# 1989–90 Birmingham City F.C. season

The 1989–90 Football League season was Birmingham City Football Club's 87th in the Football League and the first in their history in which they played in the third tier of the English football league system. After a sound start to the season, with six wins from the first ten games, their results worsened, and they eventually finished in seventh position in the 24-team Third Division, three points outside the playoff places. They entered the 1989–90 FA Cup in the first round proper and lost in the third, eliminated by Oldham Athletic after a replay, and entered the League Cup at the first round and lost in the second, beaten 3–2 by West Ham United over two legs. They failed to progress from their group in the preliminary round of the Associate Members' Cup, a competition open to teams in the third and fourth tiers of the League.
Dennis Bailey was the club's top scorer for the season, with 20 goals in all competitions, of which 18 came in the league.
In April 1989, the club was sold to the Kumar brothers, owners of a Manchester-based fashion and leisurewear company. Dave Mackay was brought in as general manager, previous manager Garry Pendrey refused to stay on as part of Mackay's staff, and Samesh Kumar became chairman.

## Football League Third Division

| Date | League position | Opponents | Venue | Result | Score F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 19 August 1989 | 1st | Crewe Alexandra | H | W | 3–0 | Yates, Sturridge, Bailey | 10,447 |
| 26 August 1989 | 10th | Bristol City | A | L | 0–1 | | 8,938 |
| 2 September 1989 | 5th | Swansea City | H | W | 2–0 | Bailey, Hopkins | 8,071 |
| 9 September 1989 | 10th | Shrewsbury Town | A | L | 0–2 | | 4,714 |
| 16 September 1989 | 9th | Tranmere Rovers | H | W | 2–1 | Gordon, Bailey | 8,604 |
| 23 September 1989 | 4th | Brentford | A | W | 1–0 | Sturridge | 5,386 |
| 26 September 1989 | 3rd | Walsall | H | W | 2–0 | Bailey pen., Tait | 10,834 |
| 30 September 1989 | 3rd | Blackpool | A | L | 2–3 | Sturridge, Gleghorn | 5,681 |
| 7 October 1989 | 8th | Rotherham United | A | L | 1–5 | Sturridge | 4,676 |
| 14 October 1989 | 5th | Northampton Town | H | W | 4–0 | Gleghorn 2, Bailey 2 (1 pen.) | 8,731 |
| 17 October 1989 | 9th | Chester City | A | L | 0–4 | | 1,890 |
| 21 October 1989 | 10th | Huddersfield Town | H | L | 0–1 | | 7,951 |
| 28 October 1989 | 11th | Bury | A | D | 0–0 | | 3,383 |
| 31 October 1989 | 10th | Cardiff City | H | D | 1–1 | Sturridge | 7,468 |
| 4 November 1989 | 10th | Reading | A | W | 2–0 | Sturridge, Hicks og | 3,527 |
| 11 November 1989 | 10th | Leyton Orient | H | D | 0–0 | | 7,491 |
| 25 November 1989 | 8th | Bolton Wanderers | H | W | 1–0 | Bailey pen. | 8,081 |
| 1 December 1989 | 8th | Wigan Athletic | A | L | 0–1 | | 2,506 |
| 16 December 1989 | 7th | Preston North End | H | W | 3–1 | Yates, Bailey, Frain | 6,391 |
| 26 December 1989 | 9th | Bristol Rovers | A | D | 0–0 | | 6,573 |
| 30 December 1989 | 9th | Notts County | A | L | 2–3 | Atkins pen., Bailey | 7,786 |
| 1 January 1989 | 9th | Fulham | H | D | 1–1 | Gleghorn | 8,932 |
| 13 January 1990 | 9th | Bristol City | H | L | 0–4 | | 11,277 |
| 20 January 1990 | 9th | Crewe Alexandra | A | W | 2–0 | Bailey, Sturridge | 4,681 |
| 27 January 1990 | 9th | Shrewsbury Town | H | L | 0–1 | | 7,461 |
| 9 February 1990 | 10th | Tranmere Rovers | A | L | 1–5 | Bailey pen. | 6,033 |
| 13 February 1990 | 11th | Swansea City | A | D | 1–1 | Madden | 3,603 |
| 17 February 1990 | 10th | Wigan Athletic | H | D | 0–0 | | 5,473 |
| 24 February 1990 | 12th | Bolton Wanderers | A | L | 1–3 | Gordon | 7,618 |
| 3 March 1990 | 11th | Mansfield Town | H | W | 4–1 | Sturridge, Bailey 2, Ashley | 5,746 |
| 6 March 1990 | 9th | Blackpool | H | W | 3–1 | Peer, Sturridge, Bailey pen. | 7,085 |
| 10 March 1990 | 9th | Walsall | A | W | 1–0 | Gleghorn | 6,036 |
| 13 March 1990 | 10th | Brentford | H | L | 0–1 | | 8,169 |
| 17 March 1990 | 9th | Rotherham United | H | W | 4–1 | Tait, Atkins, Gordon, Sturridge | 6,985 |
| 20 March 1990 | 9th | Northampton Town | A | D | 2–2 | Peer, Gleghorn | 4,345 |
| 24 March 1990 | 10th | Chester City | H | D | 0–0 | | 7,584 |
| 31 March 1990 | 10th | Huddersfield Town | A | W | 2–1 | Bailey, Gleghorn | 5,837 |
| 3 April 1990 | 10th | Mansfield Town | A | L | 2–5 | Bailey, Gleghorn | 4,164 |
| 7 April 1990 | 10th | Bury | H | D | 0–0 | | 6,808 |
| 10 April 1990 | 8th | Cardiff City | A | W | 1–0 | Hopkins | 3,322 |
| 14 April 1990 | 7th | Fulham | A | W | 2–1 | Hopkins, Gleghorn | 4,568 |
| 16 April 1990 | 7th | Bristol Rovers | H | D | 2–2 | Matthewson, Hopkins | 12,438 |
| 21 April 1990 | 7th | Preston North End | A | D | 2–2 | Bailey 2 | 7,680 |
| 24 April 1990 | 7th | Notts County | H | L | 1–2 | Hopkins | 10,533 |
| 28 April 1990 | 7th | Leyton Orient | A | W | 2–1 | Peer, Hopkins | 5,691 |
| 5 May 1990 | 7th | Reading | H | L | 0–1 | | 14,278 |

