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1977–78 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 = 1977–78

| manager = {{ublist|Willie Bell|(until September 1977)|Sir Alf Ramsey|(until March 1978)|Jim Smith}}

| chairman = Keith Coombs

| stdtitle = Ground

| stadium = St Andrew's

| league = Football League First Division

| league result = 11th

| cup1 = FA Cup

| cup1 result = Fourth round
(eliminated by Derby County)

| cup2 = League Cup

| cup2 result = Second round
(eliminated by Notts County)

| cup3 = Anglo-Scottish Cup

| cup3 result = Group stage

| league topscorer = {{nowrap|Trevor Francis (25)}}

| season topscorer = Trevor Francis (29)

| highest attendance = 33,679 vs Aston Villa, 25 February 1978

| lowest attendance = 9,512 vs Bristol City, Anglo-Scottish Cup, 12 August 1977

| average attendance = 23,910

| pattern_la1 =_whitelines

| pattern_b1 =_shoulder_stripes_white_stripes

| pattern_ra1 =_whitelines

| pattern_sh1 =_blue_stripes_adidas

| pattern_so1 =_color_3_stripes_blue

| leftarm1 =0000ff

| body1 =0000ff

| rightarm1 =0000ff

| prevseason = 1976–77

| nextseason = 1978–79

}}

The 1977–78 Football League season was Birmingham City Football Club's 75th in the Football League and their 44th in the First Division. They finished in 11th position in the 22-team division. They entered the 1977–78 FA Cup at the third round proper and lost to Derby County in the fourth, and lost to Notts County in their opening second-round match in the League Cup. They entered the Anglo-Scottish Cup but failed to progress past the group stage.

Twenty-two players made at least one appearance in nationally organised first-team competition, and there were ten different goalscorers. Forward pairing Keith Bertschin and Trevor Francis played in all 48 first-team matches of the season – midfielder Terry Hibbitt missed only one – and Francis was the club's top scorer with 29 goals, of which 25 were scored in the league. Both Francis and Hibbitt had been ever-present in the previous season.

After defeats in the first four league matches of the season, Willie Bell was sacked in September and succeeded by former England national manager Sir Alf Ramsey, a member of the club's board of directors. Ramsey lasted only six months, leaving the club ostensibly for health reasons,{{cite web|url=http://www.bcfc.com/page/PastManagers/0,,10412,00.html |title=Birmingham City Managers |publisher=Birmingham City F.C |access-date=17 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120212121645/http://www.bcfc.com/page/PastManagers/0%2C%2C10412%2C00.html |archive-date=12 February 2012 }} but his biography suggests he was "locked in an increasingly bitter three-way dispute with his star player, Trevor Francis, and the board". After initially accepting a transfer request from Francis, the board changed their minds, reluctant to "incur the wrath of already disgruntled fans", so Ramsey handed in his notice.{{cite book |last=McKinstry |first=Leo |title=Sir Alf |publisher=Harper Sport |location=London |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-00-719378-3 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/siralf00leom/page/485 485]–87 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/siralf00leom}} The Times reported that "Sir Alf said he told the board [in February] that he intended to quit and sever his links with the club. ... He said at a board meeting on February 20 he recommended both Francis and the defender, Joe Gallagher, should be transfer listed. The board agreed but three days later changed their minds about Francis. Sir Alf said he then decided to opt out because of the board's policy."{{cite news |title=Francis issue caused Sir Alf to quit |newspaper=The Times |date=9 March 1978 |page=14}} Blackburn Rovers manager Jim Smith took over, having decided, according to the Rovers' website, that "Birmingham City offered better career prospects".{{cite web |url=http://www.rovers.co.uk/page/ThroughTheYears/0,,10303~78858,00.html |title=1975–1984: The bald eagle has landed |publisher=Blackburn Rovers F.C |date=2 July 2007 |access-date=17 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217085216/http://www.rovers.co.uk/page/ThroughTheYears/0%2C%2C10303~78858%2C00.html |archive-date=17 February 2012 |df=dmy }}

Football League First Division

{{main|1977–78 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"|20 August 1977

