1981–82 Birmingham City F.C. season

In this article, 1981–82 Birmingham City F.C. season will be addressed from different perspectives, in order to analyze its importance, impact and relevance in various areas. Its origin, evolution and consequences will be investigated, as well as its relationship with other relevant topics. Through a multidisciplinary approach, we will seek to understand its influence on current society, as well as its possible future implications. Possible solutions, recommendations and challenges associated with 1981–82 Birmingham City F.C. season will also be examined, with the aim of providing a comprehensive vision and reflecting on its meaning in our current reality.

Birmingham City F.C.
1981–82 season
ChairmanKeith Coombs
Manager
GroundSt Andrew's
Football League First Division16th
FA CupThird round
(eliminated by Ipswich Town)
League CupSecond round
(eliminated by Nottingham Forest)
Top goalscorerLeague: Tony Evans (15)
All: Tony Evans (16)
Highest home attendance32,817 vs Aston Villa, 20 February 1982
Lowest home attendance10,715 vs Middlesbrough, 6 February 1982
Average home league attendance17,116

The 1981–82 Football League season was Birmingham City Football Club's 79th in the Football League and their 47th in the First Division. They finished in 16th position in the 22-team division. They lost in their opening match in both cup competitions: to Ipswich Town in the third round proper of the 1981–82 FA Cup and to Nottingham Forest in the second round of the League Cup.

Twenty-four players appeared in at least one first-team game, and Dutch international midfielder Toine van Mierlo made most appearances, with 43 of the possible 45. There were 14 different goalscorers; Tony Evans was the club's leading scorer with 16 goals, of which 15 were scored in the league.

Football League First Division

Main article: 1981–82 Football League
Date League
position		 Opponents Venue Result Score
F–A		 Scorers Attendance
29 August 1981 20th Everton A L 1–3 Van Mierlo 33,550
1 September 1981 17th Ipswich Town H D 1–1 Evans 17,328
5 September 1981 12th Nottingham Forest H W 4–3 Broadhurst, Evans, Whatmore 2 19,035
12 September 1981 18th Middlesbrough A L 1–2 Whatmore 13,167
19 September 1981 8th Manchester City H W 3–0 Evans 3 20,109
22 September 1981 13th Arsenal A L 0–1 19,588
26 September 1981 14th Aston Villa A D 0–0 41,098
3 October 1981 15th West Ham United H D 2–2 Langan, Dillon 22,290
10 October 1981 11th Southampton H W 4–0 Worthington 2, Whatmore 2 16,938
17 October 1981 11th Manchester United A D 1–1 Worthington pen 48,800
24 October 1981 14th Stoke City A L 0–1 15,399
31 October 1981 15th West Bromwich Albion H D 3–3 Gemmill, Evans, Worthington pen 21,601
7 November 1981 13th Brighton & Hove Albion A D 1–1 Evans 18,409
21 November 1981 15th Wolverhampton Wanderers H L 0–3 18,671
28 November 1981 20th Swansea City A L 0–1 15,096
5 December 1981 19th Notts County H W 2–1 Evans 2 (1 pen) 11,914
5 January 1982 19th Ipswich Town A L 2–3 Van Mierlo, Broadhurst 19,336
9 January 1982 19th Nottingham Forest A L 1–2 Worthington 15,906
26 January 1982 19th Coventry City H D 3–3 Broadhurst, Evans 2 13,023
30 January 1982 19th Manchester City A L 2–4 Worthington 2 28,438
6 February 1982 19th Middlesbrough H D 0–0 10,715
13 February 1982 19th West Ham United A D 2–2 Whatmore, Van Mierlo 22,512
16 February 1982 17th Sunderland H W 2–0 Van Mierlo, Worthington 10,863
20 February 1982 17th Aston Villa H L 0–1 32,817
27 February 1982 17th Southampton A L 1–3 Worthington pen 20,620
6 March 1982 17th Manchester United H L 0–1 19,637
13 March 1982 17th Stoke City H W 2–1 Curbishley, Hawker 12,018
20 March 1982 18th West Bromwich Albion A D 1–1 Evans 20,936
23 March 1982 18th Tottenham Hotspur H D 0–0 17,708
27 March 1982 17th Brighton & Hove Albion H W 1–0 Harford 13,234
30 March 1982 17th Liverpool A L 1–3 Harford 24,224
6 April 1982 17th Everton H L 0–2 12,273
10 April 1982 19th Leeds United H L 0–1 14,497
12 April 1982 20th Sunderland A L 0–2 14,821
17 April 1982 20th Wolverhampton Wanderers A D 1–1 Harford 18,964
24 April 1982 17th Swansea City H W 2–1 Broadhurst, Harford 14,973
28 April 1982 16th Tottenham Hotspur A D 1–1 Phillips, Evans 2, Harford 25,470
1 May 1982 16th Notts County A W 4–1 Harford 10,704
4 May 1982 17th Arsenal H L 0–1 13,428
8 May 1982 18th Liverpool H L 0–1 26,381
12 May 1982 16th Leeds United A D 3–3 Harford 2, Evans 18,583
15 May 1982 16th Coventry City A W 1–0 Harford 15,925

League table (part)

Three points for a win were first awarded in the Football League in 1981–82.

