# 1967–68 Birmingham City F.C. season

The 1967–68 Football League season was Birmingham City Football Club's 65th in the Football League and their 27th in the Second Division. They finished in fourth position in the 22-team division. They entered the 1967–68 FA Cup in the third round proper, and defeated Arsenal (in a replay) and then Chelsea in front of crowds in excess of 50,000 to reach the semi-final, in which they lost 2–0 to local rivals West Bromwich Albion. They entered at the second round of the League Cup and lost in the third to Chelsea.
Twenty-two players made at least one appearance in nationally organised first-team competition, and there were eleven different goalscorers. Forwards Barry Bridges and Fred Pickering played in all 50 first-team matches over the season; midfielder Malcolm Beard missed only one. Bridges finished as leading goalscorer with 28 goals, of which 23 came in league competition.

## Football League Second Division

| Date | League position | Opponents | Venue | Result | Score F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 19 August 1967 | 1st | Bolton Wanderers | H | W | 4–0 | Vincent, Bridges 2, Hockey | 23,537 |
| 26 August 1967 | 5th | Huddersfield Town | A | W | 3–2 | Vincent, Vowden 2 | 14,228 |
| 29 August 1967 | 4th | Middlesbrough | A | D | 1–1 | Vincent | 25,814 |
| 2 September 1967 | 5th | Ipswich Town | H | D | 0–0 | | 25,463 |
| 4 September 1967 | 2nd | Hull City | H | W | 6–2 | Pickering, Vincent, Vowden, Bridges, Beard pen, Murray | 25,913 |
| 9 September 1967 | 5th | Carlisle United | A | D | 1–1 | Vowden | 11,200 |
| 16 September 1967 | 6th | Blackburn Rovers | H | D | 1–1 | Bridges | 28,972 |
| 23 September 1967 | 8th | Blackpool | A | L | 0–1 | | 25,572 |
| 26 September 1967 | 5th | Middlesbrough | H | W | 6–1 | Pickering 2, Vincent, Bridges 2, Vowden | 28,885 |
| 30 September 1967 | 8th | Millwall | A | L | 2–3 | Pickering, Vincent | 30,567 |
| 7 October 1967 | 7th | Aston Villa | A | W | 4–2 | Bridges 2, Beard pen, Vowden | 50,067 |
| 14 October 1967 | 6th | Portsmouth | H | D | 2–2 | Pickering, Vowden | 26,243 |
| 21 October 1967 | 7th | Norwich City | A | L | 2–4 | Vowden, Bridges | 16,490 |
| 28 October 1967 | 6th | Rotherham United | H | W | 4–1 | Bridges 3, Vowden | 21,478 |
| 4 November 1967 | 6th | Derby County | A | D | 2–2 | Vincent, Bridges | 25,484 |
| 11 November 1967 | 6th | Preston North End | H | W | 3–0 | Vincent 2, Bridges | 27,664 |
| 18 November 1967 | 5th | Cardiff City | A | W | 3–1 | Vincent, Bridges, Murray | 13,673 |
| 25 November 1967 | 4th | Crystal Palace | H | W | 1–0 | Vincent | 27,538 |
| 2 December 1967 | 5th | Charlton Athletic | A | L | 1–3 | Bridges | 13,855 |
| 9 December 1967 | 2nd | Queens Park Rangers | H | W | 2–0 | Pickering, Hazell og | 25,281 |
| 16 December 1967 | 4th | Bolton Wanderers | A | D | 1–1 | Farrimond og | 10,468 |
| 23 December 1967 | 2nd | Huddersfield Town | H | W | 6–1 | Pickering 2, Vincent, Vowden, Bridges, Leggat | 26,163 |
| 26 December 1967 | 1st | Bristol City | H | W | 4–1 | Bridges, Vowden, Leggat, Briggs og | 40,429 |
| 30 December 1967 | 3rd | Bristol City | A | L | 1–3 | Vincent | 23,493 |
| 6 January 1967 | 4th | Ipswich Town | A | L | 1–2 | Vowden | 16,701 |
| 13 January 1968 | 4th | Carlisle United | H | L | 1–3 | Vowden | 21,686 |
| 20 January 1968 | 4th | Blackburn Rovers | A | W | 2–1 | Pickering, Vowden | 17,934 |
| 3 February 1968 | 5th | Blackpool | H | L | 1–2 | Wylie | 29,646 |
| 10 February 1968 | 5th | Millwall | A | D | 1–1 | Vowden | 13,961 |
| 24 February 1968 | 5th | Aston Villa | H | W | 2–1 | Bridges 2 | 45,283 |
| 2 March 1968 | 5th | Portsmouth | A | W | 2–1 | Pickering, Foster | 27,836 |
| 16 March 1968 | 5th | Norwich City | H | D | 0–0 | | 28,951 |
| 23 March 1968 | 5th | Rotherham United | A | D | 1–1 | Pickering | 16,025 |
| 2 April 1968 | 5th | Derby County | H | W | 3–1 | Vowden, Bridges, Richardson og | 29,327 |
| 6 April 1968 | 5th | Preston North End | A | D | 0–0 | | 16,876 |
| 13 April 1968 | 5th | Cardiff City | H | D | 0–0 | | 29,044 |
| 15 April 1968 | 5th | Plymouth Argyle | A | W | 2–1 | Pickering, Vowden | 13,886 |
| 16 April 1968 | 4th | Plymouth Argyle | H | D | 2–2 | Page, Wylie | 29,359 |
| 20 April 1968 | 5th | Crystal Palace | A | D | 0–0 | | 14,949 |
| 4 May 1968 | 5th | Queens Park Rangers | A | L | 0–2 | | 25,985 |
| 7 May 1968 | 4th | Charlton Athletic | H | W | 4–0 | Pickering, Bridges 2, Vincent | 19,916 |
| 11 May 1968 | 4th | Hull City | A | W | 1–0 | Wilson og | 10,346 |

