's overall competitive record (in terms of matches won, drawn and lost), honours won and significant achievements while under his care. Caretaker managers are also included, where known, as well as those who have been in permanent charge.

History

In the early days, team management was undertaken by a club committee. When payment of players was legalised in 1885, Alf Jones began to act as club secretary on a voluntary basis. Small Heath's election to the newly formed Second Division of the Football League in 1892 prompted the board of directors to appoint him as the club's first paid official, responsible as secretary-manager for matters on the field in addition to his administrative duties. In his first season the club won the inaugural Second Division championship, and gained promotion to the First Division for the first time the following year via the Test Match system. Jones's 16-year tenure saw three promotions and three relegations, after the last of which in 1908 he resigned.[2][1] The second of Alex Watson's three seasons in charge ended with the club having to apply for re-election to the league, and in 1911, responsibility for team affairs passed to former player Bob McRoberts, who became the club's first dedicated team manager.[b]

Frank Richards succeeded Watson as club secretary in 1911, and when the First World War broke out he took over the managerial reins as well. Under Richards Birmingham won the Second Division title in 1921 and signed players such as Joe Bradford, Johnny Crosbie and Dan Tremelling who did much to keep the club in the top flight through the 1920s. He also forgot to enter them in the 1922 FA Cup.[3][4] Billy Beer[5] and Bill Harvey[6] kept them in the First Division, albeit in the lower half of the table, before former Arsenal manager Leslie Knighton took charge in 1928. He led them to their first FA Cup final in 1931 and a top-half league finish the following year, but left when Chelsea made him an offer Birmingham were unable to match.[7] Former Birmingham defender George Liddell kept them in the top tier until they were relegated in the last season completed before the Second World War, resigning in September 1939 when league football was suspended. His tenure of just over six years made him the club's longest-serving team manager.[8]

Harry Storer, appointed just before the war ended, won the championship of the 1945–46 Football League South wartime league and the Second Division title two years later.[9] Under Bob Brocklebank Birmingham were relegated from the First Division, but they reached the semifinal of the 1951 FA Cup and Brocklebank signed many of the players moulded by Arthur Turner into a successful team.[10] Turner won promotion in 1955, the next season led the team to their highest league finish of sixth place and their second FA Cup final,[11] and in 1957 reached the semifinals of both the FA Cup and the inaugural Inter-Cities Fairs Cup competition.[12] In 1958 the club's experimental joint appointment, which gave new arrival Pat Beasley dual authority over playing matters while reducing Turner's responsibility for administrative matters, prompted Turner's resignation after seven months. Beasley himself quit when the club decided on a further restructure.[c] He and successor Gil Merrick took the team to successive finals of the Fairs Cup in 1960 and 1961. Merrick managed them to their first major trophy, beating local rivals Aston Villa 3–1 on aggregate in the 1963 League Cup Final, but after four years of fighting relegation, the board asked for his resignation.[13][14]

Jim Smith managed Birmingham between 1978 and 1982.

Joe Mallett presided over relegation before acting as assistant to Stan Cullis,[15] who laid the foundations for the team's future success before retiring from football in 1970.[16] Chosen only after abortive approaches were made to Don Revie, Brian Clough and Ronnie Allen,[17] Freddie Goodwin converted the attractive but inconsistent football of Cullis's teams to a skilful, aggressive game capable of winning promotion and maintaining top-flight status.[18] The British-record sale of goalscorer Bob Latchford to Everton was partially mitigated by the arrival of Howard Kendall and emergence of Trevor Francis,[19][20] but the team struggled. Goodwin survived a vote of confidence in April 1975,[21] but was sacked in September after his reaction to a training-ground incident provoked Kenny Burns into a transfer request. First-team coach Willie Bell, initially appointed as acting manager,[22][23] achieved little in two years,[24] and was replaced by club director Sir Alf Ramsey, whose brief managerial tenure ended with him leaving the club entirely.[d] Jim Smith brought experienced players to the club[27] but was sacked to make way for Ron Saunders, who had just walked out on league champions and local rivals Aston Villa.[e]

