Anyone Fancy a Run?
Our present unbeaten run equalled the run set in the season 1907/8 where we also went 11 unbeaten.
Anyway, it got me thinking, which seasons did we have decent runs? What IS a decent run? I started looking through all our results since 1902, (yes I know, saddo, statto etc.), anyway here are some of my findings.
Rather than use the division’s names, because they have changed over the years, I refer to them as Top Flight, 2nd Tier, 3rd Tier for ease.
I have decided to look at each division in turn, rather than try to compare runs across each of them. So first of all let’s start at the top!
Top Flight
Unfortunately the 1907/8 season’s 11 unbeaten, most of those games were draws and we ended up being relegated from the top flight. (Something Blues fans in future generations got used to!) Just a few seasons earlier in 1904/5 we had an eight game unbeaten run.
There were a number of lean years after that due to relegation, however in 1921/22 and the following season, we did have 5 wins in a row. In 1927/28, 1928/29, 1932/33 1955/56 and 2003/4 in the Premier League we went 7 unbeaten. The 1955/56 season still stands as our best finish in the top flight with us finishing 6th.
As well as 1904/5, we went 8 unbeaten in 1924/25, 1936/37, 1972/73, 1982/83, and 1983/84. Despite the 8 unbeaten in 1983/84 we ended up being relegated! We had a couple of other “8’s” too. In 1978/79 and 1985/86 we LOST 8 in a row. Actually, in the 1985/86 season, we ALSO had a run of 7 defeats. That was REALLY the start of our dark days!
Back onto positives, in the 1977/78 season, we did have a 9 match unbeaten run.
Before this season, our best run of victories was in 2002/3 when we had a 4 win sequence at the end of the season.
This year we have equalled the 1907/8 season with 11 games unbeaten. IF we avoid defeat against Man Utd, we will set a new club record of an unbeaten run in the top flight. Of course our best ever finish is still on, however I doubt we will do that this year. (Or will we???)
2nd Tier
We have often performed well in this division over the years with a number of 7 matches unbeaten, (7 wins in a row in 1914/15), and a fair number of 8 unbeaten, (including an impressive 8 wins in a row in 1946/47), but as we have done even better than that – I’ll focus on 9 and above.
In 1919/20 we went 10 matches unbeaten, however we did even better the following season with a 12 match unbeaten run which included 10 wins in a row, later in the season we then put together a 10 match unbeaten run and not surprisingly, we finished top of the league.
After a considerable gap of time, just after the war, we went on an 11 match unbeaten run during the 1946/47 season. Spin forward over 20 years and during the 1970/71 and 1971/72 seasons we went 14 and 18 matches unbeaten respectively. The latter was a particularly impressive run. We lost our last game that season on January 1st and went all the way through to the season end without losing. That season was even more notable as we made it to the semi-final of the FA cup only to be beat by Leeds.
In 1984/5 we had an amazing season. We had two unbeaten runs of 9 and 8 matches, during the season we had two lots of 5 win and one 6 win sequences. We were promoted from 2nd place.
In the 1992/93 and 1993/4 seasons, the only sequences we saw were x2 runs of 6 loses – one per season. As the 1990’s went on, we were starting to improve and during both of the 1995/96 and 1996/7 seasons, we had a 10 match unbeaten run and during the 1997/98 season, a 9 match run.
We were now in a period when we were regulars in the play-offs. During the 1999/2000 season, we had a 9 match and two 8 match runs with a 5 match run of wins during the 2nd 8. That was the season of the Barnsley play-off game… yeah let’s move on.
The following season, Trevor’s final full season and the Preston penalty debacle, we had a 7 match run – however we did have another 5 match win run.
Our 2001/02 season started really poorly which cost Trevor his job, however as we now know – we finished the season on a fantastic run to go into the play-offs. It was a 10 match run. If you count the play-off success, it was a 13 match run!
Our last season in the 2nd tier, saw us have a 9 and a 7 match run.
3rd Tier
During our 1990/91 and 1991/92 seasons, we managed a 12 match run and 3 lots of 7 match unbeaten runs respectively. These seasons included an 8 match run of draws in the former season and a 5 match winning sequence in the latter. This was probably the lowest point of our history so it was nice to have SOMETHING to cheer about!
