1952–53 Birmingham City F.C. season

The 1952–53 Football League season was Birmingham City Football Club's 50th in the Football League and their 22nd in the Second Division. They finished in sixth position in the 22-team division. They entered the 1952–53 FA Cup at the third round proper and lost to Tottenham Hotspur in the sixth round (quarter-final) after two replays.

Birmingham City F.C.
1952–53 season
ChairmanHarry Morris Jr
ManagerBob Brocklebank
GroundSt Andrew's
Football League Second Division6th
FA CupSixth round
Top goalscorerLeague: Peter Murphy (20)
All: Peter Murphy (26)
Highest home attendance52,348 vs Tottenham Hotspur, FA Cup 6th round, 28 February 1953
Lowest home attendance7,119 vs Swansea Town, 11 March 1953
Average home league attendance19,795

Twenty-seven players made at least one appearance in nationally organised first-team competition, and there were fifteen different goalscorers. Full-back Ken Green was ever-present through the 49-game season, and Peter Murphy was top scorer with 26 goals, of which 20 came in the league.

Football League Second Division

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Date League
position
Opponents Venue Result Score
F–A
Scorers Attendance
23 August 1952 10th Rotherham United A D 1–1 Purdon 15,208
27 August 1952 7th Luton Town A W 1–0 Briggs 20,231
30 August 1952 13th Fulham H L 1–4 Briggs 29,577
3 September 1952 14th Luton Town H D 2–2 Briggs, Murphy 17,478
6 September 1952 9th West Ham United A W 2–1 Higgins, Murphy 23,903
10 September 1952 4th Leeds United A W 1–0 Rowley 14,133
13 September 1952 3rd Leicester City H W 3–1 Briggs, Murphy, Rowley 29,480
17 September 1952 3rd Leeds United H D 2–2 Rowley 2 18,301
20 September 1952 5th Notts County A L 0–2 24,538
27 September 1952 4th Southampton H W 2–0 Rowley 2 21,818
4 October 1952 7th Bury A L 0–3 16,096
11 October 1952 7th Swansea Town A D 1–1 Purdon 21,074
18 October 1952 9th Huddersfield Town H L 0–2 27,484
25 October 1952 7th Sheffield United A D 2–2 Murphy, Wardle 28,345
1 November 1952 8th Barnsley H W 3–1 Murphy, Rowley pen, Stewart 19,927
8 November 1952 8th Lincoln City A D 1–1 Trigg 16,293
15 November 1952 8th Hull City H W 4–3 Trigg pen, Murphy, Stewart, Cox 17,529
22 November 1952 6th Blackburn Rovers A W 2–1 Murphy 2 18,533
29 November 1952 7th Nottingham Forest H L 0–5 17,794
6 December 1952 8th Everton A D 1–1 Murphy 23,858
13 December 1952 5th Brentford H W 3–1 Trigg, Murphy 2 9,963
20 December 1952 4th Rotherham United H W 4–0 Trigg pen, Purdon, Murphy, Wardle 11,978
25 December 1952 3rd Plymouth Argyle H W 4–0 Purdon, Murphy 2, Stewart 31,660
27 December 1952 4th Plymouth Argyle A L 1–2 Trigg pen 25,266
3 January 1953 5th Fulham A L 1–3 Purdon 21,508
17 January 1953 5th West Ham United H W 2–0 Trigg, Purdon 21,733
24 January 1953 5th Leicester City A W 4–3 Murphy 3, Trigg 27,478
7 February 1953 4th Notts County H W 3–2 Trigg 2 (2 pens), Murphy 24,522
21 February 1953 5th Bury H L 0–2 26,051
7 March 1953 7th Huddersfield Town A D 1–1 Ferris 28,636
11 March 1953 7th Swansea Town H L 1–4 Purdon 7,119
14 March 1953 9th Sheffield United H L 1–2 Cox 22,355
21 March 1953 6th Barnsley A W 3–1 Badham, James 2 7,465
28 March 1953 8th Lincoln City H D 2–2 Trigg pen, Stewart 13,429
3 April 1953 8th Doncaster Rovers A L 0–1 18,056
4 April 1953 8th Hull City A L 0–2 23,483
6 April 1953 7th Doncaster Rovers H W 2–1 Lane, Boyd 12,065
11 April 1953 9th Blackburn Rovers H L 1–2 Cox 18,347
15 April 1953 9th Southampton A D 1–1 Warhurst 18,387
18 April 1953 8th Nottingham Forest A W 2–0 Lane, Boyd 16,353
25 April 1953 6th Everton H W 4–2 Boyd 2, Murphy, Stewart 17,083
1 May 1953 6th Brentford A W 2–1 Lane, Murphy 8,565