Financial difficulties and instability at board level led to six managerial changes in seven years. Saunders resigned after FA Cup defeat to non-league Altrincham,[28] John Bond seemed out of touch,[29] and in April 1989, once relegation to the Third Division for the first time in the club's history was confirmed, the club's new owners replaced Garry Pendrey with Dave Mackay.[30] Within 18 months, with relegation to the Fourth Division a possibility, Mackay resigned.[31] Lou Macari came in, revitalised the side, won the Football League Trophy at Wembley, and three weeks later walked out to join Stoke City.[32] Terry Cooper won promotion back to the second tier and kept the team going during four months of administration before he quit, fearing new owner David Sullivan would want to bring in his own man.[33]

Steve Bruce oversaw Birmingham City's 2002 promotion to the Premier League.

Southend United manager Barry Fry, hired at the cost of a record fine for "poaching",[34] failed to avoid relegation but combined the Division Two title with another victorious trip to Wembley in the Football League Trophy in 1995. After one ineffectual season in the second tier which brought his total of players used up to 61, he was sacked.[35] Trevor Francis introduced Premier League players to the team and took them to the 2001 League Cup final, but three successive play-off semifinal defeats led to his departure by mutual consent.[36] Two months later, after the dispute over his release from previous employers Crystal Palace reached the High Court, Steve Bruce took charge.[37] Bruce, the ninth former player to have served as permanent manager, led the club to promotion via the play-offs in his first season; his tenure of nearly six years made him the club's longest-serving post-war manager.[38] After uncertainty surrounding a takeover bid for the club led him to accept the managerial post at Wigan Athletic,[39] former Scotland manager Alex McLeish was appointed in November 2007.[40]

Unable to avoid relegation at the end of his first part-season, McLeish led the team back to the Premier League at the first attempt in 2009,[41] then guided them to a 12-game unbeaten run, a club record in the top division,[42] and a ninth-place finish, their best since 1959.[43] In 2010–11, his Birmingham team beat Arsenal in the League Cup Final to win their first major trophy in 48 years, but he could not keep them in the top flight, and resigned to take over at Aston Villa.[44] Chris Hughton's team narrowly failed to qualify for the Europa League knockout phase and reached the play-off semi-finals,[45] but with the club in financial turmoil and under a transfer embargo, he left for Premier League Norwich City.[46] Lee Clark led Birmingham to a mid-table finish in his first season, but escaped relegation to the third tier on goal difference via Paul Caddis's stoppage-time equaliser at Bolton Wanderers in the last match of 2013–14. Continuing poor form, with only one home league win in more than a year, brought Clark's dismissal in October 2014.[47][48][49] Burton Albion manager and former Birmingham City player Gary Rowett achieved two tenth-place finishes before – with the team just outside the play-off positions, and to widespread surprise – the club's new owners sacked him and his staff and within hours appointed former Italian international player Gianfranco Zola,[50] thus beginning a cycle of apparently ill-thought-out managerial changes.[51]

