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1963–64 Birmingham City F.C. season

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2014}}

{{Use British English|date=December 2014}}

{{Infobox football club season

| club = Birmingham City F.C.

| season = 1963–64

| manager = Gil Merrick

| chairman = Harry Morris, Jr

| stdtitle = Ground

| stadium = St Andrew's

| league = Football League First Division

| league result = 20th

| cup1 = FA Cup

| cup1 result = Third round
(eliminated by Port Vale)

| cup2 = Football League Cup

| cup2 result = Second round
(eliminated by Norwich City)

| league topscorer = Bertie Auld (10)

| season topscorer = Bertie Auld (10)

| highest attendance = 36,847 vs Manchester United, 7 September 1963

| lowest attendance = 13,915 vs Fulham, 21 December 1963

| average attendance = 21,996

| pattern_la1 = _whiteborder

| pattern_b1 = _whitecollar

| pattern_ra1 = _whiteborder

| pattern_sh1 =

| pattern_so1 =

| leftarm1 = 000099

| body1 = 000099

| rightarm1 = 000099

| shorts1 = ffffff

| socks1 = ffffff

| prevseason = 1962–63

| nextseason = 1964–65

}}

The 1963–64 Football League season was Birmingham City Football Club's 61st in the Football League and their 37th in the First Division. They finished in 20th position in the 22-team division, only one point above the relegation places. They lost their opening match in each of the cup competitions, to Port Vale in the third round proper of the 1963–64 FA Cup and to Norwich City in the second round of the League Cup.

Although Birmingham maintained their First Division status, the board of directors asked Gil Merrick to resign as manager.{{cite news |title=Birmingham City ask Merrick to resign |newspaper=The Guardian |date=29 April 1964 |page=16 |quote=Yesterday Mr W. Adams, the secretary of Birmingham City, issued the following statement: 'Mr Gil Merrick met the board this morning who notified him that changes and complete reorganisation of the club were to take place, and asked him to resign. To this Mr Merrick agreed.' }} He had been with the club for 25 years as player – he was first-choice goalkeeper for 14 years and, {{asof|lc=y|2012}}, he held the club's appearance record – and manager, having led Birmingham to the 1961 Fairs Cup Final in his first season and to victory in the 1963 League Cup Final to win the club's first and, until 2011, only major trophy.{{cite web|url=http://www.bcfc.com/page/WhereAreTheyNowDetail/0,,10412~531405,00.html |title=Gil Merrick |first=Peter |last=Lewis |publisher=Birmingham City F.C |access-date=9 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090622073323/http://www.bcfc.com/page/WhereAreTheyNowDetail/0%2C%2C10412~531405%2C00.html |archive-date=22 June 2009 }}
{{cite web|url=http://www.bcfc.com/page/ClubHonours/0,,10412,00.html |title=Birmingham City FC Club Honours |publisher=Birmingham City F.C |access-date=9 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707215807/http://www.bcfc.com/page/ClubHonours/0%2C%2C10412%2C00.html |archive-date=7 July 2011 }} In June, Nottingham Forest's trainer-coach Joe Mallett was brought in with responsibility for "team affairs, including team selection". He was formally appointed manager early in the 1964–65 season.{{cite news |title=Sports news in brief: Association Football |newspaper=The Guardian |date=22 June 1964 |page=10 |quote=J. Mallett, Nottingham Forest's trainer-coach, has been appointed to a similar position at Birmingham City. He will be in charge of team affairs, including team selection.}}
Matthews (1995), p. 62.

Twenty-five players made at least one appearance in nationally organised first-team competition, and there were fifteen different goalscorers. Forward Mike Hellawell played in 42 of the 44 first-team matches over the season, and Bertie Auld finished as leading goalscorer with 10 goals, all scored in league competition.

Football League First Division

{{main|1963–64 Football League}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"|Datescope="col"|League
position		scope="col"|Opponents

