Birmingham City F.C.

Birmingham City (BCFC) is one of Birmingham's two professional soccer teams (the other is Aston Villa F.C.). Originally known as The Small Heath Alliance, they became Birmingham F.C. in 1905 and Birmingham City F.C. in 1945.

After a number of years in the second flight league, Birmingham gained promotion to the FA Premier league for the 2002/3 season, under the guidance of Manager Steve Bruce in an playoff final win over Norwich City, Darren Carter became a hero for a few months after scoring the winning penalty.

In the 2003/2004 season Birmingham City got off to a strong start staying in the top 4 for the first month and after 6 weeks had statistically the best defence in the division. Good form lasted until the last 14 or so games, when the Blues stumbled and ended the season on a run of 7 games without a win.

In the close season between the end of the 03/04 season and the beginning of the 04/05 season they signed Muzzy Izzet, Jesper Grønkjær, Mario Melchiot, Emile Heskey, Darren Anderton, Julian Gray, and finally signed Dwight Yorke on the final day of the summer transfer window. Mikael Forssell also agreed to rejoin Birmingham on a year-long loan deal from Chelsea.

Unfortunately, key striker Forsell broke his leg in the early part of the season, and this left the Blues struggling for in form strikers. Walter Pandiani was brought in during the January transfer window in the hope of keeping the Blues away from relegation after quite a disappointing season. Although highlights of the season were Birmingham twice claiming victory over local rivals Aston Villa.

Current first-team squad

As of April 2005.

Honours

• FA Cup
  • Finalists 1956, 1931
• League Cup
  • Winners 1963
  • Finalists 2001
• Division Two
  • Champions 1995, 1955, 1948, 1921, 1893

Performance in the top division

Birmingham City have spent 53 seasons in the national top flight, finishing in these positions:

6th: 1 7th: 2 8th: 1 9th: 3 10th: 2 11th: 5 12th: 4 13th: 5 14th: 2 15th: 2 16th: 1 17th: 7 18th: 2 19th: 6 20th: 5 21st: 3 22nd: 2 times

The Blues' «favourite» position in the table is No. 17 (7 seasons). Over the years, they have found themselves in every position in the top flight, except for the first five.

Birmingham City in the last 20 years

Birmingham City F.C suffered relegation from the top division at the end of the 1985–86 season. Their two following seasons in the Second Division were unsuccessful and they were finally relegated to the Third Division, for the first time ever, at the end of the 1988–89 season. They won promotion as Third Division runners-up three years later, at the end of the 1991–92 season, so they would find themselves members of the new Division One for the 1992–93 season. But they were relegated from Division One at the end of the 1993–94 season (on goal difference from neighbours West Bromwich Albion) despite a managerial change halfway through the season which had been Terry Cooper make way for Barry Fry.

Fry guided Birmingham to the Division Two championship and victory in the Autoglass Windscreens Trophy in 1994–95, but was sacked one year later after a promising 1995–96 campaign had faded away to a 15th place finish in Division One. His successor Trevor Francis remained in charge at Birmingham until October 2001, during which time Birmingham qualified for the playoffs twice and were on the losing side to Liverpool in the League Cup final. Francis's successor, Steve Bruce, helped Birmingham qualify for the 2001–02 Division One promotion playoffs and they won promotion to the Premiership after two decades outside the top division.

Birmingham finished 13th in 2002–03, 10th in 2003–04, and 12th in 2004–05, with Steve Bruce firmly establishing Birmingham as a Premiership club and himself as a top Premiership manager.

Famous past & present players

• Christophe Dugarry
• Jesper Grønkjær
• Emile Heskey
• Jimmy Montgomery
• Dwight Yorke
• Trevor Francis
• Darren Anderton
• Bob Latchford
• Steve Bruce
• David Seaman

External links

• - Official Club site
• - 4thegame.com's Birmingham City page
• - Independent Birmingham City portal