The 2022–23 season is Birmingham City Football Club's 120th season in the English football league system and 12th consecutive season in the second-tier Championship. As with all English Football League clubs, the first team competed in the FA Cup, from which they were eliminated by Blackburn Rovers in the fourth round, and the EFL Cup, in which they lost to Norwich City in the first. They secured their Championship status for a further season following a 1–0 win at Millwall with three matches left to play, and finished in 17th place.
The season covers the period from 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023.
Background and pre-season
On 2 July 2022, amid rumours of an imminent takeover of the club, head coach Lee Bowyer was sacked, to be replaced the following day by John Eustace.
The club planned a pre-season training camp in Portugal, to include a friendly match against Primeira Liga club Portimonense, and domestic friendlies away to League One clubs Burton Albion and Cheltenham Town, and at home to Rayo Vallecano. On the same date as the Cheltenham match, a Birmingham team faced Solihull Moors for the inaugural Arthur Cup, a match in aid of children's charities in memory of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes.
+ Pre-season friendly match detailsDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendance5 July 2022WalsallHW1–0Hogan0 (behind closed doors)12 July 2022PortimonenseND1–1Hogan 33'16 July 2022Burton AlbionAW2–1Hall 37', Cosgrove 87'2,58819 July 2022Cheltenham TownAL0–11,42919 July 2022Solihull MoorsAL0–123 July 2022Rayo VallecanoHD2–2Płacheta 15', Bacuna 53'2,542
EFL Championship
Birmingham opened their season with a goalless draw away to Luton Town. There were four debutants: John Ruddy in goal and three loanees, Dion Sanderson, in his second loan spell with the club, and Auston Trusty in central defence, and Przemysław Płacheta at wing-back. The three-man back line was completed by Marc Roberts and Maxime Colin was the other wing-back. Ryan Woods, Jordan James, and Juninho Bacuna formed the midfield, and the forwards were Scott Hogan and captain Troy Deeney. According to the Birmingham Mail assessment, Ruddy's "commanding presence" and a well-organised defence prevented the hosts taking advantage of their greater number of chances; Luton manager Nathan Jones complained about Birmingham's time-wasting tactics.
League table
Results summary
Match results + EFL Championship match detailsDateLeaguepositionOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendance30 July 202211thLuton TownAD0–09,9215 August 20221stHuddersfield TownHW2–1Hogan 5', Płacheta 45'17,06513 August 202211thCardiff CityAL0–118,89316 August 202211thWatfordHD1–1Hall 19'16,81120 August 202218thWigan AthleticHL0–116,01327 August 202221stRotherham UnitedAL0–211,02730 August 202221stNorwich CityHL1–2Hogan 50'16,1563 September 202220thPreston North EndAW1–0Colin 16'16,09814 September 202214thWest Bromwich AlbionAW3–2Hogan (3) 14', 54', 71'23,08917 September 202217thCoventry CityHD0–016,6331 October 202215thSheffield UnitedAD1–1Deeney 70'29,9275 October 202219thMiddlesbroughAL0–122,3748 October 202214thBristol CityHW3–0Trusty (2) 3', 43', Sanderson 75'16,80716 October 202212thHull CityAW2–0Deeney 14' (pen.), Bacuna 47'16,58719 October 202214thBurnleyHD1–1Hogan 80'16,30322 October 202214thBlackburn RoversAL1–2Hogan 80'14,09228 October 202211thQueens Park RangersHW2–0Trusty 4', Longelo 29'19,0072 November 202213thMillwallHD0–015,0305 November 202211thStoke CityAW2–1Hogan 13', Dean 67'22,4598 November 202210thSwansea CityHD2–2Hogan 12', Deeney 89'15,49111 November 202210thSunderlandHL1–2Jutkiewicz 78'18,70210 December 202214thBlackpoolAD0–012,85316 December 20227thReadingHW3–2Deeney (2) 2', 23' (pen.), Chong 36'14,64727 December 202215thBurnleyAL0–320,94530 December 202216thHull CityHL0–117,8682 January 202317thMiddlesbroughHL1–3Chong 74'17,82314 January 202318thBristol CityAL2–4Deeney 34' (pen.), Khadra 76'21,48921 January 202319thPreston North EndHL1–2Jutkiewicz 83'16,6084 February 202318thSwansea CityAW4–3Hogan 14' (pen.), Chong 55', Jutkiewicz 