The 1909–10 Football League season was Birmingham Football Club's 18th in the Football League and their 10th in the Second Division. They finished bottom of the 20-team division, three points adrift of safety, so had to apply for re-election to the league for the 1910–11 season. They led the voting, ahead of Huddersfield Town who were elected to the league to replace Grimsby Town,[1] who had finished the season in 19th place, above Birmingham. Alex Watson stepped down as secretary-manager at the end of the season, to be succeeded by Bob McRoberts, who had played as a forward for the club for seven years, and who became their first full-time manager, with no secretarial duties. They also took part in the 1909–10 FA Cup, entering at the first round proper and losing in that round to Leicester Fosse.
| 1909–10 season | ||
|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Walter W. Hart | |
| Secretary-manager | Alex Watson | |
| Ground | St Andrew's | |
| Football League Second Division | 20th | |
| FA Cup | First round (eliminated by Leicester Fosse) | |
| Top goalscorer | League: Walter Freeman (10) All: Walter Freeman (10) | |
| Highest home attendance | 18,000 vs Oldham Athletic, 30 October 1909 | |
| Lowest home attendance | 1,000 vs Blackpool, 27 November 1909 | |
| Average home league attendance | 8,921 | |
| ||
Twenty-six players made at least one appearance in nationally organised first-team competition, and there were ten different goalscorers. Forward Charlie Millington played in 36 of the 39 matches over the season, and half-back Albert Gardner appeared in one fewer. Walter Freeman was leading scorer with 10 goals, all of which came in the league.
Football League Second Division
edit| Date | League position |
Opponents | Venue | Result | Score F–A |
Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 September 1909 | 12th | Oldham Athletic | H | D | 2–2 | Millington, Beer | 20,000 |
| 11 September 1909 | 19th | Barnsley | A | L | 1–5 | Chapple | 3,000 |
| 13 September 1909 | 16th | Glossop | H | D | 2–2 | Lowe, Millington | 3,000 |
| 18 September 1909 | 13th | Fulham | H | D | 1–1 | Chapple | 12,000 |
| 25 September 1909 | 18th | Burnley | A | L | 0–2 | 5,000 | |
| 2 October 1909 | 17th | Leeds City | H | L | 1–2 | Freeman | 14,000 |
| 9 October 1909 | 18th | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | L | 2–4 | Buckley, Chapple | 10,000 |
| 16 October 1909 | 17th | Gainsborough Trinity | H | W | 5–0 | Millington 2, Needham 3 | 10,000 |
| 23 October 1909 | 14th | Grimsby Town | A | W | 2–0 | Freeman, Wilcox | 5,000 |
| 30 October 1909 | 15th | Manchester City | H | D | 1–1 | Freeman | 18,000 |
| 6 November 1909 | 17th | Leicester Fosse | A | L | 1–3 | Freeman | 10,000 |
| 13 November 1909 | 15th | Lincoln City | H | W | 1–0 | Needham | 5,000 |
| 20 November 1909 | 16th | Clapton Orient | A | L | 0–3 | 9,000 | |
| 27 November 1909 | 17th | Blackpool | H | L | 1–2 | Chapple | 1,000 |
| 4 December 1909 | 17th | Hull City | A | L | 0–7 | 6,000 | |
| 11 December 1909 | 17th | Derby County | H | L | 1–3 | Freeman | 5,000 |
| 18 December 1909 | 17th | Stockport County | A | D | 1–1 | Lappin | 4,000 |
| 25 December 1909 | 19th | Glossop | A | L | 1–4 | Chapple | 5,000 |
| 27 December 1909 | 19th | West Bromwich Albion | A | L | 1–3 | Millington | 12,104 |
| 28 December 1909 | 19th | Bradford Park Avenue | H | L | 0–1 | 15,000 | |
| 1 January 1910 | 19th | West Bromwich Albion | H | L | 0–1 | 15,500 | |
| 8 January 1910 | 19th | Oldham Athletic | A | D | 1–1 | Lappin | 8,000 |
| 22 January 1910 | 19th | Barnsley | H | W | 2–1 | Freeman, Chapple | 5,000 |
| 29 January 1910 | 19th | Fulham | A | D | 0–0 | 10,000 | |
| 12 February 1910 | 19th | Leeds City | A | L | 1–2 | Freeman | 10,000 |
| 19 February 1910 | 19th | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | W | 1–0 | Freeman | 2,000 |
| 26 February 1910 | 19th | Gainsborough Trinity | A | L | 0–1 | 3,000 | |
| 28 February 1910 | 17th | Burnley | H | W | 2–1 | Chapple, Freeman | 1,000 |
| 5 March 1910 | 17th | Grimsby Town | H | L | 2–4 | Needham, Chapple | 14,000 |
| 12 March 1910 | 19th | Manchester City | A | L | 0–3 | 15,000 | |
| 19 March 1910 | 17th | Leicester Fosse | H | W | 2–1 | Burton, Buckley | 10,000 |
| 26 March 1910 | 18th | Lincoln City | A | L | 2–3 | Burton, Millington | 5,000 |
| 28 March 1910 | 19th | Bradford Park Avenue | A | L | 0–5 | 8,000 | |
| 2 April 1910 | 19th | Clapton Orient | H | L | 1–2 | Burton | 8,000 |
| 9 April 1910 | 19th | Blackpool | A | L | 0–2 | 3,000 | |
| 16 April 1910 | 19th | Hull City | H | L | 0–2 | 8,000 | |
| 23 April 1910 | 20th | Derby County | A | L | 1–3 | Millington | 5,000 |
| 30 April 1910 | 20th | Stockport County | H | W | 3–0 | Freeman, Millington, Lowe | 3,000 |
League table (part)
edit| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16th | Clapton Orient | 38 | 12 | 6 | 20 | 37 | 60 | 0.62 | 30 |
| 17th | Leeds City | 38 | 10 | 7 | 21 | 46 | 80 | 0.57 | 27 |
| 18th | Gainsborough Trinity | 38 | 10 | 6 | 22 | 33 | 75 | 0.44 | 26 |
| 19th | Grimsby Town | 38 | 9 | 6 | 23 | 50 | 77 | 0.65 | 24 |
| 20th | Birmingham | 38 | 8 | 7 | 23 | 42 | 78 | 0.54 | 23 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First round | 15 January 1910 | Leicester Fosse | H | L | 1–4 | Lappin | 15,119 |
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 1909–1910: Results". Statto Organisation. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
- Source for lineups, appearances, goalscorers and attendances: Matthews (2010), Complete Record, pp. 264–65. Note that attendance figures are estimated.
- Source for kit: "Birmingham City". Historical Football Kits. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
Specific
- ^ "Football League: Annual Meeting in London". The Manchester Guardian. 14 June 1910. p. 6.
- ^ "Birmingham City 1909–1910: English Division Two (old) Table" Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 21 May 2012.