1994–95 Birmingham City F.C. season

The 1994–95 Football League season was Birmingham City Football Club's 92nd in the Football League and their fourth in the third tier of English football, Division Two, to which they were relegated in 1993–94. They finished in first position in the 24-team division, so were promoted straight back to Division One for 1995–96. They entered the 1994–95 FA Cup in the first round, losing in the third round to Premier League club Liverpool in a penalty shootout in which they failed to convert a single penalty.[1] They entered the League Cup in the first round and lost to Blackburn Rovers in the second. They won the Football League Trophy for the second time in four attempts, defeating Carlisle United at Wembley in front of a crowd of 76,663 with the first golden goal to determine a major English competition.[2]

Birmingham City F.C.
1994–95 season
ChairmanJack Wiseman
ManagerBarry Fry
GroundSt Andrew's
Division Two1st (promoted)
FA CupThird round
(eliminated by Liverpool)
League CupSecond round
(eliminated by Blackburn Rovers)
Football League TrophyWinners
Top goalscorerLeague: Steve Claridge (20)
All: Steve Claridge (25)
Highest home attendance25,581 vs Brentford, Division Two, 26 April 1995
Lowest home attendance9,847 vs Shrewsbury Town, League Cup 1st round replay, 23 August 1994
Average home league attendance16,941

The club's top scorer was Steve Claridge with 20 league goals and 25 in all competitions. Goalkeeper Ian Bennett missed only one match of the 63 played in all competitions, the first round of the Football League Trophy, in which his replacement Ryan Price made his only competitive first-team appearance for Birmingham.

Football League Division Two edit

Match details edit

Date League
position
Opponents Venue Result Score
F–A
Scorers Attendance
13 August 1994 15th Leyton Orient A L 1–2 Claridge 7,578
20 August 1994 14th Chester City H W 1–0 Donowa 12,188
27 August 1994 10th Swansea City A W 2–0 Claridge 2 5,807
30 August 1994 11th Wycombe Wanderers H L 0–1 14,305
3 September 1994 8th Plymouth Argyle H W 4–2 Regis 2, Wallace, Tait 13,202
10 September 1994 11th Oxford United A D 1–1 Claridge 8,072
13 September 1994 11th Rotherham United A D 1–1 Bull 3,574
18 September 1994 6th Peterborough United H W 4–0 Bull 2, Tait, Dominguez 10,800
24 September 1994 9th Hull City H D 2–2 Claridge pen, Dominguez 12,192
1 October 1994 9th Wrexham A D 1–1 Claridge 6,012
8 October 1994 9th Huddersfield Town H D 1–1 Bull 15,265
15 October 1994 9th Brighton & Hove Albion A W 1–0 Donowa 11,004
22 October 1994 9th Brentford A W 2–1 Shearer, Ward 7,779
29 October 1994 6th Bristol Rovers H W 2–0 Bull, Claridge 15,886
1 November 1994 4th Crewe Alexandra H W 5–0 Hunt 3, Donowa, Claridge 14,212
5 November 1994 3rd Shrewsbury Town A W 2–0 Bull, Hunt 5,949
19 November 1994 3rd AFC Bournemouth H D 0–0 15,477
26 November 1994 3rd Stockport County A W 1–0 Hunt 5,577
10 December 1994 2nd Chester City A W 4–0 Daish, Claridge, McGavin, Lowe 3,946
17 December 1994 2nd Leyton Orient H W 2–0 Donowa 2 20,022
26 December 1994 2nd Cambridge United H D 1–1 Otto 20,743
28 December 1994 2nd Cardiff City A W 1–0 Otto 7,420
31 December 1994 1st Blackpool H W 7–1 Claridge 2, Donowa 2, Lowe, Parris, Bradshaw og 18,025
2 January 1995 1st Bradford City A D 1–1 Cooper 10,539
14 January 1995 1st York City A L 0–2 6,828
4 February 1995 1st Stockport County H W 1–0 Dinning og 17,160
11 February 1995 3rd Crewe Alexandra A L 1–2 Donowa 6,359
18 February 1995 3rd York City H W 4–2 Francis 2, Otto, Shearer 14,846
21 February 1995 3rd AFC Bournemouth A L 1–2 Francis 6,024
25 February 1995 2nd Wrexham H W 5–2 Francis 2, Shearer, Otto, Donowa 18,884
4 March 1995 3rd Hull City A D 0–0 9,854
11 March 1995 4th Swansea City H L 0–1 16,191
18 March 1995 4th Wycombe Wanderers A W 3–0 Shearer, Claridge, Poole 7,289
21 March 1995 3rd Oxford United H W 3–0 Francis, Claridge, Daish 19,781
25 March 1995 3rd Peterborough United A D 1–1 Shearer 8,796
29 March 1995 3rd Bristol Rovers A D 1–1 Claridge 7,851
1 April 1995 3rd Rotherham United H W 2–1 Francis, Shearer 16,077
4 April 1995 3rd Blackpool A D 1–1 Claridge 4,944
11 April 1995 3rd Shrewsbury Town H W 2–0 Claridge 2 18,366
15 April 1995 2nd Cardiff City H W 2–1 Tait, Ward pen 17,455
17 April 1995 3rd Cambridge United A L 0–1 5,317
19 April 1995 1st Plymouth Argyle A W 3–1 Claridge 2, Whyte 8,550
26 April 1995 1st Brentford H W 2–0 Francis, Daish 25,581
29 April 1995 1st Brighton & Hove Albion H D 3–3 Dominguez, Shearer, Ward 19,006
2 May 1995 1st Bradford City H D 0–0 25,139
6 May 1995 1st Huddersfield Town A W 2–1 Claridge, Tait 18,775