!scope="col"|Venue

scope="col"|Resultscope="col"|Score
F–A		scope="col"|Scorers

!scope="col"|Attendance

scope="row"|24 August 1963

|5th||align="left"|Bolton Wanderers||H

|style=background:#cfc|W||2–1||align="left"|Lynn pen, Hellawell

|24,817

scope="row"|28 August 1963

|16th||align="left"|Leicester City||A

|style=background:#fcc|L||0–1||

|27,694

scope="row"|31 August 1963

|18th||align="left"|Fulham||A

|style=background:#fcc|L||1–2||align="left"|Lynn pen

|21,260

scope="row"|4 September 1963

|11th||align="left"|Leicester City||H

|style=background:#cfc|W||2–0||align="left"|Leek, Hellawell

|23,851

scope="row"|7 September 1963

|15th||align="left"|Manchester United||H

|style=background:#ffc|D||1–1||align="left"|Harley

|36,874

scope="row"|11 September 1963

|17th||align="left"|West Bromwich Albion||H

|style=background:#fcc|L||0–1||

|34,666

scope="row"|14 September 1963

|17th||align="left"|Burnley||A

|style=background:#fcc|L||1–2||align="left"|Harris

|20,350

scope="row"|18 September 1963

|18th||align="left"|West Bromwich Albion||A

|style=background:#fcc|L||1–3||align="left"|Harris

|29,662

scope="row"|21 September 1963

|16th||align="left"|Ipswich Town||H

|style=background:#cfc|W||1–0||align="left"|Beard

|19,095

scope="row"|28 September 1963

|18th||align="left"|Sheffield Wednesday||A

|style=background:#fcc|L||1–2||align="left"|Thomson

|18,233

scope="row"|2 October 1963

|19th||align="left"|Tottenham Hotspur||A

|style=background:#fcc|L||1–6||align="left"|Auld

|37,649

scope="row"|5 October 1963

|20th||align="left"|Everton||H

|style=background:#fcc|L||0–2||

|23,593

scope="row"|19 October 1963

|20th||align="left"|Sheffield United||A

|style=background:#fcc|L||0–3||

|18,974

scope="row"|26 October 1963

|20th||align="left"|Wolverhampton Wanderers||H

|style=background:#ffc|D||2–2||align="left"|Harley, Woodfield og

|24,843

scope="row"|2 November 1963

|20th||align="left"|Chelsea||A

|style=background:#cfc|W||3–2||align="left"|Harley, P. Bullock, Auld

|22,974

scope="row"|5 November 1963

|20th||align="left"|Arsenal||A

|style=background:#fcc|L||1–4||align="left"|Bloomfield

|23,499

scope="row"|9 November 1963

|20th||align="left"|Blackpool||H

|style=background:#cfc|W||3–2||align="left"|Bloomfield, Auld, Lynn

|17,536

scope="row"|16 November 1963

|20th||align="left"|Blackburn Rovers||A

|style=background:#fcc|L||0–3||

|14,813

scope="row"|23 November 1963

|20th||align="left"|Nottingham Forest||H

|style=background:#ffc|D||3–3||align="left"|Auld 2, Smith

|18,161

scope="row"|30 November 1963

|20th||align="left"|Stoke City||A

|style=background:#fcc|L||1–4||align="left"|Auld

|27,260

scope="row"|7 December 1963

|20th||align="left"|West Ham United||H

|style=background:#cfc|W||2–1||align="left"|Auld, Lynn pen

|15,483

scope="row"|14 December 1963

|20th||align="left"|Bolton Wanderers||A

|style=background:#cfc|W||2–0||align="left"|Leek, Hellawell

|9,663

scope="row"|21 December 1963

|19th||align="left"|Fulham||H

|style=background:#ffc|D||0–0||

|13,915

scope="row"|28 December 1963

|19th||align="left"|Arsenal||H

|style=background:#fcc|L||1–4||align="left"|Harley

|23,377

scope="row"|11 January 1964

|18th||align="left"|Manchester United||A

|style=background:#cfc|W||2–1||align="left"|M. Bullock, Harley

|44,919

scope="row"|18 January 1964

|18th||align="left"|Burnley||H

|style=background:#ffc|D||0–0||

|15,917

scope="row"|1 February 1964

|19th||align="left"|Ipswich Town||A

|style=background:#fcc|L||2–3||align="left"|Regan, Farmer

|13,349

scope="row"|8 February 1964

|19th||align="left"|Sheffield Wednesday||H

|style=background:#fcc|L||1–2||align="left"|Harley

|15,479

scope="row"|18 February 1964

|20th||align="left"|Everton||A

|style=background:#fcc|L||0–1||

|36,252

scope="row"|22 February 1964

|20th||align="left"|Liverpool||A

|style=background:#fcc|L||1–2||align="left"|Leek

|41,823

scope="row"|29 February 1964

|20th||align="left"|Tottenham Hotspur||H

|style=background:#fcc|L||1–2||align="left"|Thomson

|28,433

scope="row"|7 March 1964

|20th||align="left"|Wolverhampton Wanderers||A

|style=background:#fcc|L||1–5||align="left"|Harley

|16,421

scope="row"|13 March 1964

