Birmingham City F.C. league record by opponent

Birmingham City Football Club, an English association football club based in the city of Birmingham, was founded in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance. For their first thirteen years, there was no league football, so matches were arranged on an occasional basis, supplemented by cup competitions organised at both local and national level. In 1888, Small Heath joined the Combination, a league set up to provide organised football for those clubs not invited to join the Football League which was to start the same year. However, the Combination was not well organised, and folded in April 1889 with many fixtures still outstanding.[1] Small Heath were founder members of the Football Alliance in 1889, and three years later were elected to the newly formed Second Division of the Football League. They topped the table in their first season, though failed to win promotion via the test match system then in operation, but reached the top flight for the first time in 1894.[2] Since that time, they have not fallen below the third tier of the English football league system, and were promoted to the Premier League for the first time for the 2002–03 season.

A faded photograph of a posed group of men, outdoors. At the front are six men sitting on benches and two seated on the ground, each dressed in sports clothing, a light-coloured shirt with darker trim, white shorts, dark socks and boots. Standing at the back are eight men, some bearded, wearing hats and coats, and three men in sports clothing. In front of the men is a large trophy in the form of a shield.
Small Heath F.C. pictured in 1893 with the Football League Second Division trophy

Birmingham's first team have competed in a number of nationally contested leagues, and their record against each club faced in those competitions is summarised below. The opening match of the 1889–90 Football Alliance season pitted them against near neighbours Birmingham St George's,[3] their first Football League match was against Burslem Port Vale,[4] and they met their 111th and most recent different league opponent, Stevenage, for the first time in the 2024–25 EFL League One season. The team that Birmingham have played most in league competition is Manchester City, whom they first met as Ardwick in the 1891–92 Football Alliance season. Wolverhampton Wanderers have beaten Birmingham 62 times in the league, more than any other team: they overtook Manchester City's total of 60 victories in the 2017–18 EFL Championship season. Derby County have drawn 36 league encounters with Birmingham, one more than Everton and West Bromwich Albion. Birmingham have recorded more league victories against Leicester City than against any other club, having beaten them 50 times out of 126 attempts.

All statistics are correct up to and including the match played against Portsmouth F.C. on 2 May 2026, the final day of the 2025–26 EFL Championship regular season.

  • The table includes results of matches played by Birmingham City's first team (under that name and under its former names, Birmingham and Small Heath) in the Football Alliance, the Football League and the Premier League. Matches from uncompleted competitions  the abandoned 1939–40 Football League season and the unfinished 1888–89 season in the Combination  are excluded, as are test matches, Football League play-offs, and matches in the various wartime competitions.
  • The name used for each opponent is the name they had when Birmingham City most recently played a league match against them. Results against each opponent include results against that club under any former name. For example, results against Leyton Orient include matches played against Orient (1966–1987) and Clapton Orient (before 1945).
  • The columns headed "First" and "Last" contain the first and most recent seasons in which Birmingham City played league matches against each opponent.
  • P = matches played; W = matches won; D = matches drawn; L = matches lost; Win% = percentage of total matches won
  •    Clubs with this coloured background and marked in the "Opponent" column are Birmingham City's divisional rivals in the current 2026–27 EFL Championship season.
  •    Clubs with this coloured background and marked in the "Opponent" column are defunct.

