Birmingham City F.C. league record by opponent

Small Heath F.C. pictured in 1893 with the Football League Second Division trophy

Birmingham City Football Club, an English association football club based in the city of Birmingham, was founded in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance. For their first thirteen years, there was no league football, so matches were arranged on an occasional basis, supplemented by cup competitions organised at both local and national level. In 1888, Small Heath joined the Combination, a league set up to provide organised football for those clubs not invited to join the Football League which was to start the same year. However, the Combination was not well organised, and folded in April 1889 with many fixtures still outstanding. ^[1] Small Heath were founder members of the Football Alliance in 1889, and three years later were elected to the newly formed Second Division of the Football League. They topped the table in their first season, though failed to win promotion via the test match system then in operation, but reached the top flight for the first time in 1894. ^[2] Since that time, they have not fallen below the third tier of the English football league system, and were promoted to the Premier League for the first time for the 2002–03 season.

Birmingham's first team have competed in a number of nationally contested leagues, and their record against each club faced in those competitions is summarised below. The opening match of the 1889–90 Football Alliance season pitted them against near neighbours Birmingham St George's, ^[3] their first Football League match was against Burslem Port Vale, ^[4] and they met their 110th and most recent different league opponent, Crawley Town, for the first time in the 2024–25 EFL League One season. The team that Birmingham have played most in league competition is Manchester City, whom they first met as Ardwick in the 1891–92 Football Alliance season. Wolverhampton Wanderers have beaten Birmingham 62 times in the league, more than any other team: they overtook Manchester City's total of 60 victories in the 2017–18 EFL Championship season. Derby County have drawn 36 league encounters with Birmingham, one more than Everton and West Bromwich Albion. Birmingham have recorded more league victories against Leicester City than against any other club, having beaten them 50 times out of 126 attempts.

All statistics are correct up to and including the match played against Crawley Town on 23 December 2024.

Key

• The table includes results of matches played by Birmingham City's first team (under that name and under its former names, Birmingham and Small Heath) in the Football Alliance, the Football League and the Premier League. Matches from uncompleted competitions –the abandoned 1939–40 Football League season and the unfinished 1888–89 season in the Combination  –are excluded, as are test matches, Football League play-offs, and matches in the various wartime competitions.
• The name used for each opponent is the name they had when Birmingham City most recently played a league match against them. Results against each opponent include results against that club under any former name. For example, results against Leyton Orient include matches played against Orient (1966–1987) and Clapton Orient (before 1945).
• The columns headed "First" and "Last" contain the first and most recent seasons in which Birmingham City played league matches against each opponent.
• P = matches played; W = matches won; D = matches drawn; L = matches lost; Win% = percentage of total matches won
•    Clubs with this coloured background and marked † in the "Opponent" column are Birmingham City's divisional rivals in the current 2024–25 EFL League One season.
•    Clubs with this coloured background and marked ‡ in the "Opponent" column are defunct.

