1930–31 Birmingham F.C. season

The 1930–31 Football League season was Birmingham Football Club's 35th in the Football League and their 18th in the First Division. They finished in 19th position in the 22-team division, five points clear of the relegation places. They also competed in the 1930–31 FA Cup, entering at the third round proper and reaching the final for the first time in the club's history. They lost 2–1 to Second Division club West Bromwich Albion.

Birmingham F.C.
1930–31 season
ChairmanHoward Cant
ManagerLeslie Knighton
GroundSt Andrew's
Football League First Division19th
FA CupRunner-up (eliminated by West Bromwich Albion)
Top goalscorerLeague: George Briggs (15)
All: Joe Bradford (22)
Highest home attendance55,298 vs Chelsea, FA Cup 6th round, 28 February 1931
Lowest home attendance6,535 vs Portsmouth, 28 January 1931
Average home league attendance18,175

Twenty-seven players made at least one appearance in nationally organised competition, and there were eleven different goalscorers. Forward Ernie Curtis played in 47 of the 49 matches over the season, and, for the 10th successive year, Joe Bradford was leading scorer, with 22 goals in all competitions, of which 14 came in the league. George Briggs scored more league goals, with 15.

The 9–1 defeat away to Sheffield Wednesday on 13 December equalled the club record for widest margin of defeat.[1]

Football League First Division
DateLeague
position		Opponents VenueResultScore
F–A		Scorers Attendance
30 August 1930 4thSheffield UnitedH W3–1Morrall, Briggs, Bradford 20,641
1 September 1930 7thLeicester CityA L1–2Briggs 14,391
6 September 1930 8thDerby CountyA D0–0 15,681
10 September 1930 10thNewcastle UnitedH D1–1Bradford 13,893
13 September 1930 6thManchester CityH W3–2Briggs 2, Bradford 11,148
17 September 1930 6thNewcastle UnitedA D2–2Briggs, Morrall 19,902
20 September 1930 8thPortsmouthA D2–2Hicks, Briggs 16,002
27 September 1930 11thArsenalH L2–4Briggs, Roberts og 31,693
4 October 1930 14thBlackburn RoversA L1–2Horsman 14,728
11 October 1930 15thBlackpoolH D1–1Curtis 23,453
18 October 1930 13thAston VillaA D1–1Briggs 55,482
25 October 1930 12thChelseaH W6–2Bradford 2, Curtis, Briggs 2, Crosbie 17,277
1 November 1930 12thManchester UnitedA L0–2 11,479
8 November 1930 15thWest Ham UnitedA L0–2 20,171
15 November 1930 13thMiddlesbroughA D1–1Curtis 11,883
22 November 1930 12thGrimsby TownH W4–1Fillingham, Firth 3 13,637
29 November 1930 15thBolton WanderersA L0–2 15,361
6 December 1930 13thHuddersfield TownH W2–0Bradford, Curtis 16,036
13 December 1930 15thSheffield WednesdayA L1–9Briggs 21,226
20 December 1930 15thLiverpoolH W2–0Briggs 2 16,165
25 December 1930 15thLeeds UnitedH L0–1 24,991
26 December 1930 16thLeeds UnitedA L1–3Curtis 12,381
27 December 1930 18thSheffield UnitedA L1–2Cringan 24,208
3 January 1931 19thDerby CountyH L1–2Curtis 14,555
17 January 1931 19thManchester CityA L2–4Briggs, Gregg 19,918
28 January 1931 19thPortsmouthH W2–1Briggs, Bradford 6,535
31 January 1931 17thArsenalA D1–1Bradford 30,913
7 February 1931 17thBlackburn RoversH W4–1Bradford 4 23,642
18 February 1931 17thBlackpoolA W1–0Crosbie 10,136
21 February 1931 18thAston VillaH L0–4 49,619
7 March 1931 18thManchester UnitedH D0–0 17,678
16 March 1931 17thWest Ham UnitedA W2–1Firth, Bradford 8,521
21 March 1931 17thMiddlesbroughH L1–2Jarvis og 20,311
25 March 1931 18thChelseaA L0–1 12,968
28 March 1931 18thGrimsby TownA L1–4Fillingham 10,994
3 April 1931 20thSunderlandA L0–1 18,180
4 April 1931 20thBolton WanderersH L0–2 18,083
6 April 1931 19thSunderlandH W1–0Gregg 11,207
11 April 1931 19thHuddersfield TownA L0–1 10,920
15 April 1931 19thLiverpoolA D0–0 6,045
18 April 1931 19thSheffield WednesdayH W2–0Gregg, Curtis 16,411
2 May 1931 19thLeicester CityH W2–1Curtis, Bradford 14,704

League table (part)
Final First Division table (part)
Pos Club Pld W D L F A GA Pts
17th Newcastle United421562178870.9036
18th West Ham United421482079940.8436
19th Birmingham4213101955700.7936
20th Blackpool42111021711250.5732
21st Leeds United421272368810.8431
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
Main articles: 1930–31 FA Cup and 1931 FA Cup Final