Final First Division table (part)[1]
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
14th Coventry City 42 13 11 18 56 62 −6 50
15th Notts County 42 13 8 21 61 69 −8 47
16th Birmingham City 42 10 14 18 53 61 −8 44
17th West Bromwich Albion 42 11 11 20 46 57 −11 44
18th Stoke City 42 12 8 22 44 63 −19 44

Results summary

Overall Home Away
Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts W D L GF GA GD W D L GF GA GD
42 10 14 18 53 61  −8 44 8 6 7 29 25  +4 2 8 11 24 36  −12

Source: [2]

FA Cup

Main article: 1981–82 FA Cup
Round Date Opponents Venue Result Score
F–A		 Scorers Attendance
Third round 2 January 1982 Ipswich Town H L 2–3 Worthington pen, Curbishley 17,236

League Cup

Main article: 1981–82 Football League Cup
Round Date Opponents Venue Result Score
F–A		 Scorers Attendance
Second round 1st leg 6 October 1981 Nottingham Forest H L 2–3 Whatmore, Worthington 14,330
Second round 2nd leg 28 October 1981 Nottingham Forest A L 1–2 Evans 16,316

Appearances and goals

Numbers in parentheses denote appearances made as a substitute.
Players with name in italics and marked * were on loan from another club for the whole of their season with Birmingham.
Players marked † left the club during the playing season.
Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; DF – Defender; MF – Midfielder; FW – Forward
Players' appearances and goals by competition
Pos. Nat. Name League FA Cup League Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK  ENG Tony Coton 15 0 1 0 0 0 16 0
GK  ENG Roger Jones * 4 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
GK  ENG Jeff Wealands 23 0 0 0 2 0 25 0
DF  ENG Kevan Broadhurst 35 4 1 0 2 0 38 4
DF  ENG Mark Dennis 17 0 1 0 1 0 19 0
DF  ENG Phil Hawker 19 (1) 1 0 0 1 0 20 (1) 1
DF  IRL Dave Langan 36 1 1 0 1 0 38 1
DF  ENG Geoff Scott 14 (1) 0 0 0 0 0 14 (1) 0
DF  ENG Colin Todd 19 0 1 0 2 0 22 0
DF  WAL Pat Van Den Hauwe 30 (1) 0 0 1 0 0 31 (1) 0
MF  NED Bud Brocken 17 0 0 0 2 0 19 0
MF  ENG Alan Curbishley 29 1 1 1 0 0 30 2
MF  ENG Kevin Dillon 35 (1) 1 1 0 2 0 38 (1) 1
MF  SCO Archie Gemmill † 19 1 1 0 2 0 22 1
MF  ENG Dave Linney 0 (1) 0 0 0 0 0 0 (1) 0
MF  ENG Ian Handysides 8 (12) 0 0 (1) 0 0 (1) 0 8 (14) 0
MF  NED Toine van Mierlo 40 4 1 0 2 0 43 4
MF  ENG Les Phillips 7 (4) 1 0 0 0 0 7 (4) 1
MF  WAL Byron Stevenson 12 0 0 0 0 0 12 0
FW  ENG Tony Evans 29 15 1 0 1 1 31 16
FW  ENG Mick Harford 12 9 0 0 0 0 12 9
FW  ENG Duncan MacDowall 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
FW  ENG Neil Whatmore 22 (2) 6 0 0 1 1 23 (2) 7
FW  ENG Frank Worthington † 18 (2) 9 1 1 2 1 21 (2) 11

See also

Sources

  • 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.
  • For match dates, league positions and results: "Birmingham City 1981–1982 : Results". Statto Organisation. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
  • For lineups, appearances, goalscorers and attendances: Matthews (2010), Complete Record, pp. 398–99.

References

  1. ^ "Birmingham City 1981–1982 : English Division One (old) Table". Statto Organisation. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
  2. ^ "Birmingham City league performance history". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 30 May 2024. Select content required via dropdown menus.