All-time league record

Birmingham City F.C. league record by opponent

Opponent	P	W	D	L	P	W	D	L	P	W	D	L	Win%	First	Last	Notes
	Home				Away				Total
AFC Bournemouth	9	0	3	6	9	3	0	6	18	3	3	12	016.67	1987–88	2021–22
Arsenal	62	30	15	17	62	4	18	40	124	34	33	57	027.42	1893–94	2010–11	[A]
Aston Villa	58	22	16	20	58	14	15	29	116	36	31	49	031.03	1894–95	2018–19
Barnsley †	40	21	9	10	41	18	10	13	81	39	19	23	048.15	1898–99	2024–25
Birmingham St George's ‡	3	1	1	1	3	0	0	3	6	1	1	4	016.67	1889–90	1891–92
Blackburn Rovers	64	37	17	10	64	8	16	40	128	45	33	50	035.16	1894–95	2023–24
Blackpool †	45	24	10	11	45	9	11	25	90	33	21	36	036.67	1896–97	2022–23
Bolton Wanderers †	65	34	15	16	64	10	19	35	129	44	34	51	034.11	1894–95	2024–25
Bootle ‡	4	3	1	0	4	2	1	1	8	5	2	1	062.50	1889–90	1892–93
Bradford City	11	7	4	0	11	4	4	3	22	11	8	3	050.00	1921–22	2001–02
Bradford Park Avenue	8	4	1	3	8	2	4	2	16	6	5	5	037.50	1908–09	1947–48
Brentford	21	10	5	6	21	11	5	5	42	21	10	11	050.00	1935–36	2020–21
Brighton & Hove Albion	13	4	5	4	13	2	3	8	26	6	8	12	023.08	1980–81	2016–17
Bristol City	35	18	11	6	35	16	6	13	70	34	17	19	048.57	1902–03	2023–24
Bristol Rovers †	7	4	3	0	6	0	5	1	13	4	8	1	030.77	1953–54	2024–25
Burnley	47	23	10	14	47	8	12	27	94	31	22	41	032.98	1894–95	2022–23
Burton Albion †	2	0	1	1	2	0	0	2	4	0	1	3	000.00	2016–17	2017–18
Burton Swifts ‡	8	7	0	1	8	6	1	1	16	13	1	2	081.25	1891–92	1900–01
Burton United ‡	1	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	2	2	0	0	100.00	1902–03	1902–03
Burton Wanderers ‡	1	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	2	2	0	0	100.00	1896–97	1896–97
Bury	32	16	5	11	32	10	4	18	64	26	9	29	040.63	1895–96	1998–99
Cambridge United †	4	1	1	2	4	2	0	2	8	3	1	4	037.50	1979–80	1994–95
Cardiff City	40	18	14	8	40	11	5	24	80	29	19	32	036.25	1920–21	2023–24
Carlisle United	9	6	1	2	9	2	2	5	18	8	3	7	044.44	1965–66	1984–85
Charlton Athletic †	32	15	10	7	33	5	11	17	65	20	21	24	030.77	1936–37	2024–25
Chelsea	41	14	12	15	41	6	12	23	82	20	24	38	024.39	1907–08	2010–11
Chester City ‡	4	3	1	0	4	3	0	1	8	6	1	1	075.00	1989–90	1994–95
Chesterfield	7	4	3	0	7	2	4	1	14	6	7	1	042.86	1899–1900	1950–51	[B]
Colchester United	1	1	0	0	1	0	1	0	2	1	1	0	050.00	2006–07	2006–07
Coventry City	28	13	9	6	28	8	9	11	56	21	18	17	037.50	1919–20	2023–24
Crawley Town †	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	100.00	2024–25	2024–25
Crewe Alexandra	13	10	0	3	13	7	3	3	26	17	3	6	065.38	1889–90	2001–02
Crystal Palace	22	14	3	5	22	6	5	11	44	20	8	16	045.45	1965–66	2012–13
Darlington	1	1	0	0	1	0	1	0	2	1	1	0	050.00	1991–92	1991–92
Darwen ‡	6	5	0	1	6	0	2	4	12	5	2	5	041.67	1889–90	1898–99
Derby County	58	26	15	17	58	10	21	27	116	36	36	44	031.03	1894–95	2021–22
Doncaster Rovers	10	6	2	2	10	6	1	3	20	12	3	5	060.00	1902–03	2013–14
Everton	59	18	18	23	59	6	17	36	118	24	35	59	020.34	1894–95	2010–11
Exeter City †	2	1	1	0	3	2	0	1	5	3	1	1	060.00	1990–91	2024–25
Fulham	43	18	13	12	43	13	13	17	86	31	26	29	036.05	1908–09	2021–22
Gainsborough Trinity	10	6	4	0	10	4	3	3	20	10	7	3	050.00	1896–97	1911–12
Gillingham	2	2	0	0	2	1	1	0	4	3	1	0	075.00	2000–01	2001–02
Glossop	10	5	3	2	10	3	1	6	20	8	4	8	040.00	1898–99	1914–15
Grimsby Town	38	20	9	9	38	8	9	21	76	28	18	30	036.84	1889–90	2001–02
Hartlepool United	1	1	0	0	1	0	0	1	2	1	0	1	050.00	1991–92	1991–92
Huddersfield Town †	57	29	9	19	56	11	25	20	113	40	34	39	035.40	1910–11	2024–25
Hull City	36	16	14	6	36	10	7	19	72	26	21	25	036.11	1908–09	2023–24
Ipswich Town	38	16	14	8	38	8	5	25	76	24	19	33	031.58	1954–55	2023–24
Leeds City ‡	7	4	1	2	7	0	2	5	14	4	3	7	028.57	1908–09	1914–15
Leeds United	51	29	12	10	51	11	13	27	102	40	25	37	039.22	1920–21	2023–24
Leicester City	63	32	11	20	63	18	12	33	126	50	23	53	039.68	1896–97	2023–24	[C]
Leyton Orient †	18	10	6	2	19	8	7	4	37	18	13	6	048.65	1908–09	2024–25	[D]
Lincoln City †	18	14	2	2	19	10	7	2	37	24	9	4	064.86	1891–92	2024–25
Liverpool	50	21	14	15	50	7	11	32	100	28	25	47	028.00	1893–94	2010–11
Long Eaton Rangers ‡	1	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	2	2	0	0	100.00	1889–90	1889–90