|20th||align="left"|Blackburn Rovers||H

|style=background:#ffc|D||2–2||align="left"|Leek, Auld

|15,809

scope="row"|20 March 1964

|20th||align="left"|Blackpool||A

|style=background:#fcc|L||0–3||

|10,203

scope="row"|28 March 1964

|20th||align="left"|Chelsea||H

|style=background:#fcc|L||3–4||align="left"|Thwaites 2, Auld

|14,485

scope="row"|30 March 1964

|20th||align="left"|Aston Villa||A

|style=background:#cfc|W||3–0||align="left"|Harris, Hellawell, Lynn pen

|25,797

scope="row"|31 March 1964

|20th||align="left"|Aston Villa||H

|style=background:#ffc|D||3–3||align="left"|Bloomfield, Leek, Lynn pen

|28,069

scope="row"|4 April 1964

|20th||align="left"|Nottingham Forest||A

|style=background:#fcc|L||0–4||

|13,897

scope="row"|11 April 1964

|21st||align="left"|Stoke City||H

|style=background:#fcc|L||0–1||

|19,914

scope="row"|17 April 1964

|21st||align="left"|West Ham United||A

|style=background:#fcc|L||0–5||

|22,106

scope="row"|22 April 1964

|21st||align="left"|Liverpool||H

|style=background:#cfc|W||3–1||align="left"|Leek, Hellawell, Lynn pen

|22,630

scope="row"|25 April 1964

|20th||align="left"|Sheffield United||H

|style=background:#cfc|W||3–0||align="left"|Auld, Smith, Lynn pen

|26,202

=League table (part)=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+Final First Division table (part)

!scope="col"|Pos

!scope="col"|Club

!scope="col"|Pld

!scope="col"|W

!scope="col"|D

!scope="col"|L

!scope="col"|F

!scope="col"|A

!scope="col"|GA

!scope="col"|Pts

scope="row"|18th

|align="left"|Blackpool||42||13||9||20||52||73||0.71||35

scope="row"|19th

|align="left"|Aston Villa||42||11||12||19||62||71||0.87||34

style="font-weight:bold"

!scope="row"|20th

|align="left"|Birmingham City

421172454920.5929
scope="row"|21st

|align="left"|Bolton Wanderers||42||10||8||24||48||80||0.60||28

scope="row"|22nd

|align="left"|Ipswich Town||42||9||7||26||56||121||0.46||25

scope="row"|Key

|colspan="9"| Pos = 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

scope="row"|Source

|colspan="9"|{{cite web |url=http://www.statto.com/football/teams/birmingham-city/1963-1964/table |title=Birmingham City 1963–1964: English Division One (old) Table |publisher=Statto Organisation |access-date=3 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160914162715/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/birmingham-city/1963-1964/table |archive-date=14 September 2016 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}

FA Cup

{{main|1963–64 FA Cup}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"|Round

!scope="col"|Date

scope="col"|Opponentsscope="col"|Venue

!scope="col"|Result

scope="col"|Score
F–A		scope="col"|Scorers

!scope="col"|Attendance

scope="row"|Third round

|align="left"|4 March 1964||align="left"|Port Vale||H

|style=background:#fcc|L||1–2||align="left"|Beard

|21,615

League Cup

{{main|1963–64 Football League Cup}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"|Round

!scope="col"|Date

scope="col"|Opponentsscope="col"|Venue

!scope="col"|Result

scope="col"|Score
F–A		scope="col"|Scorers

!scope="col"|Attendance

scope="row"|Second round

|align="left"|25 September 1963||align="left"|Norwich City||A

|style=background:#fcc|L||0–2||

|16,781

Appearances and goals

:Players marked {{dagger}} left the club during the playing season.

:Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; FB – Full back; HB – Half back; FW – Forward

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|+ Players' appearances and goals by competition

rowspan="2" scope="col" width="40"|{{abbr|Pos.|Playing position}}

!rowspan="2" scope="col" width="60"|{{abbr|Nat.|Nationality}}

!rowspan="2" scope="col" width="150" scope=col|Name

!colspan="2" width="90"|League

!colspan="2" width="90"|FA Cup

!colspan="2" width="90"|League Cup

!colspan="2" width="90"|Total

scope="col"|{{abbr|Apps|Appearances}}scope="col"|Goals

!scope="col"|{{abbr|Apps|Appearances}}

scope="col"|Goals

!scope="col"|{{abbr|Apps|Appearances}}

scope="col"|Goals

!scope="col"|{{abbr|Apps|Appearances}}

scope="col"|Goals
data-sort-value=1|GK{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"|{{sortname|Johnny|Schofield}}

