1988–89 Birmingham City F.C. season

Birmingham City F.C.
1988–89 season
Chairman Ken Wheldon until April 1989
Samesh Kumar thereafter
Manager Garry Pendrey until April 1989
Dave Mackay thereafter
Ground St Andrew's
Football League Second Division 23rd (relegated)
FA Cup Third round
(eliminated by Wimbledon)
League Cup Second round
(eliminated by Aston Villa)
Full Members Cup First round
(eliminated by Aston Villa)
Top goalscorer League: Steve Whitton
Colin Robinson (5)
All: Steve Whitton (6)
Highest home attendance 21,177 vs Aston Villa, League Cup 2nd round, 27 September 1988
Lowest home attendance 4,026 vs Swindon Town, 18 April 1989
Average home league attendance 6,289

The 1988–89 Football League season was Birmingham City Football Club's 86th in the Football League and their 26th in the Second Division. They finished in 23rd position in the division, expanded for this season to 24 teams as part of a restructuring process, so were relegated to the Third Division for the first time in the club's history. They entered the 1988–89 FA Cup in the third round proper and lost to Wimbledon in that round, were eliminated at the second-round stage of the League Cup by local rivals Aston Villa 7–0 over two legs, and lost in the first round of the Full Members Cup, again to Aston Villa, this time by six goals to nil.

The top scorers in league matches were Steve Whitton and Colin Robinson with five goals apiece; Whitton scored six, if goals scored in all competitions are counted. The average attendance, of 6,289, was the lowest ever at St Andrew's.[1]

In April 1989, Ken Wheldon sold the club to the Kumar brothers, owners of a Manchester-based fashion and leisurewear company. Dave Mackay was brought in as general manager, previous manager Garry Pendrey refused to stay on as part of Mackay's staff, and Wheldon retained a seat on the board while Samesh Kumar became chairman.[2]

Football League Second Division

DateLeague
position
Opponents VenueResultScore
F–A
Scorers Attendance
27 August 1988 22ndWatfordA L0–1 12,656
3 September 1988 22ndLeicester CityH L2–3Walsh og, Robinson 7,932
10 September 1988 24thOldham AthleticA L0–4 5,810
17 September 1988 20thSunderlandH W3–2Childs, Atkins, Robinson 6,871
20 September 1988 22ndWalsallA L0–5 8,780
24 September 1988 23rdBlackburn RoversA L0–3 7,562
1 October 1988 24thBarnsleyH L3–5Atkins, Robinson, Langley 4,892
4 October 1988 24thPlymouth ArgyleH L0–1 4,435
8 October 1988 22ndAFC BournemouthA W1–0Frain 6,186
15 October 1988 22ndWest Bromwich AlbionH L1–4Bremner 10,453
22 October 1988 24thManchester CityA D0–0 20,205
25 October 1988 24thStoke CityH L0–1 6,262
29 October 1988 24thSwindon TownA L1–2Atkins pen 6,937
5 November 1988 24thPortsmouthH D0–0 5,866
12 November 1988 24thOxford UnitedA L0–3 5,600
19 November 1988 24thHull CityA D1–1Langley 5,134
22 November 1988 24thLeeds UnitedH D0–0 6,168
26 November 1988 24thIpswich TownH W1–0Whitton 5,932
3 December 1988 24thBradford CityA D2–2Whitton, Richards 9,503
10 December 1988 24thCrystal PalaceH L0–1 6,523
16 December 1988 24thChelseaH L1–4Whitton 7,897
26 December 1988 23rdShrewsbury TownA D0–0 7,347
31 December 1988 23rdBrighton & Hove AlbionA L0–4 9,324
2 January 1988 23rdOldham AthleticH D0–0 5,998
14 January 1989 23rdLeeds UnitedA L0–1 21,843
21 January 1989 23rdWatfordH L2–3Whitton 2 (1 pen) 6,396
4 February 1989 23rdPlymouth ArgyleA W1–0Robinson 7,721
11 February 1989 23rdAFC BournemouthH L0–1 6,444
18 February 1989 23rdManchester CityH L0–2 11,707
25 February 1989 23rdWest Bromwich AlbionA D0–0 16,148
28 February 1989 24thStoke CityA L0–1 7,904
4 March 1989 24thOxford UnitedH D0–0Whitton 4,954
11 March 1989 24thPortsmouthA L0–1 8,110
18 March 1989 23rdWalsallH W1–0Wigley 6,558
25 March 1989 24thLeicester CityA L0–2 9,464
27 March 1989 24thShrewsbury TownH L1–2Sturridge 4,964
1 April 1989 24thSunderlandA D2–2Frain, Yates 10,927
4 April 1989 24thChelseaA L1–3Richards 14,796
8 April 1989 24thBrighton & Hove AlbionH L1–2Sturridge 4,579
15 April 1989 24thBarnsleyA D0–0 6,464
18 April 1989 24thSwindon TownH L1–2Peer 4,026
22 April 1989 24thBlackburn RoversH W2–0Robinson, Yates 5,813
29 April 1989 24thIpswich TownA L0–4 9,998
1 May 1989 23rdBradford CityH W1–0Frain 4,735
6 May 1989 23rdHull CityH W1–0Yates 4,686
13 May 1989 23rdCrystal PalaceA L1–4Sturridge 17,581