All-time league record

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Birmingham City F.C. league record by opponent
Opponent P W D L P W D L P W D L Win% First Last Notes
Home Away Total
AFC Bournemouth 9036 9306 183312016.67 1987–88 2021–22
Arsenal 62301517 6241840 124343357027.42 1893–94 2010–11 [A]
Aston Villa 58221620 58141529 116363149031.03 1894–95 2018–19
Barnsley 4122910 41181013 82401923048.78 1898–99 2024–25
Birmingham St George's 3111 3003 6114016.67 1889–90 1891–92
Blackburn Rovers 65371711 6591640 130463351035.38 1894–95 2025–26
Blackpool 46241111 46101125 92342236036.96 1896–97 2024–25
Bolton Wanderers 65341516 65101936 130443452033.85 1894–95 2024–25
Bootle 4310 4211 8521062.50 1889–90 1892–93
Bradford City 11740 11443 221183050.00 1921–22 2001–02
Bradford Park Avenue 8413 8242 16655037.50 1908–09 1947–48
Brentford 211056 211155 42211011050.00 1935–36 2020–21
Brighton & Hove Albion 13454 13238 266812023.08 1980–81 2016–17
Bristol City 3619116 3616614 72351720048.61 1902–03 2025–26
Bristol Rovers 7430 7151 14581035.71 1953–54 2024–25
Burnley 47231014 4781227 94312241032.98 1894–95 2022–23
Burton Albion 3111 3102 6213033.33 2016–17 2024–25
Burton Swifts 8701 8611 161312081.25 1891–92 1900–01
Burton United 1100 1100 2200100.00 1902–03 1902–03
Burton Wanderers 1100 1100 2200100.00 1896–97 1896–97
Bury 3216511 3210418 6426929040.63 1895–96 1998–99
Cambridge United 5212 5302 10514050.00 1979–80 2024–25
Cardiff City 4018148 4011524 80291932036.25 1920–21 2023–24
Carlisle United 9612 9225 18837044.44 1965–66 1984–85
Charlton Athletic 3416117 3451118 68212225030.88 1936–37 2025–26
Chelsea 41141215 4161223 82202438024.39 1907–08 2010–11
Chester City 4310 4301 8611075.00 1989–90 1994–95
Chesterfield 7430 7241 14671042.86 1899–1900 1950–51 [B]
Colchester United 1100 1010 2110050.00 2006–07 2006–07
Coventry City 291496 298912 58221818037.93 1919–20 2025–26
Crawley Town 1010 1100 2110050.00 2024–25 2024–25
Crewe Alexandra 131003 13733 261736065.38 1889–90 2001–02
Crystal Palace 221435 226511 4420816045.45 1965–66 2012–13
Darlington 1100 1010 2110050.00 1991–92 1991–92
Darwen 6501 6024 12525041.67 1889–90 1898–99
Derby County 59261617 59102128 118363745030.51 1894–95 2025–26
Doncaster Rovers 10622 10613 201235060.00 1902–03 2013–14
Everton 59181823 5961736 118243559020.34 1894–95 2010–11
Exeter City 3210 3201 6411066.67 1990–91 2024–25
Fulham 43181312 43131317 86312629036.05 1908–09 2021–22
Gainsborough Trinity 10640 10433 201073050.00 1896–97 1911–12
Gillingham 2200 2110 4310075.00 2000–01 2001–02
Glossop 10532 10316 20848040.00 1898–99 1914–15
Grimsby Town 382099 388921 76281830036.84 1889–90 2001–02
Hartlepool United 1100 1001 2101050.00 1991–92 1991–92
Huddersfield Town 5729919 57122520 114413439035.96 1910–11 2024–25
Hull City 3716147 3710819 74262226035.14 1908–09 2025–26
Ipswich Town 3916158 398526 78242034030.77 1954–55 2025–26
Leeds City 7412 7025 14437028.57 1908–09 1914–15
Leeds United 51291210 51111327 102402537039.22 1920–21 2023–24
Leicester City 64331120 64181234 128512354039.84 1896–97