League table (part)

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Final Second Division table (part)
Pos Club Pld W D L F A GA Pts
4th Plymouth Argyle 42 20 9 13 65 60 1.08 49
5th Leicester City 42 18 12 12 89 74 1.20 48
6th Birmingham City 42 19 10 13 71 66 1.08 48
7th Nottingham Forest 42 18 8 16 77 67 1.15 44
8th Fulham 42 17 10 15 81 71 1.14 44
Key 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
Source [1]

FA Cup

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Round Date Opponents Venue Result Score
F–A
Scorers Attendance
Third round 14 January 1953 Oldham Athletic A W 3–1 Murphy 3 26,580
Fourth round 31 January 1953 Sheffield United A D 1–1 Purdon 43,104
Fourth round replay 4 February 1953 Sheffield United H W 3–1 Murphy 2, Wardle 29,554
Fifth round 14 February 1953 Chelsea A W 4–0 Purdon 2, Trigg, Murphy 45,872
Sixth round 28 February 1953 Tottenham Hotspur H D 1–1 Wardle 52,348
Sixth round replay 4 March 1953 Tottenham Hotspur A D 2–2
aet
Ferris, Boyd 59,543
Sixth round 2nd replay 9 March 1953 Tottenham Hotspur Molineux, Wolverhampton L 0–1 50,801

Appearances and goals

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Players marked † left the club during the playing season.
Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; FB – Full back; HB – Half back; FW – Forward
Players' appearances and goals by competition
Pos. Nat. Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK   ENG Gil Merrick 35 0 7 0 42 0
GK   ENG Johnny Schofield 7 0 0 0 7 0
FB   ENG Ken Green 42 0 7 0 49 0
FB   ENG Jeff Hall 16 0 7 0 23 0
FB   SCO Roy Martin 24 0 0 0 24 0
HB   ENG Arthur Atkins 3 0 0 0 3 0
HB   ENG Jack Badham 18 1 2 0 20 1
HB   ENG Keith Bannister 14 0 5 0 19 0
HB   ENG Len Boyd 40 4 7 1 47 5
HB   NIR Ray Ferris 23 1 7 1 30 2
HB   ENG Johnny Newman 7 0 0 0 7 0
HB   ENG Roy Warhurst 31 1 6 0 37 1
HB   ENG Johnny Watts 3 0 0 0 3 0
FW   ENG Tommy Briggs 17 4 0 0 17 4
FW   ENG Jimmy Cochrane 2 0 0 0 2 0
FW   ENG Geoff Cox 23 3 0 0 23 3
FW   IRL Jim Higgins 4 1 0 0 4 1
FW   ENG John James 3 2 1 0 4 2
FW   ENG Jackie Lane 6 3 0 0 6 3
FW   ENG John Metcalfe 2 0 0 0 2 0
FW   ENG Peter Murphy 34 20 4 6 38 26
FW   ZAF Ted Purdon 22 7 6 3 28 10
FW   ENG Ken Rowley 8 7 0 0 8 7
FW   ENG Bill Smith 1 0 0 0 1 0
FW   SCO Jackie Stewart 33 5 7 0 40 5
FW   ENG Cyril Trigg 19 10 5 1 24 11
FW   ENG Billy Wardle 25 2 6 2 31 4

See also

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References

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General

  • Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
  • Matthews, Tony (2010). Birmingham City: The Complete Record. Derby: DB Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85983-853-2.
  • Source for match dates and results: "Birmingham City 1952–1953: Results". Statto Organisation. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  • Source for lineups, appearances, goalscorers and attendances: Matthews (2010), Complete Record, pp. 340–41.
  • Source for kit: "Birmingham City". Historical Football Kits. Retrieved 22 May 2018.

Specific

  1. ^ "Birmingham City 1952–1953: English Division Two (old) Table". Statto Organisation. Archived from the original on 10 December 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2012.