# 1985–86 Birmingham City F.C. season

The 1985–86 Football League season was Birmingham City Football Club's 83rd in the Football League and their 50th in the First Division, to which they were promoted in 1984–85. They finished in 21st position in the 22-team division, so were relegated back to the Second Division after only one season. They entered the 1985–86 FA Cup in the third round proper and lost in that round, at home to non-league club Altrincham, a result that precipitated the resignation of Ron Saunders as manager. They were eliminated from the League Cup by Southampton in a third-round replay. John Bond succeeded Saunders as manager.
The top scorer was Andy Kennedy with just nine goals, of which seven were scored in league competition.
With the team already in the relegation positions, chairman Keith Coombs resigned in December 1985, selling his 70% shareholding to the former chairman of Walsall F.C., Ken Wheldon, who took over as chairman. The club's serious financial situation, not helped by low attendances, led to the departure of several senior administrative staff.

## Football League First Division

| Date | League position | Opponents | Venue | Result | Score F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 17 August 1985 | 5th | West Ham United | H | W | 1–0 | Hopkins | 11,164 |
| 20 August 1985 | 11th | Watford | A | L | 0–3 | | 14,278 |
| 24 August 1985 | 17th | Chelsea | A | L | 0–2 | | 16,534 |
| 26 August 1985 | 9th | Oxford United | H | W | 3–1 | Kennedy, Briggs og, Hopkins | 10,568 |
| 31 August 1985 | 12th | Everton | A | L | 1–4 | Kennedy | 28,066 |
| 3 September 1985 | 10th | Manchester City | H | W | 1–0 | Geddis | 11,706 |
| 7 September 1985 | 11th | Aston Villa | H | D | 0–0 | | 24,971 |
| 14 September 1985 | 10th | Ipswich Town | A | W | 1–0 | Geddis | 11,616 |
| 21 September 1985 | 8th | Leicester City | H | W | 2–1 | Geddis 2 | 9,834 |
| 28 September 1985 | 10th | Queens Park Rangers | A | L | 1–3 | Armstrong | 10,911 |
| 5 October 1985 | 12th | Sheffield Wednesday | H | L | 0–2 | | 11,708 |
| 19 October 1985 | 14th | West Bromwich Albion | A | L | 1–2 | Kennedy | 14,576 |
| 26 October 1985 | 15th | Coventry City | H | L | 0–1 | | 9,267 |
| 2 November 1985 | 17th | Luton Town | A | L | 0–2 | | 8,550 |
| 9 November 1985 | 17th | Newcastle United | H | L | 0–1 | | 8,162 |
| 16 November 1985 | 17th | Southampton | A | L | 0–1 | | 13,167 |
| 23 November 1985 | 20th | Liverpool | H | L | 0–2 | | 15,062 |
| 30 November 1985 | 20th | Arsenal | A | D | 0–0 | | 16,673 |
| 7 December 1985 | 20th | Watford | H | L | 1–2 | Wright pen | 7,043 |
| 14 December 1985 | 20th | West Ham United | A | L | 0–2 | | 17,481 |
| 21 December 1985 | 20th | Chelsea | H | L | 1–2 | Platnauer | 10,594 |
| 26 December 1985 | 21st | Nottingham Forest | H | L | 0–1 | | 10,378 |
| 28 December 1985 | 21st | Manchester City | A | D | 1–1 | Geddis | 24,055 |
| 1 January 1986 | 21st | Manchester United | A | L | 0–1 | | 43,095 |
| 11 January 1986 | 21st | Ipswich Town | H | L | 0–1 | | 6,856 |
| 18 January 1986 | 21st | Everton | H | L | 0–2 | | 10,502 |
| 1 February 1986 | 21st | Oxford United | A | W | 1–0 | Clarke | 9,086 |
| 8 February 1986 | 21st | West Bromwich Albion | H | L | 0–1 | | 11,514 |
| 16 February 1986 | 21st | Coventry City | A | D | 4–4 | Kennedy 2, Whitton, Kuhl | 14,271 |
| 1 March 1986 | 21st | Queens Park Rangers | H | W | 2–0 | Clarke pen, Hopkins | 7,093 |
| 8 March 1986 | 21st | Sheffield Wednesday | A | L | 1–5 | Geddis | 17,491 |
| 12 March 1986 | 21st | Leicester City | A | L | 2–4 | Clarke, Kennedy | 8,458 |
| 15 March 1986 | 21st | Tottenham Hotspur | H | L | 1–2 | Kennedy | 9,394 |
| 22 March 1986 | 21st | Aston Villa | A | W | 3–0 | Clarke 2, Whitton | 26,294 |
| 29 March 1986 | 21st | Manchester United | H | D | 1–1 | Handysides | 22,551 |
| 31 March 1986 | 21st | Nottingham Forest | A | L | 0–3 | | 13,134 |
| 6 April 1986 | 21st | Luton Town | H | L | 0–2 | | 8,836 |
| 12 April 1986 | 21st | Newcastle United | A | L | 1–4 | Hopkins | 19,981 |
| 16 April 1986 | 21st | Tottenham Hotspur | A | L | 0–2 | | 9,359 |
| 19 April 1986 | 21st | Southampton | H | L | 0–2 | | 5,833 |
| 26 April 1986 | 21st | Liverpool | A | L | 0–5 | | 42,021 |
| 3 May 1986 | 21st | Arsenal | H | L | 0–1 | | 6,234 |