### League table (part)

Final Third Division table (part) :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 5th | Bury | 46 | 21 | 11 | 14 | 70 | 49 | +21 | 74 |
| 6th | Bolton Wanderers | 46 | 18 | 15 | 13 | 59 | 48 | +11 | 69 |
| 7th | Birmingham City | 46 | 18 | 12 | 16 | 60 | 59 | +1 | 66 |
| 8th | Huddersfield Town | 46 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 61 | 62 | −1 | 65 |
| 9th | Rotherham United | 46 | 17 | 13 | 16 | 71 | 62 | +9 | 64 |

### 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 |
| First round | 17 November 1989 | Leyton Orient | A | W | 1–0 | Sturridge | 4,063 |
| Second round | 9 December 1989 | Colchester United | A | W | 2–0 | Gleghorn 4', 90' | 3,858 |
| Third round | 7 January 1990 | Oldham Athletic | H | D | 1–1 | Gleghorn | 13,131 |
| Third round replay | 10 January 1990 | Oldham Athletic | A | L | 0–1 | | 9,982 |

## League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponents | Venue | Result | Score F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| First round 1st leg | 22 August 1989 | Chesterfield | H | W | 2–1 | Atkins, Bailey | 6,722 |
| First round 2nd leg | 28 August 1989 | Chesterfield | A | W | 1–0 | Bailey | 3,313 |
| Second round 1st leg | 19 September 1989 | West Ham United | H | L | 1–2 | Sproson | 10,987 |
| Second round 2nd leg | 4 October 1989 | West Ham United | A | D | 1-1 | Atkins | 12,187 |

## Associate Members' Cup

| Round | Date | Opponents | Venue | Result | Score F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| Preliminary round | 28 November 1989 | Aldershot | A | L | 0–3 | | 1,148 |
| Preliminary round | 12 December 1989 | Hereford United | H | W | 1–0 | Atkins | 3,168 |

## 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.
    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 | Associate Members' Cup | Associate Members' Cup | Total | Total |
| Pos. | Nat. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| GK | ENG | Roger Hansbury | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| GK | WAL | Martin Thomas | 42 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 52 | 0 |
| GK | ENG | Dean Williams | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Kevin Ashley | 31 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 1 |
| DF | ENG | Ian Atkins | 45 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 55 | 5 |
| DF | ENG | Ian Clarkson | 15 (5) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 21 (5) | 0 |
| DF | ENG | John Frain | 36 (2) | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 44 (2) | 1 |
| DF | ENG | Trevor Matthewson | 46 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 56 | 1 |
| DF | ENG | Vince Overson | 27 (3) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 (1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 34 (4) | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Brian Roberts | 9 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 9 (3) | 0 |
| DF | ENG | Phil Sproson | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 |
| MF | SCO | Dougie Bell | 14 (1) | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 20 (1) | 0 |
| MF | ENG | John Deakin | 3 (4) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 3 (5) | 0 |
| MF | ENG | Andy Harris | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 |
| MF | ENG | Robert Hopkins | 16 (2) | 6 | 0 (2) | 0 | 2 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 (5) | 6 |
| MF | ENG | Kevin Langley | 33 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 40 | 0 |
| MF | ENG | David Madden * | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| MF | ENG | Dean Peer | 22 (5) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 (6) | 3 |
| MF | ENG | Mark Rutherford | 0 (2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (2) | 0 |
| MF | ENG | Paul Tait | 7 (7) | 2 | 0 (1) | 0 | 1 (1) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 8 (10) | 2 |
| FW | ENG | Dennis Bailey | 40 (3) | 18 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 50 (3) | 20 |
| FW | ENG | Nigel Gleghorn | 43 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 51 | 12 |
| FW | ENG | Colin Gordon | 14 (7) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 (8) | 3 |
| FW | ENG | Simon Sturridge | 30 (1) | 10 | 4 | 1 | 2 (1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 37 (2) | 11 |
| FW | ENG | Mark Yates | 12 (8) | 2 | 0 (1) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15 (9) | 2 |