Loughborough ‡	4	4	0	0	4	2	1	1	8	6	1	1	075.00	1896–97	1899–1900
Luton Town	30	16	8	6	30	13	10	7	60	29	18	13	048.33	1897–98	2022–23
Manchester City	67	40	12	15	67	9	13	45	134	49	25	60	036.57	1891–92	2010–11	[E]
Manchester United	50	17	20	13	50	9	9	32	100	26	29	45	026.00	1889–90	2010–11	[F]
Mansfield Town †	2	1	1	0	3	1	1	1	5	2	2	1	040.00	1989–90	2024–25
Middlesbrough	58	28	16	14	58	13	17	28	116	41	33	42	035.34	1899–1900	2023–24
Middlesbrough Ironopolis ‡	1	1	0	0	1	0	1	0	2	1	1	0	050.00	1893–94	1893–94
Millwall	25	11	9	5	25	8	6	11	50	19	15	16	038.00	1946–47	2023–24
Milton Keynes Dons	1	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	2	2	0	0	100.00	2015–16	2015–16	[G]
New Brighton Tower ‡	3	3	0	0	3	0	2	1	6	3	2	1	050.00	1898–99	1900–01
Newcastle United	48	21	12	15	48	8	14	26	96	29	26	41	030.21	1893–94	2016–17
Newport County	1	0	1	0	1	1	0	0	2	1	1	0	050.00	1946–47	1946–47
Northampton Town †	3	2	1	0	2	0	1	1	5	2	2	1	040.00	1966–67	2024–25
Northwich Victoria	2	2	0	0	2	2	0	0	4	4	0	0	100.00	1892–93	1893–94
Norwich City	33	16	8	9	33	4	11	18	66	20	19	27	030.30	1965–66	2023–24
Nottingham Forest	57	24	13	20	57	15	19	23	114	39	32	43	034.21	1889–90	2021–22
Notts County	26	15	6	5	26	5	8	13	52	20	14	18	038.46	1893–94	1993–94
Oldham Athletic	12	4	4	4	12	4	3	5	24	8	7	9	033.33	1908–09	1996–97
Oxford United	13	4	6	3	13	6	3	4	26	10	9	7	038.46	1968–69	1998–99
Peterborough United †	8	4	4	0	7	2	2	3	15	6	6	3	040.00	1991–92	2024–25
Plymouth Argyle	15	9	4	2	15	7	5	3	30	16	9	5	053.33	1946–47	2023–24
Portsmouth	43	26	9	8	43	12	14	17	86	38	23	25	044.19	1927–28	2011–12
Port Vale	14	11	1	2	14	6	2	6	28	17	3	8	060.71	1892–93	1999–2000	[H]
Preston North End	49	26	11	12	49	7	14	28	98	33	25	40	033.67	1894–95	2023–24
Queens Park Rangers	32	19	7	6	32	7	11	14	64	26	18	20	040.63	1950–51	2023–24
Reading †	22	9	5	8	21	8	8	5	43	17	13	13	039.53	1986–87	2024–25
Rotherham Town ‡	1	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	2	2	0	0	100.00	1893–94	1893–94
Rotherham County ‡	2	1	1	0	2	1	1	0	4	2	2	0	050.00	1919–20	1920–21
Rotherham United †	18	12	3	3	19	7	8	4	37	19	11	7	051.35	1951–52	2024–25
Sheffield United	53	29	10	14	53	12	11	30	106	41	21	44	038.68	1892–93	2022–23
Sheffield Wednesday	52	26	18	8	52	12	11	29	104	38	29	37	036.54	1889–90	2023–24
Shrewsbury Town †	9	3	2	4	10	1	3	6	19	4	5	10	021.05	1979–80	2024–25
Southampton	21	9	7	5	21	5	3	13	42	14	10	18	033.33	1946–47	2023–24
Southend United	6	4	1	1	6	1	1	4	12	5	2	5	041.67	1990–91	2006–07
South Shields	2	1	1	0	2	0	0	2	4	1	1	2	025.00	1919–20	1920–21
Stevenage †	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	!—
Stockport County †	19	15	2	2	18	5	3	10	37	20	5	12	054.05	1900–01	2024–25
Stoke City	50	26	12	12	50	10	11	29	100	36	23	41	036.00	1890–91	2023–24	[I]
Sunderland	56	27	13	16	56	11	9	36	112	38	22	52	033.93	1894–95	2023–24
Sunderland Albion ‡	2	0	0	2	2	0	0	2	4	0	0	4	000.00	1889–90	1890–91
Swansea City	20	10	7	3	20	8	7	5	40	18	14	8	045.00	1946–47	2023–24	[J]
Swindon Town	10	5	3	2	10	4	3	3	20	9	6	5	045.00	1969–70	1999–2000
Torquay United	1	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	2	2	0	0	100.00	1991–92	1991–92
Tottenham Hotspur	41	18	10	13	41	8	6	27	82	26	16	40	031.71	1908–09	2010–11
Tranmere Rovers	10	5	4	1	10	3	1	6	20	8	5	7	040.00	1989–90	2000–01
Walsall	14	11	1	2	14	7	2	5	28	18	3	7	064.29	1889–90	2001–02	[K]
Watford	22	11	4	7	22	3	4	15	43	14	8	21	032.56	1969–70	2023–24
West Bromwich Albion	63	23	16	24	63	15	19	29	126	38	35	53	030.16	1894–95	2023–24
West Ham United	43	23	10	10	43	15	11	17	86	38	21	27	044.19	1919–20	2011–12
Wigan Athletic †	14	5	5	4	13	2	5	6	27	7	10	10	025.93	1989–90	2024–25
Wimbledon ‡	3	1	0	2	3	1	0	2	6	2	0	4	033.33	1984–85	2001–02	[G]
Wolverhampton Wanderers	65	23	20	22	65	15	10	40	130	38	30	62	029.23	1894–95	2017–18
Wrexham †	3	3	0	0	2	0	1	1	5	3	1	1	060.00	1979–80	2024–25
Wycombe Wanderers †	2	0	0	2	3	2	1	0	5	2	1	2	040.00	1994–95	2024–25
Yeovil Town	1	0	0	1	1	1	0	0	2	1	0	1	050.00	2013–14	2013–14
York City	1	1	0	0	1	0	0	1	2	1	0	1	050.00	1994–95	1994–95

