1984–85 Birmingham City F.C. season


The 1984–85 Football League season was Birmingham City Football Club's 82nd in the Football League and their 33rd in the Second Division, to which they were relegated in 1983–84. They finished in second position in the 22-team division, so were promoted back to the First Division after only one season. They entered the 1984–85 FA Cup in the third round proper, and lost to Norwich City in that round after three replays. They were eliminated from the League Cup by West Bromwich Albion in the third round after a replay.
Wayne Clarke was the club's top scorer, with 19 goals in all competitions, of which 17 were scored in the league.
The last home game of the season, a 1–0 win against Leeds United in front of a season-high crowd of nearly 25,000 that confirmed promotion back to the top flight, was marred by rioting in which 500 people were injured and a 15-year-old boy died when a wall collapsed. The match took place on the same day as the Bradford City stadium fire, and both formed part of the remit of Mr Justice Popplewell's inquiry into safety at sports grounds. According to his report, the events at St Andrew's "more resembled the battle of Agincourt than a football match".

Football League First Division

DateLeague
position		OpponentsVenueResultScore
F–A		ScorersAttendance
25 August 19846thOldham AthleticAW1–0Clements og5,307
1 September 19844thWimbledonHW4–2Clarke 2, Ferguson, Hopkins10,445
4 September 19842ndFulhamAW1–0Clarke6,031
8 September 19842ndCrystal PalaceAW2–0Clarke, Hopkins6,523
15 September 19841stCarlisle UnitedHW2–0Clarke, Harford11,740
18 September 19841stPortsmouthHL0–118,046
22 September 19841stWolverhampton WanderersAW2–0Hopkins, Kuhl16,698
29 September 19841stHuddersfield TownHW1–0Hopkins11,480
6 October 19841stBrighton & Hove AlbionAL0–213,695
13 October 19844thBlackburn RoversHL0–212,758
20 October 19844thNotts CountyAW3–1Clarke 2, Harford5,788
27 October 19842ndOxford UnitedHD0–020,421
3 November 19843rdShrewsbury TownHD0–09,807
10 November 19844thManchester CityAL0–125,369
17 November 19846thCharlton AthleticAL1–2Morley4,850
24 November 19845thBarnsleyHD0–09,505
1 December 19845thCardiff CityAW2–1Morley 25,057
8 December 19845thMiddlesbroughHW3–2Saxby og, Rees, Wright pen8,004
15 December 19844thLeeds UnitedAW1–0Clarke15,859
22 December 19843rdWimbledonAW2–1Geddis 23,674
26 December 19842ndGrimsby TownHW2–1Geddis, Platnauer14,180
29 December 19843rdFulhamHD2–2Clarke, Hopkins11,833
1 January 19853rdSheffield UnitedAW4–3Hopkins, Geddis, Clarke, West og16,571
2 February 19854thHuddersfield TownAW1–0Geddis7,460
23 February 19854thShrewsbury TownAL0–17,177
2 March 19853rdOxford UnitedAW3–0Clarke 2, Geddis11,584
5 March 19853rdOldham AthleticHL0–110,489
9 March 19852ndNotts CountyHW2–1Clarke, Hopkins9,071
12 March 19852ndCarlisle UnitedAL1–2Clarke4,099
16 March 19855thBlackburn RoversAL1–2Rees10,595
19 March 19854thManchester CityHD0–018,004
23 March 19854thBrighton & Hove AlbionHD1–1Hopkins8,986
30 March 19853rdWolverhampton WanderersHW1–0Geddis10,236
5 April 19854thGrimsby TownAL0–16,939
8 April 19854thSheffield UnitedHW4–1Clarke 2, Daly, Kennedy10,235
13 April 19852ndPortsmouthAW3–1Geddis 323,983
16 April 19852ndCrystal PalaceHW3–0Clarke, Geddis, Kennedy10,727
20 April 19852ndCharlton AthleticHW2–1Kennedy, Wright pen10,697
27 April 19852ndBarnsleyAW1–0Geddis6,757
4 May 19852ndCardiff CityHW2–0Hopkins, Kennedy15,868
6 May 19852ndMiddlesbroughAD0–07,840
11 May 19852ndLeeds UnitedHW1–0Kuhl24,871

League table (part)

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScore
F–A		ScorersAttendance
Third round5 January 1985Norwich CityHD0–012,941
Third round replay23 January 1985Norwich CityAD1–1
aet		Wright11,883
Third round 2nd replay26 January 1985Norwich CityHD1–1
aet		Geddis11,755
Third round 3rd replay28 January 1985Norwich CityAL0–112,396

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScore
F–A		ScorersAttendance
Second round 1st leg25 September 1984Plymouth ArgyleHW4–1Clarke, Hopkins, Harford, Rees7,964
Second round 2nd leg9 October 1984Plymouth ArgyleAW1–0Clarke4,650
Third round30 October 1984West Bromwich AlbionHD0–017,616
Third round replay7 November 1984West Bromwich AlbionAL1–3Shearer16,717

Appearances and goals