90, Trusty 90+7'17,24710 February 202316thWest Bromwich AlbionHW2–0Mejbri 10', Bielik 52'17,78114 February 202318thCardiff CityHL0–214,36918 February 202318thHuddersfield TownAL1–2Deeney 6'19,56421 February 202319thNorwich CityAL1–3Colin 53'25,65725 February 202319thLuton TownHL0–116,8664 March 202319thWigan AthleticAD1–1Bacuna 4'13,74111 March 202318thRotherham UnitedHW2–0Khadra 5', Long 35'15,93214 March 202318thWatfordAL0–318,40318 March 202316thQueens Park RangersAW1–0Chong 3'15,0971 April 202316thBlackburn RoversHW1–0Khadra 61'16,6237 April 202316thReadingAD1–1Jutkiewicz 29'16,08410 April 202317thStoke CityHD0–017,41315 April 202317thSunderlandAL1–2Hall 29'37,67318 April 202315thMillwallAW1–0Jutkiewicz 28'13,31122 April 202317thBlackpoolHL0–116,63629 April 202317thCoventry CityAL0–230,1758 May 202317thSheffield UnitedHL1–2Sanderson 79'18,853
FA Cup
As with all teams in the top two divisions, Birmingham entered the competition in the third round, in which they were drawn away to League One club Forest Green Rovers.
+ FA Cup match detailsRoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendanceThird round17 January 2023Forest Green RoversAW2–1Jutkiewicz 50', Long 65'3,701Fourth round28 January 2023Blackburn RoversAD2–2Khadra 3', James 90+1'13,687Fourth round replay31 January 2023Blackburn RoversHL0–1 a.e.t.7,183
EFL Cup
Birmingham made seven changes from their previous starting eleven for the first-round visit to fellow Championship club Norwich City; the three-man central midfield comprised Jordan James, a first-team regular at just 18, Alfie Chang (19), and Jobe Bellingham, the 16-year-old brother of England international Jude. Norwich took a two-goal lead in first-half stoppage time, but Jonathan Leko's first goal for the club and an own goal following a corner kick brought the scores level, so the tie was determined on penalties. Sam Cosgrove and Leko missed their kicks, but Norwich missed only one of their first four, so went through to the next round.
+ EFL Cup match detailsRoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendanceFirst round9 August 2022Norwich CityAD2–2(2–4 pens.)Leko 53', Tomkinson 77' o.g.18,971
Transfers
In DatePlayerClub Fee 1 July 2022 Finley Thorndike (Aston Villa) Out of contract 14 July 2022 John Ruddy (Wolverhampton Wanderers) Out of contract 1 September 2022 Tahith Chong Manchester United Undisclosed 12 October 2022 Lewis Cunningham * (York City) Out of contract 5 January 2023 Kevin Long Burnley Undisclosed 31 January 2023 Emmanuel Longelo West Ham United Undisclosed Brackets round a club's name indicate the player's contract with that club had expired before he joined Birmingham. * Signed primarily for the development squad
Loaned in DatePlayerClubReturn 5 July 2022 Dion Sanderson Wolverhampton Wanderers End of season 6 July 2022 Przemysław Płacheta Norwich City Terminated 3 January 2023 15 July 2022 Auston Trusty Arsenal End of season 29 July 2022 Krystian Bielik Derby County End of season 29 August 2022 Hannibal Mejbri Manchester United End of season 30 August 2022 Emmanuel Longelo West Ham United Signed permanently 31 January 2023 10 January 2023 Reda Khadra Brighton & Hove Albion End of season
Out DatePlayerClub Fee 22 July 2022 Kyle Hurst Doncaster Rovers Free 18 August 2022 Ryan Woods Hull City Undisclosed 1 September 2022 Odin Bailey Salford City Undisclosed 13 January 2023 Jonathan Leko Milton Keynes Dons Undisclosed 30 June 2023 Alfie Brooks (Stoke City) Released 30 June 2023 Maxime Colin (FC Metz) Released 30 June 2023 Lewis Cunningham (Mickleover) Released 30 June 2023 Harlee Dean (Reading) Released 30 June 2023 Troy Deeney (Forest Green) Released 30 June 2023 George Friend (Bristol Rovers) Released 30 June 2023 Adan George (Alvechurch) Released 30 June 2023 Jordan Graham (Leyton Orient) Released 30 June 2023 Mitchell Roberts (Oxford City) Released 30 June 2023 Keyendrah Simmonds (Vukovar 1991) Released 30 June 2023 Ryan Stirk (Walsall) Released 30 June 2023 Remi Walker (AFC Telford United) Released Brackets round a club's name denote the player joined that club after his Birmingham City contract expired.