Notes

1. Arsenal statistics include matches played against Woolwich Arsenal.
2. Chesterfield statistics include matches played against Chesterfield Town.
3. Leicester City statistics include matches played against Leicester Fosse.
4. Leyton Orient statistics include matches played against Clapton Orient and Orient.
5. Manchester City statistics include matches played against Ardwick.
6. Manchester United statistics include matches played against Newton Heath.
7. Wimbledon F.C. relocated to Milton Keynes in 2003, and was rebranded as Milton Keynes Dons F.C. a year later. That club renounced all claims to Wimbledon's history in 2007, since when it has regarded itself as a new club founded in 2004. ^[5]
8. Port Vale statistics include matches played against Burslem Port Vale.
9. Stoke City statistics include matches played against Stoke.
10. Swansea City statistics include matches played against Swansea Town.
11. Walsall statistics include matches played against Walsall Town Swifts.

Sources

• Matthews, Tony (2010). Birmingham City: The Complete Record. Derby: DB Publishing. pp. 224–229, 460–465. ISBN   978-1-85983-853-2.
• "Birmingham Head to Head". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
• "Birmingham Results 2024/25". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 December 2024.

References

1. Shury, Alan; Landamore, Brian (2005). The Definitive Newton Heath F.C. (2nd ed.). Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 11. ISBN   1899468161.
2. "Small Heath". Football Club History Database. Richard Rundle. Archived from the original on 27 May 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
3. Matthews (2010), p. 224.
4. "Birmingham City football club match record: 1893". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 27 August 2017. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
5. "Wimbledon become MK Dons FC". guardian.co.uk. 21 June 2004. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
   "History and Honours of Wimbledon FC returned to Merton". Wimbledon Independent Supporters Association. 2 August 2007. Archived from the original on 20 February 2012. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
   "Wimbledon FC patrimony is returned to its rightful home in Borough of Merton". Football Supporters Federation. 3 August 2007. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007.