The 1974–75 Football League season was Birmingham City Football Club's 72nd in the Football League and their 41st in the First Division. They finished in 17th position in the 22-team division, four points above the relegation positions. They entered the 1974–75 FA Cup at the third round proper and lost to Fulham in the last minute of the semi-final replay, lost to Crewe Alexandra in their opening match of the League Cup in the second round, and reached the semi-final of the Texaco Cup.
Twenty-eight players made at least one appearance in nationally organised first-team competition, and there were thirteen different goalscorers. Goalkeeper Dave Latchford and forward Bob Hatton played in 53 of the 56 first-team matches over the season, and the leading goalscorer was Hatton with 18 goals, of which 14 came in league competition.
Football League First Division
DateLeaguepositionOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendance17 August 197417thMiddlesbroughHL0–332,10520 August 197418thLeicester CityH L3–4Burns, Francis 2 (1 pen)27,66324 August 197421stLeeds UnitedAL0–130,82028 August 197421stLeicester CityAD1–1Francis24,01831 August 197421stWolverhampton WanderersHD1–1Burns33,7857 September 197417thQueens Park RangersAW1–0Gallagher16,05814 September 197415thDerby CountyHW3–2Hatton, Francis 2 (2 pens)27,34521 September 197418thCarlisle UnitedAL0–112,69125 September 197421stWest Ham UnitedAL0–325,49528 September 197414thArsenalHW3–1Burns, Hatton 225,5845 October 197419thCoventry CityHL1–2Francis pen30,28212 October 197414thLuton TownAW3–1Francis 315,09715 October 197413thLeeds UnitedHW1–0Francis36,51319 October 197411thNewcastle UnitedHW3–0Burns, Styles, Hatton33,33926 October 197412thSheffield UnitedAL2–3Hatton, Styles21,6392 November 197411thChelseaHW2–0Hatton, Kendall30,7649 November 197411thBurnleyAD2–2Rodaway og, Taylor16,07516 November 197411thManchester CityHW4–0Kendall, Hatton 2, Burns35,14323 November 19749thTottenham HotspurAD0–027,76130 November 197411thEvertonAL1–4Calderwood38,3697 December 197413thStoke CityHL0–333,99914 December 197414thMiddlesbroughAL0–323,73721 December 197414thLiverpoolHW3–1Taylor, Kendall pen, Hatton26,60826 December 197415thDerby CountyAL1–2Hatton26,12128 December 197416thIpswich TownHL0–130,26611 January 197517thStoke CityAD0–026,15718 January 197518thEvertonHL0–332,2841 February 197517thBurnleyHD1–1Emmanuel24,9908 February 197518thChelseaAL1–2Hatton18,14418 February 197516thTottenham HotspurHW1–0Hatton24,24022 February 197517thManchester CityAL1–3Taylor33,2401 March 197516thWolverhampton WanderersAW1–0Hendrie28,25615 March 197516thArsenalAD1–1Burns17,84518 March 197516thWest Ham UnitedHD1–1Bryant34,00022 March 197516thQueens Park RangersHW4–1Francis, Campbell, Hatton, Calderwood32,83225 March 197513thCarlisle UnitedHW2–0Francis, Burns33,76129 March 197515thLiverpoolAL0–149,4541 April 197515thIpswich TownAL2–3Burns, Hatton27,41712 April 197518thCoventry CityAL0–124,16319 April 197518thLuton TownHL1–4Francis28,75526 April 197517thNewcastle UnitedAW2–1Kendall, Pendrey24,78729 April 197517thSheffield UnitedHD0–033,677
League table (part) +Final First Division table (part)PosClubPldWDLFAGAPts15thNewcastle United421591859720.873916thArsenal4213111847490.963717thBirmingham City421491953610.873718thLeicester City4212121846600.773619thTottenham Hotspur421382152630.8234KeyPos = League position; Pld = Matches played;W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost;F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Pts = Points
FA Cup
For the third time in seven seasons, Birmingham reached the semi-final of the FA Cup. This time, they drew with Fulham at Hillsborough so the tie went to a replay, played at Maine Road, Manchester. Goalless through normal time and all but a few seconds of extra timean announcement had already been made that the second replay would be at Highbury the following Mondaya long ball towards Birmingham's penalty area was struck by John Mitchell straight into goalkeeper Dave Latchford's face. The ball rebounded onto Mitchell's chest and back towards the goal to bobble over the line.
RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendanceThird round4 January 1975Luton TownAW1–0Kendall17,543Fourth round25 January 1975ChelseaAW1–0Burns36,650Fifth round15 February 1975WalsallHW2–1Hatton, Burns45,881Sixth round8 March 1975MiddlesbroughHW1–0Hatton47,260Semi-final5 April 1975FulhamHillsborough, SheffieldD1–1Gallagher54,166Semi-final replay9 April 1975FulhamMaine Road, ManchesterL0–1aet35,205
League Cup
RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendanceSecond round11 September 1974Crewe AlexandraAL1–2Gallagher7,194
Texaco Cup
RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendanceGroup 13 August 1974West Bromwich AlbionAD0–018,643Group 17 August 1974Peterborough UnitedAD1–1Taylor8,915Group 110 August 1974Norwich CityHW3–1Campbell, Francis, Hatton14,847Second round 1st leg17 September 1974Ayr UnitedHW3–0Burns 2, Calderwood12,327Second round 2nd leg2 October 1974Ayr UnitedAD0–04,992Semi-final 1st leg23 October 1974Newcastle UnitedAD1–1Hatton20,556Semi-final 2nd leg6 November 1974Newcastle UnitedHL1–4Burns17,754
Appearances and goals
Numbers in parentheses denote appearances made as a substitute. :Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; DF – Defender; MF – Midfielder; FW – Forward
+ Players' appearances and goals by competitionNameLeagueFA CupLeague CupTexaco CupTotalGoalsGoalsGoalsGoalsGoalsGK Mike Kelly1000000010GK Dave Latchford390601070530GK Gary Sprake2000000 (2)02 (2)0DF Steve Bryant15 (1)130001019 (1)1DF Dennis Clarke3010000040DF Joe Gallagher381611150503DF Roger Hynd6 (6)010102010 (6)0DF Ray Martin21 (1)000104026 (1)0DF Garry Pendrey27 (3)1500 (1)07039 (4)1DF John Roberts7 (1)020003012 (1)0DF Ricky Sbragia1000001 (1)02 (1)0DF Archie Styles232201020282DF Tony Want0 (2)00000000 (2)0MF Jimmy Calderwood252100040302MF Alan Campbell2811 (1)0105135 (1)2MF Gary Emmanuel9140000 (1)013 (1)1MF Paul Hendrie9 (2)130103 (1)016 (3)1MF Bobby Hope0000000 (2)00 (2)0MF Howard Kendall394611060505MF Roy Morton3000002050MF Malcolm Page280600030370MF Gordon Taylor34 (1)360104 (1)145 (2)4FW Gary Allen0000001010FW Kenny Burns3986210635213FW Trevor Francis23132010212814FW Bob Hatton41145200725318FW Steve Phillips1 (1)00000203 (1)0FW Ian Smith0 (2)00000000 (2)0
See also Birmingham City F.C. seasons
Sources
For match dates and results: For lineups, appearances, goalscorers and attendances: Matthews (2010), Complete Record, pp. 384–85, 479.
References