After four months and 24 matches, during which the team won just twice and dropped to 20th place, three points outside the relegation zone with three matches remaining, Zola resigned.[52] Harry Redknapp kept the team in the Championship, and signed a 12-month contract, but six consecutive losses in the first eight games of 2017–18 season brought about his dismissal.[53] His former assistant Steve Cotterill's six straight defeats came five months later.[54][55] Garry Monk kept the team out of the relegation places, repeated the feat in 2018–19 despite transfer restrictions and a nine-point deduction for failure to comply with the league's spending rules, and was popular with the fans, but he was sacked after disputes with the ownership over transfer strategy and style of play.[56] His assistant, Pep Clotet, spent five months as caretaker head coach before being appointed on a permanent basis.[f] Before football resumed after the COVID-19-related hiatus, the club announced that he would leave at the end of the season;[57] the team's form plummeted, Clotet left early, they narrowly avoided relegation, and the BBC's West Midlands correspondent opined that the next appointment was "a decision [the board] cannot afford to get wrong if they are to steer clear of further turmoil and confusion."[58] Aitor Karanka lasted six months of a 2020–21 season played behind closed doors before stepping down in favour of Lee Bowyer, who resigned as manager of Charlton Athletic to convert a Birmingham team "hopelessly out of form" into one that went six games unbeaten to secure safety with two matches remaining.[59][60][61] At the end of yet another relegation-threatened season, Bowyer was replaced by John Eustace,[62] who stabilised the team and avoided relegation against a background of two high-profile failed takeovers followed by a successful change of ownership.[63][64]

Two months into the 2023–24 season, with the team in the play-off places, in a move with echoes of Rowett's replacement by Zola, the American owners sacked Eustace, citing "the importance of implementing a winning mentality and a culture of ambition".[64] Former England international player and Derby County and D.C. United manager Wayne Rooney's 9 defeats in 15 games took Birmingham down to 20th place and set a new club record for shortest tenure, of 83 days.[65][66] Tony Mowbray was appointed in January 2024.[67]

Managers

All first-team matches in national or international competition are counted, except for those in The Combination of 1888–89, the abandoned 1939–40 Football League season and those in wartime leagues and cups. Statistics for the Football Alliance and for the FA Cup before Small Heath F.C.'s 1892 election to the Football League are sourced from Matthews (1995).[68] Dates and statistics thereafter are sourced from the English National Football Archive.[69] Discrepancies are noted and sourced within the table.

Win percentage is rounded to one decimal place.

Statistics are complete up to and including the match played on 9 February 2024.