Our final season in the 3rd tier was a tremendous one, as we set several club records. We went on a 20 match unbeaten run in the league, a club record. During that run, we actually had a 25 match unbeaten run in all competitions – a club record for all divisions. We also had a 6 match run of clean sheets in the league, equalling a club record for all divisions set during the 1920/21 season and an 9 match run of cleans sheets in all competitions, guess what – yeah a club record.
That season we finished top of the league, and also won the Auto Windscreen Shield at Wembley.
Conclusion
So there you go, my run around our runs over the years, has come to an end. I have used a couple of web sites Statto.com and Soccerbase. I also used the book Birmingham City a Complete Record 1875 – 1989 by Tony Matthews.
I really hope there aren’t any mistakes, but as I’m sure you will appreciate, with everything I’ve looked through, it is a possibility. I will correct anything that needs it.
Anyway, I hope you find it interesting!
Kev
Joys and Sorrows Speak to the Netherlands Supporters Club
Continuing with our focus on the different supporters clubs, this time we speak to Marc who is involved with the Netherlands Supporters Club.
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Merry Christmas one and all, and greetings from the Blues Supporters’ Club in The Netherlands. The Club kicked off seven or eight years ago, and is based in The Hague. Several of us Bluenoses live here, mostly working for international courts and the like. We also have some members who live elsewhere in The Netherlands, but still come to The Hague to watch games together. I’ve been here for ten years, which is probably about par for the club.
We meet at The Shillelaigh Irish pub at Javastraat 94. The landlord keeps a very nice pint, and it’s a good friendly place. As we’re been going there for several years, the Blues game is almost always on live, regardless of which other Premiership games are being shown. Last Tuesday, for example, Blues-Blackburn was on the big screen, while Man U against Wolves was relegated to a small tv above the far end of the bar – despite the fact that the landlord is a Man U fan.
We arrange trips to see Blues in England a couple of times a year, usually to away games. This year we went to Wigan – what a good time that was! – and we’re looking at going to the game at Sunderland in March. People also go over to Brum fairly regularly; one of our members is a season ticket holder.
Netherlands Blues Supporters Club
Needless to say, any Bluenoses who find themselves in or around The Hague on match days are more than welcome to join us!
Marc J
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If you have a supporters club that you would like us to plug, contact me here. Tell me about your club where you are, where you meet etc. Tell me something about you, and if possible a photo.
We have spoken to a number of other supporters clubs, the links to these article are below.
Kev
The Norwegian Supporters Club.
The Middle East Supporters Club.
VIEW FROM THE SOUTH – STOKE vs BIRMINGHAM
Filed under: Blues News, Match reports, Matches, Reports By Bazza
Another match report from Bazza.
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Like many, I cannot believe that I’ve woken up this morning and we remain unbeaten in 11 games a record since the 1907-08 season when we only won three games in that 11 game spell and got relegated at the end of the season to boot! I had the company of my eldest son for the 171 miles trip to Stoke-on-Trent which made what would have been a dull trudge up the motorways of England a lot more enjoyable. My son is home from University for Christmas and it was good to have him along for the trip as so often in the past but he has the added value of being of an age now where he can share the driving.
It was a cold but bright day and we arrived in time to grab a drink and a bite to eat at the Harvester pub right outside the ground. Sadly, for the first time this season I encountered the only bit of unpleasantness from an opposition fan this year when walking towards the ground a Stoke fan spat in the direction of my son but fortunately missed. His smug, self satisfied grin would have been wiped off his face had he hit the target as my boy is over 6 foot 2 and has a strong sense of moral justice.
The Britannia is a modern stadium, a far cry from the old Victoria ground and when full it packs a punch as far as atmosphere is concerned and the Potters fans do everything in their power to make sure that an intimidating, hostile welcome is afforded to visitors, an attitude mirrored by their team who are highly physical and rely heavily on muscular wearing down of the opposition. They have a simple ideology; win as many set pieces as possible, launch them into the opposition box and win the headers both primary and secondary. Corners and free kicks added to Delap’s long throw-ins from both flanks all add up to a continual aerial bombardment and so it was to prove for the Birmingham defence in this game. This strategy is of course what has brought Stoke their success but I fear that sides are beginning to suss them out and devise plans to counteract it.
