1985–86 Birmingham City F.C. season

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Birmingham City F.C.
1985–86 season
Chairman
  • Keith Coombs
  • (until December 1985)
  • Ken Wheldon
Manager
Ground St Andrew's
Football League First Division 21st (relegated)
FA Cup Third round
(eliminated by Altrincham)
League Cup Third round
(eliminated by Southampton)
Top goalscorerLeague: Andy Kennedy (7)
All: Andy Kennedy (9)
Highest home attendance24,971 vs Aston Villa, 7 September 1985
Lowest home attendance3,686 vs Bristol Rovers, League Cup 2nd round, 7 October 1985
Average home league attendance10,899
←  1984–85
1986–87  →

The 1985–86 Football League season was Birmingham City Football Club's 83rd in the Football League and their 50th in the First Division, to which they were promoted in 1984–85. They finished in 21st position in the 22-team division, so were relegated back to the Second Division after only one season. They entered the 1985–86 FA Cup in the third round proper and lost in that round, at home to non-league club Altrincham, a result that precipitated the resignation of Ron Saunders as manager. [1] They were eliminated from the League Cup by Southampton in a third-round replay. John Bond succeeded Saunders as manager.

Contents

The top scorer was Andy Kennedy with just nine goals, of which seven were scored in league competition.

With the team already in the relegation positions, chairman Keith Coombs resigned in December 1985, selling his 70% shareholding to the former chairman of Walsall F.C., Ken Wheldon, who took over as chairman. The club's serious financial situation, not helped by low attendances, led to the departure of several senior administrative staff. [2] [3]

Football League First Division

DateLeague
position		OpponentsVenueResultScore
F–A		ScorersAttendance
17 August 19855th West Ham United HW1–0 Hopkins 11,164
20 August 198511th Watford AL0–314,278
24 August 198517th Chelsea AL0–216,534
26 August 19859th Oxford United HW3–1 Kennedy, Briggs og, Hopkins10,568
31 August 198512th Everton AL1–4Kennedy28,066
3 September 198510th Manchester City HW1–0 Geddis 11,706
7 September 198511th Aston Villa HD0–024,971
14 September 198510th Ipswich Town AW1–0Geddis11,616
21 September 19858th Leicester City HW2–1Geddis 29,834
28 September 198510th Queens Park Rangers AL1–3 Armstrong 10,911
5 October 198512th Sheffield Wednesday HL0–211,708
19 October 198514th West Bromwich Albion AL1–2Kennedy14,576
26 October 198515th Coventry City HL0–19,267
2 November 198517th Luton Town AL0–28,550
9 November 198517th Newcastle United HL0–18,162
16 November 198517th Southampton AL0–113,167
23 November 198520th Liverpool HL0–215,062
30 November 198520th Arsenal AD0–016,673
7 December 198520th Watford HL1–2 Wright pen 7,043
14 December 198520th West Ham United AL0–217,481
21 December 198520th Chelsea HL1–2 Platnauer 10,594
26 December 198521st Nottingham Forest HL0–110,378
28 December 198521st Manchester City AD1–1Geddis24,055
1 January 198621st Manchester United AL0–143,095
11 January 198621st Ipswich Town HL0–16,856
18 January 198621st Everton HL0–210,502
1 February 198621st Oxford United AW1–0 Clarke 9,086
8 February 198621st West Bromwich Albion HL0–111,514
16 February 198621st Coventry City AD4–4Kennedy 2, Whitton, Kuhl 14,271
1 March 198621st Queens Park Rangers HW2–0Clarke pen, Hopkins7,093
8 March 198621st Sheffield Wednesday AL1–5Geddis17,491
12 March 198621st Leicester City AL2–4Clarke, Kennedy8,458
15 March 198621st Tottenham Hotspur HL1–2Kennedy9,394
22 March 198621st Aston Villa AW3–0Clarke 2, Whitton26,294
29 March 198621st Manchester United HD1–1 Handysides 22,551
31 March 198621st Nottingham Forest AL0–313,134
6 April 198621st Luton Town HL0–28,836
12 April 198621st Newcastle United AL1–4Hopkins19,981
16 April 198621st Tottenham Hotspur AL0–29,359
19 April 198621st Southampton HL0–25,833
26 April 198621st Liverpool AL0–542,021
3 May 198621st Arsenal HL0–16,234