Key

M: Matches played W: Matches won D: Matches drawn L: Matches lost

Table of Birmingham City F.C. managers, including tenure, record and honours
Name Nationality From To M W D L Win% Honours and achievements[70] Notes
Committee 17 October 1881[g] 1 June 1892 100 46 15 39 046.0
Alf Jones S English 1 July 1892 1 June 1908 566 260 108 198 045.9
Alex Watson S English 1 July 1908 20 June 1911 118 34 25 59 028.8 [b]
Bob McRoberts P Scottish 20 June 1911 30 May 1915 163 65 38 60 039.9 [b]
Frank Richards S English 30 May 1915 31 May 1923 173 78 36 59 045.1 Second Division championship 1920–21
Billy Beer P English 31 May 1923 1 March 1927 163 62 36 65 038.0
Bill Harvey P English 1 March 1927 31 May 1928 58 20 16 22 034.5
Leslie Knighton S English 1 July 1928 8 May 1933[h] 229 87 51 91 038.0 FA Cup runner-up 1930–31
George Liddell P English 1 July 1933 30 September 1939 267 82 76 109 030.7
Bill Camkin SW English October 1939[15] 16 August 1943[79] 0 0 0 0 !— [i]
Ted Goodier W English 16 August 1943[79] 28 October 1943[82] 0 0 0 0 !— [i]
Bill Camkin SW English 28 October 1943[82] 31 May 1945 0 0 0 0 !— [i]
Harry Storer English 1 June 1945 29 November 1948 118 60 30 28 050.8
Walter Taylor † 30 November 1948 31 January 1949 10 2 4 4 020.0 [j]
Bob Brocklebank English 31 January 1949 7 October 1954 255 101 67 87 039.6 [k]
Committee † 7 October 1954 16 November 1954 5 2 2 1 040.0 [k]
Arthur Turner P English 16 November 1954 4 February 1958 164 73 34 57 044.5
[k][l][c]
  • English
  • English
 4 February 1958 4 September 1958 18 6 5 7 033.3 [c]
Pat Beasley English 4 September 1958 23 May 1960 95 39 20 36 041.1 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup runner-up 1958–60 [c][l]
Gil Merrick P English 1 June 1960 28 April 1964[14] 202 64 46 92 031.7
Joe Mallett English 1 July 1964 27 December 1965 66 15 16 35 022.7
Stan Cullis English 27 December 1965 18 March 1970 214 87 51 76 040.7
  • English
  • English
 18 March 1970 29 May 1970 6 1 0 5 016.7
Freddie Goodwin English 29 May 1970 18 September 1975 270 99 84 87 036.7 Second Division promotion 1971–72
Willie Bell Scottish 18 September 1975 5 September 1977 91 28 20 43 030.8
Sir Alf Ramsey English 8 September 1977 6 March 1978 28 11 4 13 039.3
Jim Smith English 12 March 1978 15 February 1982 182 59 50 73 032.4 Second Division promotion 1979–80
Norman Bodell † English 15 February 1982 22 February 1982 2 1 0 1 050.0 [e]
Ron Saunders English 22 February 1982 16 January 1986 202 72 53 77 035.6 Second Division promotion 1984–85 [e]
Keith Leonard † English 16 January 1986 22 January 1986 1 0 0 1 000.0
John Bond English 23 January 1986 27 May 1987 65 17 20 28 026.2
Garry Pendrey P English 28 May 1987 26 April 1989 98 20 27 51 020.4
Dave Mackay Scottish 26 April 1989 23 January 1991 91 34 27 30 037.4
Bill Coldwell † English 23 January 1991 7 February 1991 3 2 1 0 066.7
Lou Macari Scottish 7 February 1991 18 June 1991 24 12 6 6 050.0 Associate Members' Cup 1990–91
Terry Cooper English 9 August 1991 29 November 1993 135 48 36 51 035.6 Third Division promotion 1991–92
  • English
  • English
 29 November 1993 10 December 1993 1 0 0 1 000.0
Barry Fry English 10 December 1993 7 May 1996 156 68 44 44 043.6
Trevor Francis P English 10 May 1996 15 October 2001 290 139 70 81 047.9 League Cup finalist 2000–01
  • English
  • English
 15 October 2001 12 December 2001 12 5 4 3 041.7
Steve Bruce P English 12 December 2001 23 November 2007 269 100 69 100 037.2
[m]
Eric Black † Scottish 23 November 2007 27 November 2007 1 0 0 1 000.0 [m]
Alex McLeish Scottish 28 November 2007 12 June 2011 168 62 51 55 036.9
Chris Hughton Irish 22 June 2011 7 June 2012 62 26 21 15 041.9
Lee Clark English 26 June 2012 20 October 2014 116 33 35 48 028.4
  •  
  • English
 20 October 2014 27 October 2014 2 0 0 2 000.0
Gary Rowett P English 27 October 2014 14 December 2016 106 42 32 32 039.6
Gianfranco Zola Italian 14 December 2016 17 April 2017 24 2 8 14 008.3
Harry Redknapp English 18 April 2017 16 September 2017[53] 13 4 1 8 030.8
Lee Carsley † Irish 16 September 2017[53] 1 October 2017 3 1 1 1 033.3 [n]
Steve Cotterill English 2 October 2017 3 March 2018[55] 27 7 5 15 025.9 [n]
Garry Monk English 5 March 2018 18 June 2019 59 19 20 20 032.2
Pep Clotet Spanish 20 June 2019 8 July 2020 47 13 15 19 027.7 [f]
  • English
  • English
 9 July 2020 30 July 2020 4 0 1 3 000.0
Aitor Karanka Spanish 31 July 2020 16 March 2021 38 8 11 19 021.1
Lee Bowyer P English 16 March 2021 2 July 2022 59 17 16 26 028.8
John Eustace English 3 July 2022 9 October 2023 63 21 16 26 033.3
Wayne Rooney English 11 October 2023 2 January 2024 15 2 4 9 013.3 [93]
Steve Spooner † English 2 January 2024 8 January 2024 1 0 1 0 000.0 [66][67]
Tony Mowbray English 8 January 2024 present 6 2 1 3 033.3 [67][94]

