England's second city club has had a strong Northern Ireland connection, particularly in recent years…Founded: 1875
Previous Names: Small Heath Alliance (1875-1888); Small Heath (1888-1895); Birmingham (1905-1945).
Grounds: 1875, waste ground near Arthur Street; 1877, Muntz Street, Small Heath; 1906, St. Andrews.
League History:
Founder members of Football Alliance 1889/90-1891/92; Founder members of Football League Division Two (II) 1892/93-1893/94; Division One (I) 1894/95-1895/96; Division Two (II) 1896/97-1900/01; Division One (I) 1901/02; Division Two (II) 1902/03; Division One (I) 1903/04-1907/08; Division Two (II) 1908/09-1920/21; Division One (I) 1921/22-1938/39; Division Two (II) 1939/40-1947/48; Division One (I) 1948/49-1949/50; Division Two (II) 1950/51-1954/55; Division One (I) 1955/56-1964/65; Division Two (II) 1965/66-1971/72; Division One (I) 1972/73-1978/79; Division Two (II) 1979/80; Division One (I) 1980/81-1983/84; Division Two (II) 1984/85; Division One (I) 1985/86; Division Two (II) 1986/87-1988/89; Division Three (III) 1989/90-1991/92; Division One (II) 1992/93-1993/94; Division Two (III) 1994/95; Division One (II) 1995/96-2001/02; FA Premier League (I) 2002/03-2005/06; Championship (II) 2006/07; FA Premier League (I) 2007/08; Championship (II) 2008/09; Premier League (I) 2009/10-date.
Club Honours:
FA Premier League Best Season: 10th (2003/04).
Football League Best Season: 6th Division One (I) (1955/56).
Football League Championship (I) Runners-Up (2) 2006/07, 2008/09.
Football League Division One (II) Play-Off Winners (1) 2001/02.
Football League Division Two (II) Champions (4) 1892/93 (not promoted after test-match series), 1920/21, 1947/48, 1954/55; Runners-Up (5) 1893/94 (promoted after Test-Match series), 1900/01, 1902/03, 1971/72, 1984/85.
Football League Division Two (III) Champions (1) 1994/95.
Football League Division Three (III) Runners-Up (1) 1991/92.
FA Cup Runners-Up (2) 1930/31, 1955/56.
Football League Cup Winners (2) 1962/63, 2010/11; Runners-Up 2000/01.
Football League Associate Members’ Cup/Football League Trophy Winners (2) 1990/91, 1994/95.
European Competitions:
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup Runners-Up (2) 1958/60, 1960/61; entrants (4) 1955/58, 1961/62.
Players capped by the Irish FA while with Birmingham:
.................BCFC......League.........Caps
Player......... Career ..App(sb)/Gls .at Club Total
Brennan. R.A. 1949..... .. 39( 0)/ 7 ..... 3 . ( 5)
Brown... John 1938..... .. 34( 0)/ 6 ..... 3 . (10)
Ferris.. R.O. 1948-1952 .. 93( 0)/ 3 ..... 3 . ( 3)
Johnson. D.M. 2001-2009 . 179(13)/ 4 .... 40 . (56)
McCarthy J.D. 1997-2001 . 107(17)/ 8 .... 14 . (18)
Taylor.. M.S. 2003-date . .......... .... 58 . (87)*#
......................................... 84
* Still active with club and country
# Cap total includes those won while on loan from Fulham as deal became permanent during season.
Other Players to have been capped by the IFA and played for Birmingham:
Madden.. O... 1937-1938 .. 12( 0)/ 1 ..... 0 .. (1)
Quinn... S.J. 1992..... ... 1( 3)/ 0 ..... 0 . (50)
Sonner.. D... 2000-2001 .. 47( 9)/ 3 ..... 0 . (13)
Other Links:
Peter Doherty played as a War-Time guest at St. Andrews
Michael Hughes was on loan at Birmingham from Wimbledon in the spring of 2002. A contractual dispute between the two clubs forced him to miss a year of his career.
Both Jimmy McLaughlin (12 Caps, 1961-1962) and current international Tony Capaldi came through the ranks at Birmingham without making a first-team appearance.
Former Youth international Jim Hagan was with Birmingham in the 1980s, though he was famously never awarded a Full cap.
Roy McDonald, brother of Alan, had a trial at Birmingham as a teenager.
More recently David Howland was been capped at Youth level while at St. Andrews.
Under-21 international Robin Shroot currently plays with Birmingham.
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