1914–15 Birmingham F.C. season

Birmingham F.C.
1914–15 season
ChairmanHoward Cant
ManagerBob McRoberts
GroundSt Andrew's
Football League Second Division6th
FA CupThird round (eliminated by Oldham Athletic)
Top goalscorerLeague: Andy Smith (21)
All: Andy Smith (24)
Highest home attendance39,024 vs Oldham Athletic, FA Cup 3rd round, 20 February 1915
Lowest home attendance5,000 (four matches)
Average home league attendance11,526
Team colours

The 1914–15 Football League season, the last to be played before the league was abandoned because of the First World War, was Birmingham Football Club's 23rd in the Football League and their 15th in the Second Division. They finished in sixth position in the 20-team division. They also took part in the 1914–15 FA Cup, entering at the first round proper and losing to Oldham Athletic in the third round (last 16).

Twenty-three players made at least one appearance in nationally organised first-team competition, and there were thirteen different goalscorers. Goalkeeper Willie Robb and forward Richard Gibson were ever-present over the 43-match season; full-back Frank Womack and half-back Percy Barton each missed only one game. Andy Smith was leading scorer with 24 goals, of which 21 came in the league.

Football League Second Division

Date League
position		 Opponents Venue Result Score
F–A		 Scorers Attendance
2 September 1914 5th Nottingham Forest A D 1–1 W. Smith 5,000
5 September 1914 17th Leicester Fosse A L 0–1 4,000
12 September 1914 11th Barnsley H W 2–0 Eyre, A. Smith 10,000
19 September 1914 10th Glossop A D 3–3 Tinkler, A. Smith pen, Gibson 500
26 September 1914 12th Wolverhampton Wanderers H L 1–2 Gibson 20,000
3 October 1914 11th Fulham A W 3–2 Windridge, A. Smith 2 12,000
10 October 1914 14th Stockport County H L 0–1 12,000
17 October 1914 14th Hull City A D 0–0 7,000
24 October 1914 11th Leeds City H W 6–3 A. Smith 3, Barton, Windridge, Gibson 8,000
31 October 1914 12th Clapton Orient A D 1–1 Gibson 8,000
7 November 1914 8th Woolwich Arsenal H W 3–0 A. Smith 2, Gibson 15,000
14 November 1914 12th Derby County A L 0–1 7,000
21 November 1914 9th Lincoln City H W 2–0 Gibson, A. Smith pen 5,000
28 November 1914 7th Blackpool H W 3–0 Gibson, W. Smith, A. Smith pen 5,000
5 December 1914 9th Grimsby Town A L 0–1 4,000
12 December 1914 5th Huddersfield Town H W 1–0 Duncan 12,000
19 December 1914 4th Bristol City A W 3–2 Barton, A. Smith, Gibson 4,000
25 December 1914 3rd Bury H W 1–0 Gibson 20,000
26 December 1914 4th Bury A W 3–1 Roulson 2, Windridge 5,000
28 December 1914 3rd Nottingham Forest H W 3–0 A. Smith 2 (1 pen), Hodges 25,000
2 January 1915 2nd Leicester Fosse H W 2–0 Gibson, Windridge 16,000
6 January 1915 2nd Glossop H W 11–1 A. Smith 4, Windridge 5 (1 pen), Eyre, Hodges 8,000
13 February 1915 3rd Stockport County A L 1–3 A. Smith 4,000
27 February 1915 5th Leeds City A L 0–2 7,000
1 March 1915 4th Fulham H W 1–0 Barton 5,000
6 March 1915 3rd Clapton Orient H W 1–0 A. Smith 15,000
8 March 1915 4th Barnsley A L 1–2 Roulson 3,000
13 March 1915 5th Woolwich Arsenal A L 0–1 19,067
20 March 1915 5th Derby County H L 0–2 18,000
24 March 1915 5th Hull City H D 2–2 Reed, A. Smith 5,000
27 March 1915 4th Lincoln City A W 1–0 Morgan 3,000
2 April 1915 4th Preston North End A L 0–2 10,000
5 April 1915 5th Preston North End H D 1–1 Hodges 10,000
10 April 1915 6th Grimsby Town H W 3–0 Windridge, Barton, Roulson pen 10,000
14 April 1915 6th Blackpool A L 1–3 W. Smith 5,000
17 April 1915 5th Huddersfield Town A D 0–0 4,000
19 April 1915 5th Wolverhampton Wanderers A D 0–0 8,000
24 April 1915 6th Bristol City H D 1–1 Windridge 10,000

