The 1988–89 Football League season was Birmingham City Football Club's 86th in the Football League and their 26th in the Second Division. They finished in 23rd position in the division, expanded for this season to 24 teams as part of a restructuring process, so were relegated to the Third Division for the first time in the club's history. They entered the 1988–89 FA Cup in the third round proper and lost to Wimbledon in that round, were eliminated at the second-round stage of the League Cup by local rivals Aston Villa 7–0 over two legs, and lost in the first round of the Full Members' Cup, again to Aston Villa, this time by six goals to nil.
The top scorers in league matches were Steve Whitton and Colin Robinson with five goals apiece; Whitton scored six, if goals scored in all competitions are counted. The average attendance, of 6,289, was the lowest ever at St Andrew's.Matthews (2010), Complete Record, p. 412.
In April 1989, Ken Wheldon sold the club to the Kumar brothers, owners of a Manchester-based fashion and leisurewear company. Dave Mackay was brought in as general manager, previous manager Garry Pendrey refused to stay on as part of Mackay's staff, and Wheldon retained a seat on the board while Samesh Kumar became chairman.Matthews (1995), Complete Record, pp. 44–46.
Football League Second Division
DateLeaguepositionOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendance27 August 198822ndWatfordAL0–112,6563 September 198822ndLeicester CityHL2–3Walsh og, Robinson7,93210 September 198824thOldham AthleticAL0–45,81017 September 198820thSunderlandHW3–2Childs, Atkins, Robinson6,87120 September 198822ndWalsallAL0–58,78024 September 198823rdBlackburn RoversAL0–37,5621 October 198824thBarnsleyHL3–5Atkins, Robinson, Langley4,8924 October 198824thPlymouth ArgyleHL0–14,4358 October 198822ndAFC BournemouthAW1–0Frain6,18615 October 198822ndWest Bromwich AlbionHL1–4Bremner10,45322 October 198824thManchester CityAD0–020,20525 October 198824thStoke CityHL0–16,26229 October 198824thSwindon TownAL1–2Atkins pen6,9375 November 198824thPortsmouthHD0–05,86612 November 198824thOxford UnitedAL0–35,60019 November 198824thHull CityAD1–1Langley5,13422 November 198824thLeeds UnitedHD0–06,16826 November 198824thIpswich TownHW1–0Whitton5,9323 December 198824thBradford CityAD2–2Whitton, Richards9,50310 December 198824thCrystal PalaceHL0–16,52316 December 198824thChelseaHL1–4Whitton7,89726 December 198823rdShrewsbury TownAD0–07,34731 December 198823rdBrighton & Hove AlbionAL0–49,3242 January 198823rdOldham AthleticHD0–05,99814 January 198923rdLeeds UnitedAL0–121,84321 January 198923rdWatfordHL2–3Whitton 2 (1 pen)6,3964 February 198923rdPlymouth ArgyleAW1–0Robinson7,72111 February 198923rdAFC BournemouthHL0–16,44418 February 198923rdManchester CityHL0–211,70725 February 198923rdWest Bromwich AlbionAD0–016,14828 February 198924thStoke CityAL0–17,9044 March 198924thOxford UnitedHD0–0Whitton4,95411 March 198924thPortsmouthAL0–18,11018 March 198923rdWalsallHW1–0Wigley6,55825 March 198924thLeicester CityAL0–29,46427 March 198924thShrewsbury TownHL1–2Sturridge4,9641 April 198924thSunderlandAD2–2Frain, Yates10,9274 April 198924thChelseaAL1–3Richards14,7968 April 198924thBrighton & Hove AlbionHL1–2Sturridge4,57915 April 198924thBarnsleyAD0–06,46418 April 198924thSwindon TownHL1–2Peer4,02622 April 198924thBlackburn RoversHW2–0Robinson, Yates5,81329 April 198924thIpswich TownAL0–49,9981 May 198923rdBradford CityHW1–0Frain4,7356 May 198923rdHull CityHW1–0Yates4,68613 May 198923rdCrystal PalaceAL1–4Sturridge17,581
League table (part)
+Final Second Division table (part)Team20thPortsmouth461312215362−95121stHull City461114215268−164722ndShrewsbury Town46818204067−274223rdBirmingham City46811273176−453524thWalsall46516254180−3931
Results summary
FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendanceThird round7 January 1989WimbledonHL0–110,431
League Cup
RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendanceFirst round 1st leg30 August 1988Wolverhampton WanderersAL2–3Thompson og, Bird11,007First round 2nd leg6 September 1988Wolverhampton WanderersHW1–0Whitton8,981Second round 1st leg27 September 1988Aston VillaHL0–221,177Second round 2nd leg12 October 1988Aston VillaAL0–519,753
Full Members' Cup
RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendanceFirst round9 November 1988Aston VillaAL0–68,324
Appearances and goals
Numbers in parentheses denote appearances made as a substitute. Players marked left the club during the playing season. Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; DF – Defender; MF – Midfielder; FW – Forward
+ Players' appearances and goals by competitionNameLeagueFA CupLeague CupFull Members' CupTotalGoalsGoalsGoalsGoalsGoalsGK Tony Elliott 0000100010GK Tony Godden70003000100GK Roger Hansbury3010000040GK Martin Thomas360000010370DF Kevin Ashley150100000151DF Adrian Bird11 (1)000211014 (1)1DF Ian Clarkson9 (1)000200011 (1)0DF Matthew Fox3000000030DF Vince Overson410103000450DF Ray Ranson 170004000210DF Brian Roberts410103010460DF John Trewick 10 (1)010100012 (1)0MF Ian Atkins433004010483MF Des Bremner28 (1)1101 (2)01031 (3)1MF Micky Burton0 (4)00000000 (4)0MF Gary Childs16 (7)1000 (1)01017 (8)1MF John Frain283003010323MF Robert Hopkins9000000090MF Kevin Langley34 (2)210301039 (2)2MF Ronnie Morris3 (7)0002 (1)00 (1)05 (9)0MF Dean Peer15 (2)100200017 (2)1MF Paul Tait6 (4)01000007 (4)0MF Steve Wigley 331104010391MF Mark Yates16 (3)30 (1)0101018 (4)3FW Carl Richards18 (1)200000018 (1)2FW Colin Robinson31 (2)510400036 (2)5FW Guy Russell 00000 (1)0000 (1)0FW Simon Sturridge13 (8)3000 (1)01014 (9)3FW Steve Whitton 235102 (1)10026 (1)6
See also Birmingham City F.C. seasons
Sources
For match dates, league positions and results: For lineups, appearances, goalscorers and attendances: Matthews (2010), Complete Record, pp. 412–13, 480.
References