The game went very much as I expected and it was a matter of concern whether Blues could stand firm after an exhausting schedule culminating in the energy sapping draw against the League leaders in our last match. I needn’t of worried as once again the back four protected by the terrier like Bowyer and the imperious Barry Ferguson stood up to the challenge without once blinking. They simply refused to be bullied by their tall, physical opponents even when there was a mismatch in height as Stephen Carr found when up against just about anybody in the Stoke side.
A special mention has to go to Scott Dann who seemed to head just about everything launched at us. He was brave to the point of reckless with regard to his own safety at times and this comment does not detract from the huge contribution made by his fellow central defender Roger Johnson and like our manager I am running out of superlatives to describe these boys at the moment. Nevertheless, teams need a little bit of luck when continually bombarded as Stoke are wont to do and Huth and Shawcross both missed excellent chances to score from close range from corners especially the latter who surprised by the fact that the ball got to him two yards out at the far post failed to react in time and the ball sped by and away to safety.
The breakthrough came for Blues in the fourth minute of the second half when following a blocked goal bound shot from Benitez that flew over the bar off Delap, the resulting corner to the far post was headed back across goal by Johnson. It hit the unlucky Shawcross and Cameron Jerome was first to react and smashed the ball against Sorenson from two yards. The ex-Villa man was unable to keep the shot out and he could only parry it into his inside netting. This was all happening at the other end of the pitch to where the faithful stood and it took what seemed like eternity to register with us that we had actually scored and the celebrations that ensued were in reaction to the players wheeling away with their arms aloft.
I must confess that I thought Chucho had had his initial shot saved and Jerome must have followed up given that he was credited with the goal by the stadium announcer; in short I hadn’t a scooby what had occurred until I saw it on MotD later in the evening. No matter, it was a goal but its timing meant that we had an awfully long period to hold out and the inevitable onslaught from Stoke came in short order.
Joe Hart made two fabulous saves from Etherington and Faye whose goal bound header was brilliantly fended off at the foot of the post by Hart’s powerful right wrist. These were to prove to be match winning moments. After this ten minute flurry, Stoke continued to huff and puff but could not break down the resolute Blues defence.
Tony Pulis moaned about the referee saying that officials were not giving his team fair shares as they want to show they can’t be influenced by the frenzied Stoke support. This is nonsense of course but he had a point about the shirt pulling by Carr on Huth which was pretty blatant. What was glossed over by Pulis and the MotD pundits was that Huth was fouling Carr before the incident. However, Carr was lucky to get away with the shirt pull and he would have had to have gone off if the referee had decided to act having already been yellow carded earlier for dissent following a simply appalling decision when a free kick was awarded against him when it was he who had been clearly fouled. The other thing that the BBC also failed to highlight was the clear foul on Benitez in the box when the Ecuadorian shaped to shoot in the box at the end of the first half. This was a clear penalty so it evens out I suppose.
Tony Pulis can have no complaints about this result or the fact that his team have only one win in nine games. They are a strong powerful team but lack creativity and guile in their midfield. The one dimensional, direct approach may have worked in their first season in the Premier League but they have as I’ve suggested been rumbled and unless they adapt a struggle in the second half of the season is what they can expect. I don’t expect that they will be in relegation trouble however; they will have too much power for teams in the lower reaches of the division for that despite their limitations.
As for Blues, this fine run must be kept in perspective. There is a lot of work to do to improve the team and mould them into the sort of side that can appear regularly in the top half of the table. A top striker, creative midfielder and a proper left full back and perhaps a wide man with pace should be the priorities in that order. This squad needs improving not disrupting. 40 points is the only objective at this juncture.
Happy New Year to noses everywhere!
KRO SOTV
Stoke City vs Birmingham – Brief post match thoughts
So another game, another win, another clean sheet. Eleven games unbeaten which is our best top flight return for a hundred years. The statistics keep on coming, we really are in dreamland. Thirty two points already. Even the most pessimistic of fans must have stopped talking about relegation.
