Birmingham City Football Club is a professional football club based in Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, it was renamed Small Heath in 1888, Birmingham in 1905, and Birmingham City in 1943. Since 2011, the first team have competed in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football.
Jonathan Michael Paul Spector is an American former soccer player who played as a defender. In his 16-year career playing first-team soccer he played over 400 games for club and country, and helped the United States win the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2007. He earned 36 caps for the United States national team. He is now the Head of International Player Recruitment and Development for MLS side Atlanta United.
Stephen Carr is an Irish former professional footballer who played for and captained Birmingham City from 2009 to 2013. He previously played for Premier League teams Tottenham Hotspur and, for a shorter spell, Newcastle United. He is a former international player with the Republic of Ireland. His primary position was right back, but had been known to deputise at left back or centre back when required.
Craig Gardner is an English professional football coach and former player who made 260 appearances in the Premier League and a further 67 in the Championship. He joined the coaching staff at Birmingham City in January 2021 and was appointed technical director in June.
In English football, the Second City derby or Birmingham derby is the local derby between the two major clubs in the city of Birmingham – Aston Villa and Birmingham City, first contested in 1879. Villa play at Villa Park while Birmingham play at St Andrew's, the two grounds separated by roughly 2.4 miles (3.9 km). It is known as the Second City Derby based on Birmingham being referred to as the second city of the United Kingdom. The two clubs are generally regarded as each other's most fierce rivals. In addition both sides have affiliated women's sides, Aston Villa W.F.C. and Birmingham City W.F.C.
Keith Declan Fahey is an Irish former footballer, who played most of his career with League of Ireland side St Patrick's Athletic, as well as English club Birmingham City. He played predominantly as a central midfielder, but also occasionally as a winger.
Philip John Robinson is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder for Aston Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Notts County, Birmingham City, Huddersfield Town, Northampton Town, Chesterfield, Stoke City, Hereford United and Stafford Rangers. He is Manchester City's international youth scouting and recruitment manager.
The 2007–08 season was Birmingham City Football Club's 105th season in the English football league system since their admission to the Football League in 1892, their fifth season in the Premier League, and their 55th season in the top tier of English football. Birmingham finished 19th in the 20-team league, so were relegated back to the Championship after just one season at the higher level.
The 2002–03 season was Birmingham City Football Club's 100th in the English football league system, their 51st in the top tier, and their debut season in the Premier League, having been promoted via the play-offs. Under the management of Steve Bruce, they finished in 13th position in the 20-team league. Birmingham entered the 2002–03 FA Cup at the third round and lost to Fulham in that round, and, having entered the League Cup in the second round, lost to Preston North End in the third.
Jordon James Edward Sydney Mutch is an English professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder.
Nathan Daniel Jerome Redmond is an English professional footballer who plays as a winger for Premier League club Burnley.
St Edmund Campion Catholic School is a coeducational Catholic secondary school and sixth form located on the corner of Holly Lane and Sutton New Road in the Erdington area of Birmingham, England.
The 2011–12 season was Birmingham City Football Club's 109th season in the English football league system. It ran from 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2012.
Akwasi Asante is a Dutch footballer who plays as a striker for National League club Chesterfield.
Callum Anthony Reilly is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for National League North club Tamworth.
Mitchell John Hancox is an English professional footballer who plays as a left-back or central midfielder for National League club York City. He has played in the English Football League for Birmingham City, Crawley Town and Milton Keynes Dons.
Jack Peter Grealish is an English professional footballer who plays as a left winger or attacking midfielder for Premier League club Manchester City and the England national team. Regarded as one of the best wingers in the world, Grealish is known for his dribbling and playmaking ability as well as his robust defensive capabilities. Grealish is often considered to be one of the most popular and marketable athletes in England.
Businessman Clifford Coombs took over as Birmingham chairman in 1965, and appointed Stan Cullis as manager. Cullis's attractive football took them to cup semi-finals, but league football needed a different approach. Successor Freddie Goodwin produced a team playing skilful, aggressive football that won promotion to the First Division as well as reaching an FA Cup semi-final. Two years later, the club raised money by selling Bob Latchford to Everton for a British record fee of £350,000, but without his goals the team struggled. In 1979, with relegation a certainty, the club sold Trevor Francis to Nottingham Forest, making him the first British player transferred for a fee of £1 million; Francis had scored 133 goals in 329 appearances over his nine years at Birmingham. Jim Smith took Birmingham back to the top tier, but a poor start to the 1981–82 season saw him replaced by Ron Saunders of league champions Aston Villa. The team still lacked goals, and were relegated in 1984. The last home game of the 1984–85 promotion season was marred by rioting and the death of a boy when a wall collapsed; the events formed part of the remit of the Popplewell inquiry into safety at sports grounds. Saunders quit after FA Cup defeat to non-League team Altrincham, staff were laid off, the training ground was sold, and by 1989 Birmingham were in the Third Division for the first time in their history.
Aoife Mannion is a professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Manchester United in the Women's Super League and the Republic of Ireland women's national team. She was previously capped for England, the country of her birth, at youth level and received her first senior call-up in August 2019 but never appeared before debuting for Ireland in February 2023. Mannion began her senior club career at Aston Villa before appearing for Birmingham City and Manchester City. She has been named to the PFA WSL Team of the Year twice.
Jamie Lee Sheldon is an English former footballer who played professionally in the Slovenian PrvaLiga for NK Interblock. He began his career in Birmingham City's Academy, but was not offered a professional contract, and also played non-league football for Redditch United, Solihull Moors, Evesham United, Leamington, Stratford Town, Hednesford Town, Sutton Coldfield Town and Chasetown. Internationally, he represented England at under-17 level.
