1965–66 Birmingham City F.C. season


The 1965–66 Football League season was Birmingham City Football Club's 63rd in the Football League and their 25th in the Second Division, to which they were relegated in 1964–65. Having persuaded former Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Stan Cullis out of retirement as successor to Joe Mallett, who remained with the club as Cullis's assistant, they finished in tenth position in the 22-team division. They entered the 1965–66 FA Cup in the third round proper and lost to Leicester City in the fourth, and were beaten in their opening second-round match in the League Cup by Mansfield Town.
Twenty-two players made at least one appearance in nationally organised first-team competition, and there were thirteen different goalscorers. Forward Alec Jackson played in all but two of the team's 45 matches, and Geoff Vowden finished as leading scorer with 23 goals, of which 21 came in league competition.
This season saw the introduction of substitutes into the Football League. In the third game of the season, away to Preston North End on 26 August, Brian Sharples replaced the injured Ron Wylie to become Birmingham's first Football League substitute.

Football League Second Division

DateLeague
position		OpponentsVenueResultScore
F–A		ScorersAttendance
21 August 19657thCrystal PalaceHW2–1Thwaites 219,205
25 August 19656thMiddlesbroughHD2–2Beard16,772
28 August 19658thPreston North EndAD3–3Vowden, Beard 216,397
31 August 19658thMiddlesbroughAD1–1Vowden17,300
4 September 19659thCharlton AthleticHD2–2Beard, Jackson pen15,324
8 September 196510thLeyton OrientHD2–2Thomson, Vowden7,597
11 September 196513thPlymouth ArgyleAL1–6Vowden10,777
13 September 196514thLeyton OrientAL1–2Thomson7,114
18 September 196519thPortsmouthHL1–3Beard11,790
25 September 196517thBolton WanderersAW2–1Thomson, Vowden12,117
9 October 196512thNorwich CityHW1–0Jackson11,626
16 October 196516thBuryAL1–5Darrell8,184
23 October 196517thSouthamptonHL0–111,693
30 October 196521stDerby CountyAL3–5Bullock, Vincent, Page12,464
6 November 196517thCardiff CityHW4–2Bullock, Thomson, Lynn pen, Jackson10,744
13 November 196521stCarlisle UnitedAL0–110,243
20 November 196521stCoventry CityHL0–125,953
27 November 196521stBristol CityAL0–213,727
4 December 196520thManchester CityHW3–1Jackson, Vowden, Thwaites10,445
11 December 196517thRotherham UnitedAW4–3Vowden 3, Jackson10,684
18 December 196515thBuryHW4–0Thomson, Thwaites 2, Fenton10,998
28 December 196514thHuddersfield TownHW2–1Vowden, Thwaites19,763
1 January 196613thNorwich CityAD2–2Vowden, Fenton15,297
8 January 196612thCarlisle UnitedHW2–1Vowden, Beard14,998
29 January 196613thCrystal PalaceAL0–114,090
5 February 196612thPreston North EndHD1–1Jackson14,054
19 February 196614thCharlton AthleticAL1–2Thwaites13,742
26 February 196611thPlymouth ArgyleHW1–0Thomson13,117
5 March 196610thSouthamptonAW1–0Thwaites18,295
12 March 196610thPortsmouthAW1–0Vowden12,367
15 March 196610thHuddersfield TownAL0–219,156
19 March 196611thBolton WanderersHL0–113,770
26 March 196611thIpswich TownAW1–0Beard9,351
2 April 19668thCardiff CityAW3–1Vowden, Carver og8,150
9 April 19668thDerby CountyHD5–5Vowden, Hockey, Beard 2, Saxton og13,078
11 April 196610thWolverhampton WanderersHD2–2Vincent, Vowden28,902
12 April 196610thWolverhampton WanderersAL0–232,511
16 April 196610thCoventry CityAL3–4Fenton, Vowden, Jackson27,111
22 April 196611thBristol CityHL1–3Beard pen11,732
30 April 196615thManchester CityAL1–3Vowden28,409
3 May 19669thIpswich TownHW4–1Fenton 2, Vowden, Jackson9,331
17 May 196610thRotherham UnitedHW3–0Barber, Vowden, Hockey11,469

League table (part)

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScore
F–A		ScorersAttendance
Third round22 January 1966Bristol CityHW3–2Vowden 2, Thomson24,340
Fourth round12 February 1966Leicester CityHL1–2Thwaites46,680

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScore
F–A		ScorersAttendance
Second round22 September 1965Mansfield TownAL1–2Beard9,344

Appearances and goals