### League table (part)

Final First Division table (part) :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 18th | Oxford United | 42 | 10 | 12 | 20 | 62 | 80 | −18 | 42 |
| 19th | Leicester City | 42 | 10 | 12 | 20 | 54 | 76 | −22 | 42 |
| 20th | Ipswich Town | 42 | 11 | 8 | 23 | 32 | 55 | −23 | 41 |
| 21st | Birmingham City | 42 | 8 | 5 | 29 | 30 | 73 | −43 | 29 |
| 22nd | West Bromwich Albion | 42 | 4 | 12 | 26 | 35 | 89 | −54 | 24 |

### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Source:

## FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponents | Venue | Result | Score F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| Third round | 14 January 1986 | Altrincham | H | L | 1–2 | Hopkins | 6,636 |

## League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponents | Venue | Result | Score F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| Second round 1st leg | 24 September 1985 | Bristol Rovers | A | W | 3–2 | Wright 2 (2 pens), Geddis | 4,332 |
| Second round 2nd leg | 8 October 1985 | Bristol Rovers | H | W | 2–1 | Kennedy, Tanner og | 3,686 |
| Third round | 29 October 1985 | Southampton | H | D | 1–1 | Kennedy | 4,832 |
| Third round replay | 6 November 1985 | Southampton | A | L | 0–3 | | 9,085 |

## 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 | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Total | Total |
| Pos. | Nat. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| GK | ENG | David Seaman | 42 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 47 | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Ken Armstrong | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 26 | 1 |
| DF | ENG | Julian Dicks | 18 (5) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 (1) | 0 | 20 (6) | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Billy Garton * | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| DF | NIR | Jim Hagan | 31 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 (1) | 0 | 35 (1) | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Mark Jones | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Ray Ranson | 37 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 41 | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Brian Roberts | 31 (2) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 36 (2) | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Mark Smalley * | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Billy Wright | 29 | 1 | 0 (1) | 0 | 3 (1) | 2 | 32 (2) | 3 |
| MF | SCO | Des Bremner | 32 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 36 | 0 |
| MF | IRL | Gerry Daly † | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| MF | ENG | John Frain | 1 (2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 (2) | 0 |
| MF | ENG | Ian Handysides | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| MF | ENG | Robert Hopkins | 38 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 43 | 5 |
| MF | ENG | Lee Jenkins † | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| MF | ENG | Martin Kuhl | 33 (4) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 37 (4) | 1 |
| MF | ENG | Nick Platnauer | 12 (5) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 16 (5) | 1 |
| MF | ENG | Billy Ronson * | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| MF | ENG | Stuart Storer | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| FW | ENG | Wayne Clarke | 28 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 5 |
| FW | ENG | David Geddis | 25 (1) | 6 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 28 (1) | 6 |
| FW | SCO | Andy Kennedy | 27 (5) | 7 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 32 (5) | 9 |
| FW | WAL | Tony Rees | 4 (4) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 (4) | 0 |
| FW | ENG | Guy Russell | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 |
| FW | ENG | Steve Whitton | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 |