|4

0000040
data-sort-value=1|GK{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"|{{sortname|Colin|Withers}}

|38

01010400
data-sort-value=2|FB{{flag|WAL}}

!scope="row"|{{sortname|Colin|Green}}

|33

01010350
data-sort-value=2|FB{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"|{{sortname|Stan|Lynn}}

|33

81000348
data-sort-value=2|FB{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"|{{sortname|Ray|Martin|dab=association footballer}}

|14

00000140
data-sort-value=2|FB{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"|{{sortname|Brian|Rushton}}

|3

0001040
data-sort-value=3|HB{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"|{{sortname|Malcolm|Beard}}

|36

11110382
data-sort-value=3|HB{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"|{{sortname|Mick|Farmer}}

|1

1000011
data-sort-value=3|HB{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"|{{sortname|Winston|Foster}}

|14

00000140
data-sort-value=3|HB{{flag|WAL}}

!scope="row"|{{sortname|Terry|Hennessey}}

|39

01010410
data-sort-value=3|HB{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"|{{sortname|Trevor|Smith|dab=footballer, born 1936}}

|34

21010362
data-sort-value=4|FW{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"|{{sortname|Geoff|Anderson}}

|1

0000010
data-sort-value=4|FW{{flag|SCO}}

!scope="row"|{{sortname|Bertie|Auld}}

|34

1010003510
data-sort-value=4|FW{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"|{{sortname|Jimmy|Bloomfield}}

|34

31010363
data-sort-value=4|FW{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"|{{sortname|Mickey|Bullock}}

|2

1000021
data-sort-value=4|FW{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"|{{sortname|Peter|Bullock|dab=footballer}}

|11

10000111
data-sort-value=4|FW{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| {{sortname|Greg|Farrell}} {{dagger}}

|2{{efn|name=Farrell}}

0001020
data-sort-value=4|FW{{flag|SCO}}

!scope="row"|{{sortname|Alex|Harley}}

|23

70010247
data-sort-value=4|FW{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"|{{sortname|Jimmy|Harris|dab=footballer, born 1933}}

|5

3000053
data-sort-value=4|FW{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"|{{sortname|Mike|Hellawell}}

|39{{efn|name=Farrell|General source mistakenly includes Hellawell rather than Farrell in the team for the match against Everton in October.{{cite web |url=http://www.enfa.co.uk/playersearch.php |title=Player search: Farrell, GJP (Greg) |website=English National Football Archive |access-date=18 March 2020 |url-access=subscription}}{{cite news |title=Hellawell out |newspaper=Birmingham Post |date=5 October 1963 |page=25 |quote=Birmingham City, at home to Everton, also make one change, Farrell coming in at outside-right in place of Hellawell, who has influenza.}}}}

51010415
data-sort-value=4|FW{{flag|WAL}}

!scope="row"|{{sortname|Ken|Leek}}

|26

61010286
data-sort-value=4|FW{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"|{{sortname|John|Regan|dab=footballer}}

|3

1000031
data-sort-value=4|FW{{flag|SCO}}

!scope="row"|{{sortname|Bobby|Thomson|dab=footballer born 1937}}

|21

21010232
data-sort-value=4|FW{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"|{{sortname|Denis|Thwaites}}

|10

20000102
data-sort-value=4|FW{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"|{{sortname|Johnny|Vincent|dab=footballer}}

|2

0000020

{{notelist}}

See also

Notes

{{notelist}}

References

General

  • {{cite book |last=Matthews |first=Tony |title=Birmingham City: A Complete Record |year=1995 |publisher=Breedon Books |location=Derby |isbn=978-1-85983-010-9}}
  • {{cite book |last=Matthews |first=Tony |title=Birmingham City: The Complete Record |year=2010 |publisher=DB Publishing |location=Derby |isbn=978-1-85983-853-2}}
  • Source for match dates and results: {{cite web |url=http://www.statto.com/football/teams/birmingham-city/1963-1964/results |title=Birmingham City 1963–1964: Results |publisher=Statto Organisation |access-date=12 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304070325/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/birmingham-city/1963-1964/results |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}
  • Source for lineups, appearances, goalscorers and attendances: Matthews (2010), Complete Record, pp. 362–63.
  • Source for kit: [http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Birmingham_City/Birmingham_City.htm "Birmingham City"]. Historical Football Kits. Retrieved 22 May 2018.

Specific

{{reflist}}

{{Birmingham City F.C.}}

{{Birmingham City F.C. seasons}}

{{1963–64 in English football}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1963-64 Birmingham City F.C. season}}

Category:Birmingham City F.C. seasons

Birmingham City