League table (part)

Final First Division table (part) [4]
PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
18th Oxford United 421012206280−1842
19th Leicester City 421012205476−2242
20th Ipswich Town 42118233255−2341
21st Birmingham City 4285293073−4329
22nd West Bromwich Albion 42412263589−5424

Results summary

OverallHomeAway
PldWDLGFGAGDPtsWDLGFGAGDWDLGFGAGD
4285293073 −432952141325 −1233151748 −31

Source: [5]

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScore
F–A		ScorersAttendance
Third round14 January 1986 Altrincham HL1–2 Hopkins 6,636

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScore
F–A		ScorersAttendance
Second round 1st leg24 September 1985 Bristol Rovers AW3–2 Wright 2 (2 pens), Geddis 4,332
Second round 2nd leg8 October 1985Bristol RoversHW2–1 Kennedy, Tanner og 3,686
Third round29 October 1985 Southampton HD1–1Kennedy4,832
Third round replay6 November 1985SouthamptonAL0–39,085

Appearances and goals

Numbers in parentheses denote appearances made as a substitute.
Players with name in italics and marked * were on loan from another club for the whole of their season with Birmingham.
Players marked † left the club during the playing season.
Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; DF – Defender; MF – Midfielder; FW – Forward
Players' appearances and goals by competition
Pos.Nat.Name League FA Cup League Cup Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
GKFlag of England.svg  ENG David Seaman 4201040470
DFFlag of England.svg  ENG Ken Armstrong 2211030261
DFFlag of England.svg  ENG Julian Dicks 18 (5)0101 (1)020 (6)0
DFFlag of England.svg  ENG Billy Garton *50000050
DFUlster Banner.svg  NIR Jim Hagan 310103 (1)035 (1)0
DFFlag of England.svg  ENG Mark Jones 1900030220
DFFlag of England.svg  ENG Ray Ranson 3701030410
DFFlag of England.svg  ENG Brian Roberts 31 (2)0104036 (2)0
DFFlag of England.svg  ENG Mark Smalley *70000070
DFFlag of England.svg  ENG Billy Wright 2910 (1)03 (1)232 (2)3
MFFlag of Scotland.svg  SCO Des Bremner 3201030360
MFFlag of Ireland.svg  IRL Gerry Daly †20000020
MFFlag of England.svg  ENG John Frain 1 (2)000001 (2)0
MFFlag of England.svg  ENG Ian Handysides 61000061
MFFlag of England.svg  ENG Robert Hopkins 3841140435
MFFlag of England.svg  ENG Lee Jenkins †10000010
MFFlag of England.svg  ENG Martin Kuhl 33 (4)1103037 (4)1
MFFlag of England.svg  ENG Nick Platnauer 12 (5)1103016 (5)1
MFFlag of England.svg  ENG Billy Ronson *20000020
MFFlag of England.svg  ENG Stuart Storer 20000020
FWFlag of England.svg  ENG Wayne Clarke 2850000285
FWFlag of England.svg  ENG David Geddis 25 (1)6003028 (1)6
FWFlag of Scotland.svg  SCO Andy Kennedy 27 (5)7104232 (5)9
FWFlag of Wales (1959-present).svg  WAL Tony Rees 4 (4)000004 (4)0
FWFlag of England.svg  ENG Guy Russell 0 (1)000000 (1)0
FWFlag of England.svg  ENG Steve Whitton 82000082

See also

Sources

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References

  1. ↑ Jones, Stuart (17 January 1986). "Bitter end for Saunders as he resigns from embattled Birmingham". The Times. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  2. ↑ "Eire move for Clough". The Times. 17 December 1985. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  3. ↑ Matthews (1995), Complete Record, p. 44.
  4. ↑ "English Division One (old) 1985–1986 : Table". Statto Organisation. Archived from the original on 5 February 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  5. ↑ "Birmingham City league performance history". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 30 May 2024. Select content required via dropdown menus.
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