1995–96 Birmingham City F.C. season


The 1995–96 Football League season was Birmingham City Football Club's 93rd in the English football league system. They finished in 15th place in the 24-team Football League First Division, to which they were promoted as Division Two champions in 1994–95. They entered the 1995–96 FA Cup at the third round, losing in that round to Wolverhampton Wanderers after a replay, and entered the League Cup in the first round and progressed to the semi-final, in which they lost on aggregate score to Leeds United. They also took part in the last season of the Anglo-Italian Cup, losing in the quarter-final after a penalty shootout.
At the end of the season, club owner David Sullivan dismissed Barry Fry as manager and replaced him with playing legend Trevor Francis.

Football League First Division

DateLeague
position		OpponentsVenueResultScore
F–A		ScorersAttendance
12 August 19954thIpswich TownHW3–1Tait, Otto, Bowen18,910
19 August 19959thCharlton AthleticAL1–3Bowen9,710
26 August 19954thNorwich CityHW3–1Hunt 3 19,267
30 August 19959thHuddersfield TownAL2–4Ward 212,305
2 September 19956thBarnsleyAW5–0Hunt pen., Claridge, Forsyth, Doherty, Charlery11,121
9 September 19955thCrystal PalaceHD0–019,403
12 September 19956thStoke CityHD1–1Hunt19,005
17 September 199511thWest Bromwich AlbionAL0–117,854
23 September 199513thWatfordAD1–1Finnan9,422
30 September 199512thOldham AthleticHD0–017,289
8 October 19956thSouthend UnitedHW2–0Claridge 217,491
14 October 19955thPortsmouthAW1–0Claridge10,009
21 October 19953rdGrimsby TownHW3–1Claridge 2, Charlery16,445
29 October 19952ndPort ValeAW2–1Claridge, Tait8,875
4 November 19952ndMillwallHD2–2Castle, Charlery23,016
11 November 19953rdReadingAW1–0Charlery10,203
18 November 19953rdLuton TownAD0–07,920
21 November 19953rdDerby CountyHL1–4Ward pen.19,417
26 November 19955thLeicester CityHD2–2Hunt 2 17,350
2 December 19955thSouthend UnitedAL1–3Claridge7,770
9 December 19954thWatfordHW1–0Francis16,790
16 December 19958thOldham AthleticAL0–46,602
23 December 19954thTranmere RoversHW1–0Hunt18,439
26 December 19953rdSheffield UnitedAD1–1Francis17,668
14 January 19967thCharlton AthleticHL3–4Edwards, Hunt pen., Forsyth18,539
20 January 19969thIpswich TownAL0–212,388
4 February 199611thNorwich CityAD1–1Otto12,612
17 February 199613thStoke CityAL0–115,709
20 February 199613thBarnsleyHD0–014,168
27 February 199613thCrystal PalaceAL2–3Bowen 213,415
2 March 199615thSheffield UnitedHL0–116,799
5 March 199613thWolverhampton WanderersHW2–0Devlin 2 22,051
9 March 199612thTranmere RoversAD2–2Hunt, Legg8,696
12 March 199611thHuddersfield TownHW2–0Devlin, P. Barnes15,296
17 March 199611thSunderlandHL0–223,251
20 March 199611thWest Bromwich AlbionHD1–1Hunt19,147
23 March 199612thWolverhampton WanderersAL2–3Devlin 2 26,256
30 March 199613thGrimsby TownAL1–2P. Barnes5,773
2 April 199613thPortsmouthHW2–0Devlin pen., P. Barnes14,886
6 April 19969thPort ValeHW3–1Tait, P. Barnes, Peschisolido17,469
10 April 199610thMillwallAL0–29,271
13 April 19969thLuton TownHW4–0Francis, Devlin, P. Barnes 215,426
16 April 19969thSunderlandAL0–319,831
20 April 19969thDerby CountyAD1–1Breen16,757
27 April 199612thLeicester CityAL0–319,702
5 May 199615thReadingHL1–2P. Barnes16,223

League table (part)

Note that goals scored took precedence over goal difference as a tiebreaker in the Football League.

Results summary

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScore
F–A		ScorersAttendance
Third round6 January 1996Wolverhampton WanderersHD1–1Poole21,349
Third round replay17 January 1996Wolverhampton WanderersAL1–2Hunt28,088

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScore
F–A		ScorersAttendance
First round 1st leg15 August 1995Plymouth ArgyleHW1–0Cooper7,964
First round 2nd leg22 August 1995Plymouth ArgyleAW2–1
3–1 agg.		Edwards, Hunt6,529
Second round 1st leg20 September 1995Grimsby TownHW3–1Daish, Hunt, Claridge7,446
Second round 2nd leg3 October 1995Grimsby TownAD1–1
4–2 agg.		Bowen3,280
Third round24 October 1995Tranmere RoversHD1–1McGreal o.g.13,752
Third round replay8 November 1995Tranmere RoversAW3–1
a.e.t.		Charlery 2, Rushfeldt9,151
Fourth round29 November 1995MiddlesbroughAD0–028,031
Fourth round replay20 December 1995MiddlesbroughHW2–0Francis 219,878
Fifth round10 January 1996Norwich CityAD1–1Francis13,028
Fifth round replay24 January 1996Norwich CityHW2–1Daish, Bowen21,097
Semi-final 1st leg11 February 1996Leeds UnitedHL1–2Francis24,781
Semi-final 2nd leg25 February 1996Leeds UnitedAL0–3
1–5 agg.		35,435

Anglo-Italian Cup

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScore
F–A		ScorersAttendance
Group stage5 September 1995GenoaHL2–3Bowen 220,430
Group stage11 October 1995PerugiaAW1–0Castle1,200
Group stage15 November 1995AnconaAW2–1Edwards, Tentoni o.g.1,500
Group stage12 December 1995CesenaHW3–1Hunt, Claridge, Donowa*7,813
Quarter-final30 January 1996West Bromwich AlbionHD2–2
1–4 pens.		Poole, Bull9,113

In

Out

Loan in

Loan out

Appearances and goals

Pos.Nat.Name
GKRyan Price
MFPeter Shearer