League table (part) edit

Final Division Two table (part)
Pos Club Pld W D L F A GD Pts
1st Birmingham City 46 25 14 7 84 37 +47 89
2nd Brentford 46 25 10 11 81 39 +42 85
3rd Crewe Alexandra 46 25 8 13 80 68 +12 83
4th Bristol Rovers 46 22 16 8 70 40 +30 82
5th Huddersfield Town 46 22 15 9 79 49 +30 81
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]

Note that goals scored took precedence over goal difference as a tiebreaker in the Football League.[3]


Results summary edit

Overall Home Away
Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts W D L GF GA GD W D L GF GA GD
46 25 14 7 84 37  +47 89 15 6 2 53 18  +35 10 8 5 31 19  +12

Source: [3]


FA Cup edit

Round Date Opponents Venue Result Score
F–A
Scorers Attendance
First round 12 November 1994 Slough Town A* W 4–0 Shearer 2, McGavin 2 13,394
Second round 12 December 1994 Scunthorpe United H D 0–0 13,832
Second round replay 14 December 1994 Scunthorpe United A W 2–1 McGavin, Cooper 6,280
Third round 7 January 1995 Liverpool H D 0–0 25,326
Third round replay 18 January 1995 Liverpool A D 1–1
aet
0–2 pens
Otto 69' 36,275

League Cup edit

Round Date Opponents Venue Result Score
F–A
Scorers Attendance
First round 1st leg 16 August 1994 Shrewsbury Town A L 1–2 Daish 5,049
First round 2nd leg 23 August 1994 Shrewsbury Town H W 2–0
2–1 agg.
Saville, Claridge pen 9,847
Second round 1st leg 20 September 1994 Blackburn Rovers A L 0–2 14,517
Second round 2nd leg 4 October Blackburn Rovers H D 1–1
1–2 agg.
McGavin 16,275


Football League Trophy edit

Round Date Opponents Venue Result Score
F–A
Scorers Attendance
First round 27 September 1994 Peterborough United A W 5–3 Bull, Dominguez, Hunt 3 2,044
Second round 18 October 1994 Walsall H W 3–0 Shearer 2, Donowa 10,089
Third round 29 November 1994 Gillingham H W 3–0 McGavin, Poole, Tait 17,028
Fourth round 10 January 1995 Hereford United H W 3–1 Claridge, Ward pen, Otto 22,351
Southern area semi-final 31 January 1995 Swansea City H W 3–2
Golden goal
Claridge, Francis, Tait 20,326
Southern area final 1st leg 28 February 1995 Leyton Orient H W 1–0 Shearer 24,002
Southern area final 2nd leg 14 March 1995 Leyton Orient A W 3–2
4–2 agg.
Claridge 2, Williams 10,830
Final 23 April 1995 Carlisle United Wembley W 1–0
Golden goal
Tait 76,663