2025–26

[C]
Leyton Orient 191162 19874 3819136050.00 1908–09 2024–25 [D]
Lincoln City 191522 191072 382594065.79 1891–92 2024–25
Liverpool 50211415 5071132 100282547028.00 1893–94 2010–11
Long Eaton Rangers 1100 1100 2200100.00 1889–90 1889–90
Loughborough 4400 4211 8611075.00 1896–97 1899–1900
Luton Town 301686 3013107 60291813048.33 1897–98 2022–23
Manchester City 67401215 6791345 134492560036.57 1891–92 2010–11 [E]
Manchester United 50172013 509932 100262945026.00 1889–90 2010–11 [F]
Mansfield Town 3210 3111 6321050.00 1989–90 2024–25
Middlesbrough 59281615 59131729 118413344034.75 1899–1900 2025–26
Middlesbrough Ironopolis 1100 1010 2110050.00 1893–94 1893–94
Millwall 261295 268612 52201517038.46 1946–47 2025–26
Milton Keynes Dons 1100 1100 2200100.00 2015–16 2015–16 [G]
New Brighton Tower 3300 3021 6321050.00 1898–99 1900–01
Newcastle United 48211215 4881426 96292641030.21 1893–94 2016–17
Newport County 1010 1100 2110050.00 1946–47 1946–47
Northampton Town 3210 3021 6231033.33 1966–67 2024–25
Northwich Victoria 2200 2200 4400100.00 1892–93 1893–94
Norwich City 341789 3451118 68221927032.35 1965–66 2025–26
Nottingham Forest 57241320 57151923 114393243034.21 1889–90 2021–22
Notts County 261565 265813 52201418038.46 1893–94 1993–94
Oldham Athletic 12444 12435 24879033.33 1908–09 1996–97
Oxford United 13463 13634 261097038.46 1968–69 1998–99
Peterborough United 8440 8323 16763043.75 1991–92 2024–25
Plymouth Argyle 15942 15753 301695053.33 1946–47 2023–24
Portsmouth 442798 44121517 88392425044.32 1927–28 2025–26
Port Vale 141112 14626 281738060.71 1892–93 1999–2000 [H]
Preston North End 50271112 5091428 100352540035.00 1894–95 2023–24
Queens Park Rangers 332076 3371115 66271821040.91 1950–51 2025–26
Reading 22958 22895 44171413038.64 1986–87 2024–25
Rotherham Town 1100 1100 2200100.00 1893–94 1893–94
Rotherham County 2110 2110 4220050.00 1919–20 1920–21
Rotherham United 191333 19784 3820117052.63 1951–52 2024–25
Sheffield United 54291114 54121131 108412245037.96 1892–93 2025–26
Sheffield Wednesday 5326198 53131129 106393037036.79 1889–90 2025–26
Shrewsbury Town 10424 10136 205510025.00 1979–80 2024–25
Southampton 22985 225314 44141119031.82 1946–47 2025–26
Southend United 6411 6114 12525041.67 1990–91 2006–07
South Shields 2110 2002 4112025.00 1919–20 1920–21
Stevenage 1100 1100 2200100.00 2024–25 2024–25
Stockport County 191522 195410 3820612052.63 1900–01 2024–25
Stoke City 51261312 51101130 102362442035.29 1890–91 2025–26 [I]
Sunderland 56271316 5611936 112382252033.93 1894–95 2023–24
Sunderland Albion 2002 2002 4004000.00 1889–90 1890–91
Swansea City 211173 21885 4219158045.24 1946–47 2025–26 [J]
Swindon Town 10532 10433 20965045.00 1969–70 1999–2000
Torquay United 1100 1100 2200100.00 1991–92 1991–92
Tottenham Hotspur 41181013 418627 82261640031.71 1908–09 2010–11
Tranmere Rovers 10541 10316 20857040.00 1989–90 2000–01
Walsall 141112 14725 281837064.29 1889–90 2001–02 [K]
Watford 231247 233416 4615823032.61 1969–70 2025–26
West Bromwich Albion 64231724 64152029 128383753029.69 1894–95 2025–26
West Ham United 43231010 43151117 86382127044.19 1919–20 2011–12
Wigan Athletic 14554 14356 2881010028.57 1989–90 2024–25
Wimbledon 3102 3102 6204033.33 1984–85 2001–02 [G]
Wolverhampton Wanderers 65232022 65151040 130383062029.23 1894–95 2017–18
Wrexham 4400 4031 8431050.00 1979–80 2024–25
Wycombe Wanderers 3102 3210 6312050.00 1994–95 2024–25
Yeovil Town 1001 1100 2101050.00 2013–14 2013–14
York City 1100 1001 2101050.00 1994–95 1994–95

Notes

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  1. Arsenal statistics include matches played against Woolwich Arsenal.
  2. Chesterfield statistics include matches played against Chesterfield Town.
  3. Leicester City statistics include matches played against Leicester Fosse.
  4. Leyton Orient statistics include matches played against Clapton Orient and Orient.
  5. Manchester City statistics include matches played against Ardwick.
  6. Manchester United statistics include matches played against Newton Heath.
  7. 1 2 Wimbledon F.C. relocated to Milton Keynes in 2003, and was rebranded as Milton Keynes Dons F.C. a year later. That club renounced all claims to Wimbledon's history in 2007, since when it has regarded itself as a new club founded in 2004.[5]
  8. Port Vale statistics include matches played against Burslem Port Vale.
  9. Stoke City statistics include matches played against Stoke.
  10. Swansea City statistics include matches played against Swansea Town.
  11. Walsall statistics include matches played against Walsall Town Swifts.

Sources

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References

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  1. Shury, Alan; Landamore, Brian (2005). The Definitive Newton Heath F.C. (2nd ed.). Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 11. ISBN 1899468161.
  2. "Small Heath". Football Club History Database. Richard Rundle. Archived from the original on 27 May 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
  3. Matthews (2010), p. 224.
  4. "Birmingham City football club match record: 1893". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 27 August 2017. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
  5. "Wimbledon become MK Dons FC". guardian.co.uk. 21 June 2004. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
    "History and Honours of Wimbledon FC returned to Merton". Wimbledon Independent Supporters Association. 2 August 2007. Archived from the original on 20 February 2012. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
    "Wimbledon FC patrimony is returned to its rightful home in Borough of Merton". Football Supporters Federation. 3 August 2007. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007.