League table (part)

Final Second Division table (part)
Pos Club Pld W D L F A GA Pts
4th Wolverhampton Wanderers 38 19 7 12 77 52 1.48 45
5th Woolwich Arsenal 38 19 5 14 69 42 1.68 43
6th Birmingham 38 17 9 12 62 39 1.59 43
7th Hull City 38 19 5 14 65 54 1.20 43
8th Huddersfield Town 38 17 8 13 61 42 1.45 42
Key Pos = League position; Pld = Matches played;
W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost;
F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Pts = Points
Source [1]

FA Cup

Main article: 1914–15 FA Cup
Round Date Opponents Venue Result Score
F–A		 Scorers Attendance
First round 9 January 1915 Crystal Palace H D 2–2 A. Smith pen, Eyre 18,000
First round replay January 1915 Crystal Palace H * W 3–0
a.e.t.		 Gibson, Tinkler, A. Smith 17,000
Second round 30 January 1915 Brighton & Hove Albion A D 0–0
a.e.t.		 9,000
Second round replay 6 February 1915 Brighton & Hove Albion H W 3–0 Gibson, Morgan, A. Smith 28,000
Third round 20 February 1915 Oldham Athletic H L 2–3 Gibson, Hodges 39,024
* Crystal Palace forfeited home advantage for the replay.

Appearances and goals

This table includes appearances and goals in nationally organised competitive matches – the Football League and FA Cup – only.
For a description of the playing positions, see Formation (association football)#2–3–5 (Pyramid).
Players' appearances and goals by competition
Name Position League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
William Robb Goalkeeper 38 0 5 0 43 0
William Ball Full back 36 0 4 0 40 0
Arthur Stanton Full back 2 0 0 0 2 0
Frank Womack Full back 37 0 5 0 42 0
Percy Barton Half back 37 4 5 0 42 4
James Bumphrey Half back 18 0 0 0 18 0
Ernie Edwards Half back 2 0 0 0 2 0
Albert Gardner Half back 6 0 1 0 7 0
Alec McClure Half back 4 0 0 0 4 0
Joe Roulson Half back 21 4 5 0 26 4
Alf Tinkler Half back 29 1 5 1 30 2
Charlie Duncan Forward 4 1 0 0 4 1
Edmund Eyre Forward 23 2 3 1 26 3
Richard Gibson Forward 38 10 5 3 43 13
Jack Hall Forward 4 0 0 0 4 0
Frank Hodges Forward 17 3 5 1 22 4
Billy Morgan Forward 8 1 2 1 10 2
Arthur Reed Forward 3 1 0 0 3 1
Andy Smith Forward 30 21 5 3 35 24
Wally Smith Forward 21 3 0 0 21 3
Charles Sprigg Forward 9 0 2 0 11 0
Billy Walker Forward 5 0 0 0 5 0
Jimmy Windridge Forward 26 11 3 0 29 11

See also

References

General

  • Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Breedon Books (Derby). ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
  • Matthews, Tony (2010). Birmingham City: The Complete Record. DB Publishing (Derby). ISBN 978-1-85983-853-2.
  • Source for match dates and results: "Birmingham City 1914–1915: Results"[permanent dead link‍]. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 19 May 2012.
  • Source for lineups, appearances, goalscorers and attendances: Matthews (2010), Complete Record, pp. 274–75. Note that attendance figures are estimated.
  • Source for kit: "Birmingham City". Historical Football Kits. Retrieved 22 May 2018.

Specific

  1. ^ "Birmingham City 1914–1915: English Division Two (old) Table" Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 20 May 2012.