|21st||align="left"|Manchester United||H

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

|28,005

scope="row"|24 August 1977

|22nd||align="left"|Chelsea||A

|style="background:#fcc"|L||0–2||

|18,108

scope="row"|27 August 1977

|22nd||align="left"|Leeds United||A

|style="background:#fcc"|L||0–1||

|24,551

scope="row"|3 September 1977

|22nd||align="left"|Liverpool||H

|style="background:#fcc"|L||0–1||

|28,239

scope="row"|10 September 1977

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

|style="background:#cfc"|W||2–1||align="left"|Francis 2

|19,240

scope="row"|17 September 1977

|18th||align="left"|Newcastle United||H

|style="background:#cfc"|W||3–0||align="left"|Connolly, Bertschin 2

|19,259

scope="row"|24 September 1977

|19th||align="left"|West Bromwich Albion||A

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

|29,115

scope="row"|1 October 1977

|16th||align="left"|Aston Villa||A

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

|45,436

scope="row"|4 October 1977

|13th||align="left"|Queens Park Rangers||H

|style="background:#cfc"|W||2–1||align="left"|Francis 2

|21,304

scope="row"|8 October 1977

|16th||align="left"|Coventry City||H

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

|27,412

scope="row"|15 October 1977

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

|style="background:#fcc"|L||2–5||align="left"|Francis 2

|21,313

scope="row"|22 October 1977

|15th||align="left"|Derby County||H

|style="background:#cfc"|W||3–1||align="left"|Hibbitt 2, Towers

|23,108

scope="row"|29 October 1977

|14th||align="left"|Arsenal||A

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

|31,355

scope="row"|5 November 1977

|11th||align="left"|Wolverhampton Wanderers||H

|style="background:#cfc"|W||2–1||align="left"|Francis, Hibbitt

|28,103

scope="row"|12 November 1977

|14th||align="left"|Everton||A

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

|37,743

scope="row"|19 November 1977

|14th||align="left"|Leicester City||H

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

|21,208

scope="row"|26 November 1977

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

|style="background:#fcc"|L||0–1||

|16,800

scope="row"|3 December 1977

|16th||align="left"|Nottingham Forest||H

|style="background:#fcc"|L||0–2||

|29,925

scope="row"|10 December 1977

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

|style="background:#fcc"|L||0–3||

|36,671

scope="row"|17 December 1977

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

|style="background:#ffc"|D||0–0||

|22,177

scope="row"|26 December 1977

|18th||align="left"|West Ham United||A

|style="background:#fcc"|L||0–1||

|25,572

scope="row"|27 December 1977

|18th||align="left"|Bristol City||H

|style="background:#cfc"|W||3–0||align="left"|Gallagher, Towers, Francis

|24,110

scope="row"|31 December 1977

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

|style="background:#fcc"|L||4–5||align="left"|Bertschin, Francis 2, Hibbitt

|19,876

scope="row"|2 January 1978

|16th||align="left"|Manchester United||A

|style="background:#cfc"|W||2–1||align="left"|Dillon, Francis

|53,501

scope="row"|14 January 1978

|18th||align="left"|Leeds United||H

|style="background:#fcc"|L||2–3||align="left"|Bertschin, Connolly

|23,703

scope="row"|21 January 1978

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

|style="background:#cfc"|W||3–2||align="left"|Emmanuel, Bertschin, Francis

|48,401

scope="row"|4 February 1978

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

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

|14,302

scope="row"|25 February 1978

|17th||align="left"|Aston Villa||H

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

|33,679

scope="row"|28 February 1978

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

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

|26,633

scope="row"|4 March 1978

|18th||align="left"|Coventry City||A

|style="background:#fcc"|L||0–4||

|22,925

scope="row"|15 March 1978

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

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

|19,486

scope="row"|18 March 1978

|18th||align="left"|Derby County||A

|style="background:#cfc"|W||3–1||align="left"|Connolly, Francis, Bertschin

|19,843

scope="row"|21 March 1978

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

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

|22,087

scope="row"|25 March 1978

|15th||align="left"|Bristol City||A

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

|21,434

scope="row"|28 March 1978

|13th||align="left"|West Ham United||H

|style="background:#cfc"|W||3–0||align="left"|Francis 2 (1 pen), Bertschin

|23,554

scope="row"|1 April 1978

|12th||align="left"|Wolverhampton Wanderers||A

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

|19,926

scope="row"|8 April 1978

|12th||align="left"|Norwich City||H

|style="background:#cfc"|W||2–1||align="left"|Gallagher, Francis

|20,858

scope="row"|11 April 1978

|10th||align="left"|Ipswich Town||H

|style="background:#ffc"|D||0–0||

|19,289

scope="row"|15 April 1978

|9th||align="left"|Leicester City||A

|style="background:#cfc"|W||4–1||align="left"|Hibbitt, Pendrey, Bertschin, Francis

|15,431

scope="row"|22 April 1978

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

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

|25,294

scope="row"|25 April 1978

|11th||align="left"|Queens Park Rangers||A

|style="background:#ffc"|D||0–0||

|16,049

scope="row"|29 April 1978

|11th||align="left"|Nottingham Forest||A

|style="background:#ffc"|D||0–0||

|37,625

=League table (part)=

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

|+Final First Division table (part){{cite web |url=http://www.statto.com/football/teams/birmingham-city/1977-1978/table |title=Birmingham City 1977–1978 : English Division One (old) Table |publisher=Statto Organisation |access-date=17 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151005080925/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/birmingham-city/1977-1978/table |archive-date=5 October 2015}}

