# 1909–10 Birmingham F.C. season

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, 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.
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

| 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)

Final Second Division table (part) :
| 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 | 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 |
| Source | | | | | | | | | |

## FA Cup

| 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

    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.
Players' appearances and goals by competition :
| Name | Position | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | Total | Total |
| Name | Position | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Arthur Box | Goalkeeper | 24 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
| Jack Dorrington | Goalkeeper | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| William Carrier | Full back | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Walter Corbett | Full back | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Josiah Preston | Full back | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Frank Stokes | Full back | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Walter Wigmore | Full back | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Frank Womack | Full back | 22 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
| Billy Beer | Half back | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| Frank Buckley | Half back | 25 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 2 |
| Thomas Daykin | Half back | 23 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| Albert Gardner | Half back | 34 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 0 |
| William McCourty | Half back | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| James Moles | Half back | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 0 |
| Frederick Banks | Forward | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| James Bumphrey | Forward | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| John Burton | Forward | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| Frederick Chapple | Forward | 31 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 8 |
| Robert Firth | Forward | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Walter Freeman | Forward | 33 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 10 |
| Harry King | Forward | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Harry Lappin | Forward | 11 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 3 |
| Bernard Lowe | Forward | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Charlie Millington | Forward | 36 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 8 |
| Jack Needham † | Forward | 20 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 5 |
| Jack Wilcox | Forward | 27 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 1 |