2000–01 Birmingham City F.C. season


The 2000–01 season was Birmingham City Football Clubs 98th season in the English football league system. It ran from 1 July 2000 to 30 June 2001.
Led by manager Trevor Francis, the team repeated the previous season's fifth-place finish in the Football League First Division to qualify for the play-offs for a second consecutive season, but suffered another semi-final defeat, this time to Preston North End, losing 4–2 on penalties after drawing 2–2 over two legs. They were eliminated in the third round of the FA Cup, and reached the Football League Cup final for the first time since 1963, facing Liverpool. Liverpool took the lead in the 30th minute through Robbie Fowler, but Birmingham equalised in the last minute of normal time with a Darren Purse penalty. No further goals were scored in extra time, so the match was settled in a penalty shoot-out; Martin Grainger's and Andrew Johnson's penalties were saved, and Liverpool won 5–4 on penalties.
The top scorer for the season was Geoff Horsfield, with twelve goals in all competitions, of which seven were in the League; Marcelo also scored seven league goals.

Kit

French apparel manufacturers Le Coq Sportif remained Birmingham's kit suppliers for the third season in a row, and introduced a new kit for the season. Auto Windscreens remained the kit sponsors, also for the third consecutive season.

Football League First Division

Match details

DateLeague
position		OpponentsVenueResultScore
F–A		ScorersAttendanceRefs
12 August 200011thQueens Park RangersAD0–013,926
18 August 200016thFulhamHL1–3Sonner 36'21,659
26 August 200014thNottingham ForestAW2–1Marcelo 16', Eaden 45'18,820
28 August 20005thBarnsleyHW4–1Ndlovu 9', Grainger 35' pen., Holdsworth 51', Hughes 90'17,160
9 September 20006thSheffield UnitedHW1–0O'Connor 9' pen.21,493
12 September 20004thPreston North EndHW3–1Ndlovu 58', A. Johnson 65', O'Connor 78' pen.16,484
17 September 20004thWest Bromwich AlbionAD1–1Horsfield 61'19,858
23 September 20004thTranmere RoversHW2–0Grainger 73', Horsfield 90'17,640
1 October 20005thWatfordAL0–212,355
8 October 20004thCrewe AlexandraAW2–0Hughes 54', Marcelo 81'6,829
14 October 20004thCrystal PalaceHW2–1Burchill 72', Adebola 85'17,191
17 October 20003rdStockport CountyHW4–0Horsfield 13', Grainger 70' pen., Burchill 80', 87'15,579
22 October 20003rdSheffield WednesdayAL0–114,695
25 October 20003rdGillinghamHW1–0Marcelo 90'26,044
28 October 20003rdPortsmouthAD1–1Eaden 48'15,218
4 November 20003rdBolton WanderersHD1–1Grainger 50' pen.20,043
7 November 20003rdNorwich CityAL0–113,900
18 November 20004thBurnleyHW3–2Adebola 48', O'Connor 50', Burchill 86'19,641
25 November 20003rdHuddersfield TownHW2–1Lazaridis 26', Horsfield 45'22,120
2 December 20002ndGillinghamAW2–1M. Johnson 78', Horsfield 90'9,247
9 December 20003rdWimbledonHL0–316,778
17 December 20003rdWolverhampton WanderersAW1–0Adebola 32'19,938
23 December 20003rdQueens Park RangersHD0–024,311
26 December 20004thBlackburn RoversAL1–2Purse 88'24,899
1 January 20016thNottingham ForestHL0–220,034
13 January 20016thBarnsleyAW3–2Marcelo 16', M. Johnson 40', Lazaridis 48'13,631
27 January 20015thFulhamAW1–0Grainger 47'15,482
3 February 20015thNorwich CityHW2–1Hughes 9', Purse 62' pen.18,551
10 February 20016thSheffield UnitedAL1–3Horsfield 89'19,313
17 February 20014thWest Bromwich AlbionHW2–1Adebola 36', O'Connor 57'25,025
20 February 20014thPreston North EndAW2–0Grainger 11', A. Johnson 71'14,864
2 March 20014thWatfordHW2–0Eaden 45', Hughes 79'20,724
6 March 20014thCrystal PalaceAW2–1Upson 48' o.g., Adebola 59'13,987
10 March 20013rdCrewe AlexandraHW2–0Purse 61' pen., A. Johnson 77'28,042
14 March 20014thBlackburn RoversHL0–229,150
17 March 20014thStockport CountyAL0–27,176
20 March 20014thGrimsby TownAD1–1A. Johnson 10'4,843
24 March 20014thSheffield WednesdayHL1–2Horsfield 60'19,733
1 April 20014thWolverhampton WanderersHL0–124,003
7 April 20014thWimbledonAL1–3Marcelo 86'6,619
10 April 20015thTranmere RoversAL0–18,004
13 April 20014thBolton WanderersAD2–2O'Connor 14', Marcelo 57'15,025
16 April 20014thPortsmouthHD0–023,304
21 April 20015thBurnleyAD0–017,057
28 April 20015thGrimsby TownHW1–0Marcelo 64'24,822
6 May 20015thHuddersfield TownAW2–1Woodhouse 21', 45'19,290

League table (part)

Results summary

Play-offs

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScore
F–A		ScorersAttendanceRefs
Semifinal 1st leg13 May 2001Preston North EndHW1–0Eaden 54'29,072
Semifinal 2nd leg17 May 2001Preston North EndAL1–2 a.e.t.
2–4 pens.		Horsfield 58'16,928

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScore
F–A		ScorersAttendanceRefs
Third round6 January 2001Manchester CityAL2–3Grainger 57', Adebola 61'19,380

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScore
F–A		ScorersAttendanceRefs
First round first leg22 August 2000Southend UnitedAW5–0Eaden 5', Marcelo 10', M. Johnson 28', Adebola 74', Hughes 85'3,694
First round second leg5 September 2000Southend UnitedHD0–0
5–0 agg.		9,507
Second round first leg19 September 2000Wycombe WanderersAW4–3Horsfield 3', 22', A. Johnson 24', 87'2,537
Second round second leg26 September 2000Wycombe WanderersHW1–0
5–3 agg.		Ndlovu 66'8,960
Third round31 October 2000Tottenham HotspurAW3–1Adebola 15', 28', Burchill 45'27,096
Fourth round29 November 2000Newcastle UnitedHW2–1Adebola 31', M. Johnson 90'18,520
Quarter-final12 December 2000Sheffield WednesdayHW2–0Sonner 28', Adebola 57'22,911
Semi-final first leg9 January 2001Ipswich TownAL0–121,684
Semi-final second leg31 January 2001Ipswich TownHW4–1 a.e.t
4–2 agg.		Grainger 43', Horsfield 56', 103', A. Johnson 117'28,624

Final

Transfers

In

Out

Loan in

Loan out

Appearances and goals

No.Pos.Nat.Name
16DFJames Dyson
22DFSimon Marsh
28MFJimmy Haarhoff
28DFJoey Hutchinson
31MFMickael Sabathier
31GKDarren Horrigan