League table (part)

Final Second Division table (part)
Pos Club Pld W D L F A GD Pts
20th Portsmouth461312215362951
21st Hull City4611142152681647
22nd Shrewsbury Town468182040672742
23rd Birmingham City468112731764535
24th Walsall465162541803931
Key Pos = League position; Pld = Matches played;
W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost;
F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
Source [3]

FA Cup

Main article: 1988–89 FA Cup
Round DateOpponentsVenue ResultScore
F–A
Scorers Attendance
Third round 7 January 1989WimbledonH L0–1 10,431

League Cup

Round DateOpponentsVenue ResultScore
F–A
Scorers Attendance
First round 1st leg 30 August 1988Wolverhampton WanderersA L2–3Thompson og, Bird 11,007
First round 2nd leg 6 September 1988Wolverhampton WanderersH W1–0Whitton 8,981
Second round 1st leg 27 September 1988Aston VillaH L0–2 21,177
Second round 2nd leg 12 October 1988Aston VillaA L0–5 19,753

Full Members Cup

Round DateOpponentsVenue ResultScore
F–A
Scorers Attendance
First round 9 November 1988Aston VillaA L0–6 8,324

Appearances and goals

Numbers in parentheses denote appearances as substitute.
Players with name struck through and marked Left club during playing season left the club during the playing season.
Players with names in italics and marked * were on loan from another club for the whole of their season with Birmingham.
Players having played at least one first-team match
Pos. Nat. Name League FA Cup League Cup Full Members Cup Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
GK ENG Tony ElliottLeft club during playing season 0000100010
GK ENG Tony Godden 70003000100
GK ENG Roger Hansbury 3010000040
GK WAL Martin Thomas 360000010370
DF ENG Kevin Ashley 150100000151
DF ENG Adrian Bird 11 (1)000211014 (1)1
DF ENG Ian Clarkson 9 (1)000200011 (1)0
DF ENG Matthew Fox 3000000030
DF ENG Vince Overson 410103000450
DF ENG Ray RansonLeft club during playing season 170004000210
DF ENG Brian Roberts 410103010460
DF ENG John TrewickLeft club during playing season 10 (1)010100012 (1)0
MF ENG Ian Atkins 433004010483
MF SCO Des Bremner 28 (1)1101 (2)01031 (3)1
MF ENG Micky Burton 0 (4)00000000 (4)0
MF ENG Gary Childs 16 (7)1000 (1)01017 (8)1
MF ENG John Frain 283003010323
MF ENG Robert Hopkins 9000000090
MF ENG Kevin Langley 34 (2)210301039 (2)2
MF ENG Ronnie Morris 3 (7)0002 (1)00 (1)05 (9)0
MF ENG Dean Peer 15 (2)100200017 (2)1
MF ENG Paul Tait 6 (4)01000007 (4)0
MF ENG Steve WigleyLeft club during playing season 331104010391
MF ENG Mark Yates 16 (3)30 (1)0101018 (4)3
FW ENG Carl Richards 18 (1)200000018 (1)2
FW ENG Colin Robinson 31 (2)510400036 (2)5
FW ENG Guy RussellLeft club during playing season 00000 (1)0000 (1)0
FW ENG Simon Sturridge 13 (8)3000 (1)01014 (9)3
FW ENG Steve WhittonLeft club during playing season 235102 (1)10026 (1)6

See also

References

General

Specific

  1. Matthews (2010), Complete Record, p. 412.
  2. Matthews (1995), Complete Record, pp. 44–46.
  3. "English Division Two (old) 1988–1989 : Table". Statto Organisation. Retrieved 30 January 2012.