Appearances and goals edit

Numbers in parentheses denote appearances as substitute.
Players with name struck through and marked † 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 included in matchday squads
Pos. Nat. Name League FA Cup League Cup League Trophy Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK   ENG Ian Bennett 46 0 5 0 4 0 7 0 62 0
GK   ENG Ryan Price 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0
DF   ENG Dave Barnett 31 0 5 0 1 0 8 0 45 0
DF   ENG Jon Bass 0 0 0 0 0 (1) 0 0 0 0 (1) 0
DF   ENG Mick Bodley * 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
DF   ENG Gary Cooper 26 1 3 (1) 1 1 0 4 (1) 0 34 (2) 2
DF   IRE Liam Daish 37 3 5 0 3 1 7 0 52 4
DF   ENG Richard Dryden 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 4 0
DF   ENG John Frain 6 1 1 0 2 0 1 0 10 1
DF   ENG Ian Hendon * 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
DF   ENG Scott Hiley 9 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 11 0
DF   ENG David Howell 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
DF   ENG George Parris 1 (1) 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 (1) 1
DF   ENG Gary Poole 34 1 5 0 0 0 7 1 46 2
DF   ENG Richard Scott 5 0 0 0 3 0 2 0 10 0
DF   ENG Bryan Small * 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
DF   ENG Chris Whyte 31 1 3 0 3 0 2 (1) 0 39 (1) 1
MF   ENG Neil Doherty 3 (5) 0 0 (1) 0 1 0 0 (2) 0 4 (8) 0
MF   POR José Dominguez 12 (18) 3 2 (1) 0 1 (2) 0 2 (2) 1 17 (23) 4
MF   ENG Louie Donowa 21 (10) 9 5 0 3 0 5 (1) 1 34 (11) 10
MF   POR Rui Esteves * 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0
MF   ENG Paul Harding 5 (1) 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 8 (1) 0
MF   ENG Jonathan Hunt 18 (2) 5 1 0 0 0 3 3 22 (2) 8
MF   ENG Kenny Lowe 4 (3) 2 2 (1) 0 0 (1) 0 2 (1) 0 8 (6) 2
MF   ENG Ricky Otto 18 (6) 4 2 1 0 0 5 1 25 (6) 6
MF   ENG Steve Robinson 5 (1) 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 6 (1) 0
MF   ENG Peter Shearer 20 (3) 7 2 2 2 0 4 3 28 (3) 12
MF   ENG Paul Tait 18 (6) 4 2 (1) 0 1 0 2 (3) 3 23 (10) 7
MF   ENG Danny Wallace 4 (2) 1 0 0 1 (1) 0 0 (1) 0 5 (4) 1
MF   ENG Mark Ward 41 3 4 0 3 0 7 1 55 4
MF   ENG Matthew Webb 0 (1) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 (1) 0
FW   ENG Gary Bull * 10 6 0 0 0 0 2 1 12 7
FW   ENG Steve Claridge 41 (1) 20 5 0 3 1 7 4 56 (1) 25
FW   ENG Miguel de Souza 4 (4) 0 0 (1) 0 2 0 1 0 7 (5) 0
FW   SKN Kevin Francis 15 8 0 0 0 0 3 1 18 9
FW   ENG Steve McGavin 10 (5) 1 3 (1) 3 1 (1) 1 1 (3) 1 15 (10) 6
FW   ENG Paul Moulden 0 0 0 0 0 (1) 0 0 0 0 (1) 0
FW   ENG Dave Regis 4 (2) 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 5 (2) 2
FW   ENG Andy Saville 3 (7) 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 5 (8) 0
FW   ENG Paul Williams * 8 (3) 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 9 (3) 0
FW   ENG Roger Willis 1 (2) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 (2) 0

See also edit

References edit

General

  • Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
  • Matthews, Tony (2010). Birmingham City: The Complete Record. Derby: DB Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85983-853-2.
  • Source for match dates, league positions and results: "Birmingham City 1994–1995: Results". Statto Organisation. Archived from the original on 6 April 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  • Source for lineups, appearances, goalscorers and attendances: Matthews (2010), Complete Record, pp. 424–25, 481.

Specific

  1. ^ "Liverpool v Birmingham City, 18 January 1995". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  2. ^ Matthews (1995), Complete Record, p. 245.
  3. ^ a b c "Birmingham City 1994–1995: English Division Two Table". Statto Organisation. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2011.