Notes

  1. ^ The count of full-time managers includes the early secretary-managers, but excludes those whose tenure covered only wartime competition.
  2. ^ a b c Matthews' books have McRoberts taking over as team manager from secretary-manager from Watson in 1910;[72][73] contemporary sources show that the change was made in 1911.[74][75]
  3. ^ a b c d On 4 February 1958, Beasley was appointed joint manager alongside Turner,[87] so the 8–0 defeat to Preston North End on 1 February was the responsibility of Turner alone. Turner resigned on 4 September with immediate effect,[88] leaving Beasley as acting manager and accountable for the last six September matches. He became permanent manager in January 1959,[29] and resigned on 23 May 1960.[89]
  4. ^ Ramsey's biographer has him "locked in an increasingly bitter three-way dispute with his star player, Trevor Francis, and the board". After initially accepting the player's transfer request, the board changed their minds, fearful they would "incur the wrath of already disgruntled fans". Ramsey duly handed in his notice.[25] The Times reported that "Sir Alf said he told the board two weeks ago that he intended to quit and sever his links with the club. ... He said at a board meeting on February 20 he recommended both Francis and the defender, Joe Gallagher, should be transfer listed. The board agreed but three days later changed their minds about Francis. Sir Alf said he then decided to opt out because of the board's policy."[26]
  5. ^ a b c Saunders was announced as Birmingham manager on Thursday 18 February 1982, having walked out on local rivals Aston Villa some two weeks earlier. As the Birmingham derby was scheduled for the Saturday, he took over formally as manager after the derby on Monday 22 February. "Mr Saunders said that the final formalities were in the hands of solicitors and accountants and, subject to completion of the details, he would be taking over on Monday, Norman Bodell, acting as manager since Jim Smith was suddenly dismissed on Monday, will be in charge of the side for the local derby."[90]
  6. ^ a b When Clotet was appointed caretaker head coach, the club stated it was "not actively seeking an alternative permanent Head Coach or Manager at this time". His position was made permanent on 4 December,[92] and he left by mutual agreement on 8 July 2020.[58]
  7. ^ Start date is that of the team's first appearance in national competition, the 4–1 win against Derby Town in the 1881–82 FA Cup.[71]
  8. ^ ENFA record Knighton's end date as 31 March 1933, and attribute the remaining ten matches (W3 D3 L4) to a committee. His resignation with the intention of taking over at Chelsea when David Calderhead retired at the end of the season was accepted on 30 March,[76] but on 4 May he was still signing players for Birmingham,[77] and he left on 8 May.[78]
  9. ^ a b c During the war, Camkin was honorary managing director of the club and dealt with team affairs while George Blackburn took training.[80] Matthews (1995)'s account that former Rochdale manager Goodier looked after team affairs on a caretaker basis from November 1944 until Storer's appointment at the end of the 1944–45 season[81] is contradicted by contemporary sources. Appointed part-time team manager of Birmingham as of 16 August 1943, with provision for a two-year appointment after the war,[79] Goodier was released on 28 October because of "unexpected domestic difficulties which necessitate[d] his return to Rochdale".[82]
  10. ^ The club's chief scout Walter Taylor was appointed assistant team manager shortly after Storer's resignation and acted as caretaker until Brocklebank's appointment.[83]
  11. ^ a b c Brocklebank resigned on 7 October 1954, and Turner took over officially on 16 November.[84] A committee of the directors, assisted by coach Ray Shaw, handled team affairs in the interim,[85] so the last three matches in October are reallocated from Brocklebank to the committee, and the first two matches in November are likewise reallocated from Turner.
  12. ^ a b Turner was the first man to manage an English club side in European competition, when Birmingham played their first group game in the 1955–58 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup on 15 May 1956, a goalless draw away at Internazionale. The competition lasted over three English seasons with the final not played until 1958. Beasley was the first man to manage an English club side to the final of a European competition. The home leg of the 1960 Fairs Cup Final against Barcelona, a goalless draw, was played on 29 March 1960; Barcelona won the away leg 4–1. (The London XI, a representative side made up of players from several London clubs, were the first English team to play in European competition and to reach a European final.)[86]
  13. ^ a b Wigan Athletic announced Bruce as their new manager on 19 November, but a financial dispute meant he did not officially leave Birmingham until 23 November, when Black was confirmed as caretaker.[39][91]
  14. ^ a b Cotterill's appointment was announced on 29 September 2017 but did not take effect until 2 October. The intervening match, a 6–1 defeat at Hull City, was taken by Carsley.[54]