Loaned out DatePlayerClubReturn 5 July 2022 Ivan Šunjić Hertha BSC End of season 8 July 2022 Josh Andrews Doncaster Rovers January 2023 25 August 2022 Mitchell Roberts Oldham Athletic 1 January 2023 1 September 2022 Sam Cosgrove Plymouth Argyle End of season 1 September 2022 Marcel Oakley Arbroath 7 January 2023 1 September 2022 Keyendrah Simmonds Grimsby Town 14 January 2023 25 August 2022 Mitchell Roberts Solihull Moors End of season 1 February 2023 Marcel Oakley Queen's Park End of season 3 February 2023 Oliver Basey Barwell Youth loan 7 February 2023 Remi Walker Alvechurch Youth loan 10 February 2023 Callum Sullivan Bath City 10 March 2023 16 February 2023 Ryan Stirk Bromley End of season 16 March 2023 Oliver Basey Hednesford Town End of season 17 March 2023 Finley Thorndike Boston United End of season
Appearances and goals
Sources:For representative nationality:
Numbers in parentheses denote appearances made as a substitute. Players marked left the club during the playing season. Players with names in italics and marked * were on loan from another club for the whole of their season with Birmingham. Players listed with no appearances have been in the matchday squad but only as unused substitutes. Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; DF – Defender; MF – Midfielder; FW – Forward
+ Players' appearances and goals by competitionNameLeagueFA CupEFL CupTotalDisciplineGoalsGoalsGoalsGoals1GKNeil Etheridge3 (1)030107 (1)0002DFMaxime Colin4422 (1)010472503DFGeorge Friend2 (4)010003 (4)0004DFMarc Roberts20 (5)0001021 (5)0405DFAuston Trusty *4443010484806MFRyan Woods 20000020106MFHannibal Mejbri *21 (17)12 (1)00023 (18)11107MFJuninho Bacuna33 (10)21 (2)00034 (12)21108FWTroy Deeney24 (9)70 (1)00024 (10)7509FWScott Hogan30 (7)102 (1)00032 (8)103010FWLukas Jutkiewicz19 (25)51 (1)11021 (26)63011MFJordan Graham12 (13)01 (1)01014 (14)00012DFHarlee Dean14 (2)1000014 (2)13014FWJonathan Leko 0 (8)000111 (8)10016FWSam Cosgrove0 (2)0000 (1)00 (3)00017MFPrzemysław Płacheta * 510000510017MFReda Khadra *12 (2)3210014 (2)40018MFTahith Chong35 (3)41 (2)00036 (5)46019MFJordan James9 (24)01 (2)11011 (26)13020MFGary Gardner3 (5)01 (1)0004 (6)00021GKJohn Ruddy43000004302023DFManny Longelo18 (5)1200020 (5)14025DFNico Gordon000000000026DFKevin Long17131002025027MFJobe Bellingham5 (17)000106 (17)01028DFDion Sanderson *31230003429030MFTate Campbell0 (1)0000 (1)00 (2)00031MFKrystian Bielik *351200037113035MFGeorge Hall13 (17)2000013 (17)20038GKZach Jeacock000000000042MFAlfie Chang7 (6)01 (2)0109 (8)01047MFRyan Stirk0 (1)0000 (1)00 (2)00048MFJosh Williams6 (1)000107 (1)01049MFRomelle Donovan000000000050FWTrevan Sanusi0000000000
+ Players not included in matchday squadsName32DFMarcel Oakley33MFFinley Thorndike37MFOdin Bailey 40FWAdan George41MFRemi Walker43DFMitchell Roberts45FWKeyendrah Simmonds46MFBrandon Khela
References
External links