### League table (part)

Final Second Division table (part) :
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GA | Pts |
| 2nd | Queens Park Rangers | 42 | 25 | 8 | 9 | 67 | 36 | 1.86 | 58 |
| 3rd | Blackpool | 42 | 24 | 10 | 8 | 71 | 43 | 1.65 | 58 |
| 4th | Birmingham City | 42 | 19 | 14 | 9 | 83 | 51 | 1.63 | 52 |
| 5th | Portsmouth | 42 | 18 | 13 | 11 | 68 | 55 | 1.24 | 49 |
| 6th | Middlesbrough | 42 | 17 | 12 | 13 | 60 | 54 | 1.11 | 46 |
| 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 |

## FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponents | Venue | Result | Score F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| Third round | 27 January 1968 | Halifax Town | A | W | 4–2 | Pickering, Vowden, Bridges, Beard | 18,117 |
| Fourth round | 17 February 1968 | Leyton Orient | H | W | 3–0 | Vowden 2, Bridges | 29,320 |
| Fifth round | 9 March 1968 | Arsenal | A | D | 1–1 | Vowden | 45,515 |
| Fifth round replay | 12 March 1968 | Arsenal | H | W | 2–1 | Bridges 2 | 51,586 |
| Sixth round | 30 March 1968 | Chelsea | H | W | 1–0 | Pickering | 51,576 |
| Semi-final | 27 April 1968 | West Bromwich Albion | Villa Park, Birmingham | L | 0–2 | | 60,831 |

## League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponents | Venue | Result | Score F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| Second round | 13 September 1967 | Plymouth Argyle | A | W | 2–0 | Vowden, Hockey | 10,038 |
| Third round | 11 October 1967 | Derby County | H | L | 1–3 | Bridges | 24,827 |

## Appearances and goals

    Numbers in parentheses denote appearances made as a substitute.
    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 | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Total | Total |
| Pos. | Nat. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| GK | SCO | Jim Herriot | 40 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 48 | 0 |
| GK | ENG | Terry Twell | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Winston Foster | 16 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 1 |
| DF | WAL | Colin Green | 26 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Ray Martin | 21 (5) | 0 | 4 (1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 26 (6) | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Bert Murray | 40 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 47 | 2 |
| DF | ENG | Brian Sharples | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| DF | ENG | John Sleeuwenhoek | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| MF | ENG | Malcolm Beard | 41 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 49 | 3 |
| MF | ENG | Ron Fenton † | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| MF | WAL | Malcolm Page | 20 (1) | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 26 (1) | 1 |
| MF | SCO | Bobby Thomson † | 1 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 (1) | 0 |
| MF | SCO | Ron Wylie | 39 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 47 | 2 |
| FW | ENG | Barry Bridges | 42 | 23 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 50 | 28 |
| FW | ENG | Mick Darrell | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 |
| FW | WAL | Trevor Hockey | 30 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 35 | 2 |
| FW | SCO | Graham Leggat | 4 (3) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 (3) | 2 |
| FW | ENG | Fred Pickering | 42 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 50 | 15 |
| FW | ENG | Phil Summerill | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| FW | ENG | Denis Thwaites | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| FW | ENG | Johnny Vincent | 36 (1) | 14 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 41 (1) | 14 |
| FW | ENG | Geoff Vowden | 40 | 17 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 48 | 22 |