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  2. ^ Matthews (2000), p. 127.
  3. ^ Matthews (2000), p. 190.
  4. ^ Matthews (1995), pp. 14–15.
  5. ^ Matthews (2000), pp. 27–28.
  6. ^ Matthews (2000), p. 107.
  7. ^ Matthews (2000), p. 130.
  8. ^ Matthews (2000), p. 138.
  9. ^ Matthews (2000), p. 212.
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  83. ^ "Managership of B'ham City". Birmingham Mail. 1 December 1948. p. 4.
  84. ^ "Welcome back, big Arthur...". Sports Argus. Birmingham. 13 November 1954. p. 4. Birmingham City's former centre half-back and captain was yesterday appointed manager of the club in succession to Mr. Bob Brocklebank, who resigned on October 7. Though Arthur does not take over officially until next Tuesday, he was at St. Andrew's this afternoon on the occasion of the match wth Blackburn Rovers 'just to get the atmosphere.'
  85. ^ "This will make them talk. Tough guy wanted". Daily Herald. London. 11 October 1954. p. 4. Meanwhile the directors with the help of the coach, Ray Shaw, will make all the necessary team decisions.
  86. ^ Ross, James M. (13 July 2006). "European Cups Archive". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation (RSSSF). Retrieved 27 July 2007.
  87. ^ "Pat Beasley is new joint manager of Blues". Evening Telegraph. Coventry. 4 February 1958. p. 12. He will have dual authority with Mr. Arthur Turner, who until today was sole manager of the club. ... The players and playing affairs will be in the hands of the two managers, with Mr. Adams [club secretary] looking after the business side.
  88. ^ "Mr. Turner's resignation leaves Mr. Beasley in sole charge of team". Birmingham Post. 5 September 1958. p. 28. The seven-month-old Birmingham City experiment of having two joint managers ended yesterday when Mr. Arthur Turner, who had been in sole charge from November, 1954, until last February, resigned.
  89. ^ Chapman, Cyril (24 May 1960). "Mr. Beasley leaves: new policy for St. Andrew's". Birmingham Post. p. 18. A statement from the chairman of the Board, Mr. Harry Morris, said that Mr. Beasley decided to resign "in view of the changed policy at St. Andrew's." ... In recent months Mr. Beasley has been advised by a small committee of directors and Mr. Adams.
  90. ^ Jones, Stuart (19 February 1982). "Villa's loss becomes Birmingham's gain". The Times. p. 20.
  91. ^ "Bruce confirmed as Wigan manager". BBC Sport. 23 November 2007. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  92. ^ "Blues football management team confirmed". Birmingham City F.C. 20 June 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
    "Pep Clotet: Birmingham City appoint caretaker as new head coach". BBC Sport. 4 December 2019. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  93. ^ "Managers: Wayne Rooney". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  94. ^ "Managers: Tony Mowbray". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 February 2024. Soccerbase erroneously gives Mowbray's start date as 7 January.

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Birmingham City Football Club
Birmingham City F.C. – managers
Lists of English football managers by club
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