The 1901–02 Football League season was Small Heath Football Club's tenth in the Football League and their third in the First Division, having been promoted as runners-up in the Second Division in 1900–01. They finished in 17th place in the 18-team league, one point away from safety, so were relegated back to the Second Division. They also took part in the 1901–02 FA Cup, entering at the intermediate round (between qualifying rounds and rounds proper) and losing in that round to Portsmouth. In locally organised competition, they lost to Aston Villa in the first round of the Birmingham Senior Cup.[1]
| 1901–02 season | ||
|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Walter W. Hart | |
| Secretary-manager | Alf Jones | |
| Ground | Coventry Road | |
| Football League First Division | 17th | |
| FA Cup | First round (eliminated by Portsmouth) | |
| Birmingham Senior Cup | First round (eliminated by Aston Villa) | |
| Top goalscorer | League: Bob McRoberts (19) All: Bob McRoberts (24) | |
| Highest home attendance | 23,000 vs Aston Villa, 12 October 1901 | |
| Lowest home attendance | 8,000 vs Stoke, 17 February 1902 | |
| Average home league attendance | 15,412 | |
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Twenty-six players made at least one appearance in nationally organised first-team competition, and there were eleven different goalscorers. Goalkeeper Nat Robinson was ever-present over the 35-match season; full-back Archie Goldie and half-back Alex Leake each missed only one match. Bob McRoberts was leading scorer with 24 goals, of which 19 came in the league.
Football League First Division
edit| Date | League position |
Opponents | Venue | Result | Score F–A |
Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 September 1901 | 5th | Liverpool | H | D | 0–0 | 12,000 | |
| 7 September 1901 | 3rd | Bolton Wanderers | H | W | 2–0 | Aston, McRoberts | 15,000 |
| 14 September 1901 | 1st | Manchester City | A | W | 4–1 | Aston 2, McRoberts, McMillan | 23,000 |
| 21 September 1901 | 3rd | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | L | 1–2 | Aston | 16,000 |
| 28 September 1901 | 6th | Liverpool | A | L | 1–3 | McMillan | 20,000 |
| 5 October 1901 | 5th | Newcastle United | H | W | 3–1 | Aston, McMillan, McRoberts | 12,000 |
| 12 October 1901 | 7th | Aston Villa | H | L | 0–2 | 23,000 | |
| 19 October 1901 | 5th | Sheffield United | H | W | 5–1 | McMillan 2, Athersmith, Jones, McRoberts | 20,000 |
| 26 October 1901 | 5th | Nottingham Forest | A | D | 1–1 | Jones | 10,000 |
| 2 November 1901 | 3rd | Bury | H | W | 1–0 | Wigmore | 15,000 |
| 9 November 1901 | 6th | Blackburn Rovers | A | L | 1–3 | Archer pen | 6,000 |
| 23 November 1901 | 11th | Everton | A | L | 0–1 | 15,000 | |
| 30 November 1901 | 12th | Sunderland | H | L | 2–3 | McMillan, Murray | 18,000 |
| 7 December 1901 | 14th | Grimsby Town | A | L | 0–1 | 8,000 | |
| 21 December 1901 | 14th | Sheffield Wednesday | H | D | 1–1 | Leonard | 12,000 |
| 26 December 1901 | 14th | Aston Villa | A | L | 0–1 | 40,000 | |
| 28 December 1901 | 15th | Notts County | A | L | 1–6 | Leonard | 8,000 |
| 4 January 1902 | 16th | Bolton Wanderers | A | L | 0–4 | 6,583 | |
| 11 January 1902 | 16th | Manchester City | H | W | 1–0 | McRoberts pen | 20,000 |
| 18 January 1902 | 17th | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | L | 1–2 | McRoberts | 5,000 |
| 1 February 1902 | 17th | Newcastle United | A | L | 0–2 | 13,000 | |
| 15 February 1902 | 17th | Sheffield United | A | W | 4–1 | McRoberts, Field, Leonard, Wharton | 9,000 |
| 17 February 1902 | 16th | Stoke | H | D | 1–1 | Athersmith | 8,000 |
| 22 February 1902 | 15th | Grimsby Town | H | W | 6–0 | Field 2, Leonard, McRoberts, Wigmore, McConnell og | 16,000 |
| 1 March 1902 | 16th | Bury | A | L | 0–2 | 6,000 | |
| 8 March 1902 | 15th | Blackburn Rovers | H | W | 2–0 | Wharton 2 | 15,000 |
| 15 March 1902 | 16th | Stoke | A | L | 0–1 | 4,000 | |
| 22 March 1902 | 16th | Everton | H | L | 0–1 | 15,000 | |
| 29 March 1902 | 17th | Sunderland | A | D | 1–1 | Athersmith | 8,000 |
| 31 March 1902 | 17th | Derby County | A | D | 0–0 | 7,000 | |
| 5 April 1902 | 17th | Nottingham Forest | H | D | 1–1 | Athersmith | 15,000 |
| 12 April 1902 | 17th | Derby County | H | W | 5–1 | Leonard 2, McMillan, McRoberts, Wharton | 10,000 |
| 19 April 1902 | 17th | Sheffield Wednesday | A | W | 2–1 | McRoberts, Wharton | 10,000 |
| 26 April 1902 | 17th | Notts County | H | D | 0–0 | 20,000 |
League table (part)
edit| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14th | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 34 | 13 | 6 | 15 | 46 | 57 | 0.81 | 32 |
| 15th | Grimsby Town | 34 | 13 | 6 | 15 | 44 | 60 | 0.73 | 32 |
| 16th | Stoke | 34 | 11 | 9 | 14 | 45 | 55 | 0.82 | 31 |
| 17th | Small Heath | 34 | 11 | 8 | 15 | 47 | 45 | 1.04 | 30 |
| 18th | Manchester City | 34 | 11 | 6 | 17 | 42 | 58 | 0.72 | 28 |
| 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 | [2] | ||||||||
FA Cup
edit| Round | Date | Opponents | Venue | Result | Score F–A |
Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intermediate round | 7 February 1902 | Portsmouth | A | L | 1–2 | McRoberts | 15,000 |
Appearances and goals
edit- 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 marked † left the club during the playing season.
See also
editReferences
editGeneral
- 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 1901–1902: Results". Statto Organisation. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
- Source for lineups, appearances, goalscorers and attendances: Matthews (2010), Complete Record, pp. 248–49. Note that attendance figures are estimated.
- Source for kit: "Birmingham City". Historical Football Kits. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
Specific
- ^ "Birmingham Senior Cup". The Birmingham City FC Archive. Tony Jordan. Archived from the original on 14 May 2005.
- ^ "Birmingham City 1901–1902: English Division One (old) Table" Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 23 May 2012.