Birmingham "won finely" at Anfield to defeat Liverpool 2–0,[3] then eliminated Port Vale and, with Ernie Curtis "in magnificent form", Watford,[4] to reach the sixth round in which they played Chelsea. Playing in a blizzard at St Andrew's, Chelsea took the lead and had a second goal disallowed before the change of ends brought a change of fortunes. George Briggs crossed for Joe Bradford's header, then Briggs and Bradford combined for Curtis to put Birmingham ahead. With ten minutes left, a misplaced clearance by Bob Gregg allowed Jackie Crawford to equalise.[5] The replay at Stamford Bridge, before a ground-record crowd of 74,365 with thousands more locked out, remained goalless until Chelsea half-backs John Townrow and Sid Bishop were injured. With no substitutes permitted, Birmingham took advantage, winning the tie 3–0 with goals from Jack Firth and two from Bradford.[6] Curtis opened the scoring half an hour into the semi-final against First Division Sunderland. Sunderland's players thought they should have had a penalty, they failed to take numerous chances, and Harry Hibbs made some fine saves, but three minutes from time, Curtis had a shot blocked, Bradford "rushed in to help his colleague and between them they scored the second goal".[7]

After six minutes of the final, Bob Gregg's header from Jimmy Cringan's free kick was ruled offside; newspaper reports suggest the decision was incorrect. After 24 minutes, Ned Barkas deflected W. G. Richardson's shot away from Hibbs and Richardson steered it home. Chances were missed by both sides before Joe Bradford equalised with a 25-yard (23 m) shot. But straight from the restart, Albion ran the ball down the field, George Liddell sliced his clearance to Richardson's feet, and the forward scored from close range.[8]

Round DateOpponentsVenue ResultScore
F–A		Scorers Attendance
Third round 10 January 1931LiverpoolA W2–0Curtis, Bradford 40,500
Fourth round 24 January 1931Port ValeH W2–0Bradford 2 44,119
Fifth round 14 February 1931WatfordH W3–0Bradford, Curtis 2 49,757
Sixth round 28 February 1931ChelseaH D2–2Bradford, Curtis 55,298
Sixth round replay 4 March 1931ChelseaA W3–0Firth, Bradford 2 74,365
Semi-final 14 March 1931SunderlandElland Road, Leeds W2–0Curtis 2 43,570
Final 25 April 1931West Bromwich AlbionWembley Stadium L1–2Bradford 90,368

Appearances and goals
Players having played at least one first-team match
Name Position Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
League FA Cup Total
Harry Hibbs Goalkeeper36070430
Ken Tewkesbury Goalkeeper100010
Dan Tremelling Goalkeeper500050
Ned Barkas Full back33070400
Harold Booton Full back10000100
George Liddell Full back29070360
Jack Randle Full back13000130
Charlie Calladine Half back100010
Jimmy Cringan Half back34170411
Tom Fillingham Half back21200212
Jack Firth Half back25421275
Alec Leslie Half back24070310
George Morrall Half back31270382
Lewis Stoker Half back700070
Billy Blyth Forward200020
Benny Bond Forward300030
Joe Bradford Forward2214782922
George Briggs Forward3215603815
Johnny Crosbie Forward31270382
Ernie Curtis Forward408764714
Bob Gregg Forward15340193
George Haywood Forward400040
George Hicks Forward710071
Bill Horsman Forward25120271
Harry Lane Forward200020
Jack Morfitt Forward100010
Tommy Robinson Forward100010
Jack Thorogood Forward700070
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See also
  • Birmingham City F.C. seasons

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 1930–1931: Results". Statto Organisation. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  • Source for lineups, appearances, goalscorers and attendances: Matthews (2010), Complete Record: pp. 302–03.
  • Source for kit: "Birmingham City". Historical Football Kits. Retrieved 22 May 2018.

Specific

  1. "Birmingham City: Records" Archived 9 December 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  2. "Birmingham City 1930–1931: English Division One (old) Table" Archived 20 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Statto Organisation. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  3. "Other F.A. Cup Matches". The Times (London): p.5. 12 January 1931.
  4. "F.A. Cup. Draw For Sixth Round". The Times (London): p.6. 17 February 1931.
  5. "Drawn Match At Birmingham". The Times (London): p.6. 2 March 1931.
  6. "Chelsea Beaten. A Day Of Misfortunes". The Times (London): p.7. 5 March 1931.
  7. "Birmingham's Fine Defence. Sunderland Miss Their Chances". The Times (London): p.6. 16 March 1931.
  8. "The Cup. Victory Of West Bromwich, A Triumph Of Youth." The Times (London): p.5. 27 April 1931.
    The Daily Mail match report, reproduced in Thraves, Andrew, ed. (1994). The History of the Wembley FA Cup Final. Weidenfeld & Nicolson (London): pp.24–25. ISBN 978-0-297-83407-6.
    "Albion's Cup". Birmingham Mail: p.12. 25 April 1931.
    Matthews (1995), Complete Record. p.19.
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