Today’s game was scrappy and we were definitely lucky not to concede a penalty when Carr pulled backed Huth. Only the referee knows why that wasn’t given. Stoke also missed a couple of chances and Joe Hart was excellent again. A couple more cracking saves has got everybody talking about him being the first choice England keeper in South Africa. The downside is that the more his stock rises the less chance we have to keep him when his loan runs out.
So not a great performance but while we remain so difficult to beat we only need the odd chance in games to get the points. I’ve no idea where we will end up this season, I’m just enjoying the ride. Now for a cup run!
Chelsea came, Chelsea saw and Roger Johnson Conquered
Filed under: Articles by Dale Moon, Blues News, Match reports, Matches
Here is Dale’s thoughts post Chelsea game.
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As Roger Johnson rose above Drogba to power clear one of his 50 or more defensive headers during the second half of the game, it seemed to capture in essence how the match unveiled. Chelsea came with the Lampards, Terry’s and Drogba’s and were haulted by the most passionate, gritty and determined performance by 11 nasty little so and so’s. For all his quality, ability and unplayable traits, Drogba goes from the sublime to the ridicules more times than Benitez is flagged offside! He huffed and he puffed and apart from zipping a volley wide in the first half, there was no chance of him blowing our house down! He moaned to the ref about the Blues defenders but unfortunately for the Ivory Coast talisman, he met his nemesis.
Week after week, game after game, Roger Johnson overcomes all human capabilities to head, kick, scramble, tackle, block and clear everything within a 2 mile radius of the 18 yard box. If appearing on the 90’s game show “The Gladiators”, he would be that final man, waiting for the contestant at the end of the 5 man gauntlet. Then and again, if this became apparent, nobody would actually be able to run the gauntlet without being completely obliterated! Just when it looked like Blues were calved open by a rare piece of Chelsea’s fluid passing and movement, Roger Johnson launches himself into the oncoming Ashley Cole with the most last ditch of last ditch challenges. A volleyed clearance away from Drogba in his 6 yard box in the first half, a headed clearance near his goal line in the second, the examples are endless. As a fan, it has come to a point where you want to just grab him, shake his hand and thank him! It’s as if he is a lifelong fan of the club who has been put on the pitch to go and show the Premier league what all Blues fan’s would be like if they ever got the chance to grace the St.Andrews turf. If I was Fabio Capello watching the game and observed both Birmingham’s Roger Johnson and Chelsea’s John Terry, there would only be one winner based on their performances. Okay Johnson was the busier of the two and that was expected but even so he dwarfed the performance of Chelsea’s so called “Ironman”. Yet again, I find myself writing about Johnson’s performance, a man who is starting to steal the show at what has been for the last ten games, a very entertaining spectacle.
Another player who proved his worth against Chelsea with a string of acrobatic and rapid reaction saves was Joe Hart. Two stand out for me. Pushing Daniel Sturridge’s whipped effort past the post was unbelievable as it was destined to nestle in the bottom corner but this was outdone as he spurred Chelsea’s best chance of the game. Lampard was kept onside by Stephen Carr and was all of 10 yards out with only Joe Hart to beat. And yet, the young England keeper reacted to a vicious shot from the usually prolific Chelsea midfielder from the shortest of distances to palm the shot away. For all his troubles he even managed to look heroic after receiving the old “Terry Butcher” bandage treatment around the head as a result of getting caught by an onrushing Chelsea forward. Hart had been subject to come uncertainty amongst some Blues fans earlier in the season but based on Boxing Day’s performance he was nothing short of superb and has staked a very firm claim for a place on the plane to South Africa.
Fans left the ground yesterday, thoroughly entertained and all in all very happy with a point. Ok Benitez was onside but so was Louis Saha’s disallowed goal the previous week as McLeish correctly pointed out. The score will say a 0-0 draw, but the game was full of saves, last ditch tackles, disallowed goals and red cards. . .
Oh and it was also full to the brim with one very hard hitting Roger Johnson in top class form.
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