!scope="col"|{{abbr|Pos|League position}}

!scope="col"|Team

!scope="col"|{{abbr|Pld|Played}}

!scope="col"|{{abbr|W|Won}}

!scope="col"|{{abbr|D|Drawn}}

!scope="col"|{{abbr|L|Lost}}

!scope="col"|{{abbr|GF|Goals for}}

!scope="col"|{{abbr|GA|Goals against}}

!scope="col"|{{abbr|GD|Goal difference}}

!scope="col"|{{abbr|Pts|Points}}

scope="row"|9th

|align="left"|Leeds United||42||18||10||14||63||53||+10||46

scope="row"|10th

|align="left"|Manchester United||42||16||10||16||67||63||+4||42

style="font-weight:bold"

!scope="row"|11th

|align="left"|Birmingham City

42169175560−541
scope="row"|12th

|align="left"|Derby County||42||14||13||15||54||59||−5||41

scope="row"|13th

|align="left"|Norwich City||42||11||18||13||52||66||−14||40

FA Cup

{{main|1977–78 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"|7 January 1978||align="left"|Wigan Athletic||H

|style="background:#cfc"|W||4–0||align="left"|Francis 2, Bertschin 2

|29,202

scope="row"|Fourth round

|align="left"|1 February 1978||align="left"|Derby County||A

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

|31,955

League Cup

{{main|1977–78 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"|30 August 1977||align="left"|Notts County||H

|style="background:#fcc"|L||0–2||

|14,993

Anglo-Scottish Cup

{{main|1977–78 Anglo-Scottish 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"|Group stage

|align="left"|5 August 1977||align="left"|Plymouth Argyle||A

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

|5,176

scope="row"|Group stage

|align="left"|9 August 1977||align="left"|Bristol Rovers||A

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

|2,317

scope="row"|Group stage

|align="left"|12 August 1977||align="left"|Bristol City||H

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

|9,512

Appearances and goals

:Numbers in parentheses denote appearances made as a substitute.

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

:Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; DF – Defender; MF – Midfielder; FW – Forward

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

|+ Players' appearances and goals by competition

rowspan="2" scope="col" width="50"|{{abbr|Pos.|Playing position}}

!rowspan="2" scope="col" width="75"|{{abbr|Nat.|Nationality}}

!rowspan="2" scope="col" width="180" scope=col|Name

!colspan="2"|League

!colspan="2"|FA Cup

!colspan="2"|League Cup

!colspan="2"|Anglo-Scottish Cup

!colspan="2"|Total

scope="col" width="55"|{{abbr|Apps|Appearances}}scope="col" width="45"|Goals

!scope="col" width="55"|{{abbr|Apps|Appearances}}

scope="col" width="45"|Goals

!scope="col" width="55"|{{abbr|Apps|Appearances}}

scope="col" width="45"|Goals

!scope="col" width="55"|{{abbr|Apps|Appearances}}

scope="col" width="45"|Goals

!scope="col" width="55"|{{abbr|Apps|Appearances}}

scope="col" width="45"|Goals
GK{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Dave Latchford

|1

000000010
GK{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Jimmy Montgomery

|41

0101030460
GK{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Steve Smith {{dagger}}

|0

010000010
DF{{flag|SCO}}

!scope="row"| Jimmy Calderwood

|36

020100 (1)039 (1)0
DF{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Joe Gallagher

|21

3200000233
DF{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Pat Howard

|35

0201000380
DF{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Garry Pendrey

|37

1101030421
DF{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Mick Rathbone

|2

000002040
DF{{flag|SCO}}

!scope="row"| Ricky Sbragia

|5

100002071
DF{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Archie Styles

|5 (1)

01000006 (1)0
DF{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Tony Want {{dagger}}

|18

0001030220
MF{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Kevan Broadhurst

|9 (1)

00000009 (1)0
MF{{flag|SCO}}

!scope="row"| John Connolly

|12 (8)

410003016 (8)4
MF{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Kevin Dillon

|16 (1)

120000018 (1)2
MF{{flag|WAL}}

!scope="row"| Gary Emmanuel

|20 (2)

110000021 (2)1
MF{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Steve Fox

|10 (1)

000000010 (1)0
MF{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Terry Hibbitt

|41

6201030476
MF{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Gary Jones {{dagger}}

|3 (2)

00000306 (2)0
MF{{flag|WAL}}

!scope="row"| Malcolm Page

|29 (1)

000103033 (1)0
MF{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Tony Towers

|37 (1)

220102042 (1)2
FW{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Keith Bertschin

|42

112310304814
FW{{flag|ENG}}

!scope="row"| Trevor Francis

|42

252210324829

See also

Sources

  • {{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}}
  • For match dates and results: {{cite web |url=http://www.statto.com/football/teams/birmingham-city/1977-1978/results |title=Birmingham City 1977–1978 : Results |publisher=Statto Organisation |access-date=17 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151212121900/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/birmingham-city/1977-1978/results |archive-date=12 December 2015}}
  • For lineups, appearances, goalscorers and attendances: Matthews (2010), Complete Record, pp. 390–91, 478.

References

{{reflist}}

{{Birmingham City F.C.}}

{{Birmingham City F.C. seasons}}

{{1977–78 in English football}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1977-78 Birmingham City F.C. season}}

Category:Birmingham City F.C. seasons

Birmingham City