2001–02 Birmingham City F.C. season


The 2001–02 season was Birmingham City Football Club's 99th in the Football League. They finished in 5th position in the 24-team Football League First Division, thus qualifying for the play-offs, and were successful in the final, beating Norwich City in a penalty shootout to gain promotion to the Premier League. Birmingham entered the 2001–02 FA Cup at the third round and lost to Liverpool in that round, and after entering the League Cup in the first round, lost to Manchester City in the third.
Trevor Francis was dismissed as manager in October with Birmingham mid-table in the First Division. Mick Mills and Jim Barron acted as caretakers until December, when former Crystal Palace manager Steve Bruce was appointed. French manufacturers Le Coq Sportif supplied Birmingham's kit for the fourth consecutive season, and mobile phone retailer Phones4U were the new shirt sponsors. Tommy Mooney was top scorer with 15 goals, of which 13 were scored in the league.

Football League First Division

was dismissed as manager in October with Birmingham mid-table in the First Division. Mick Mills and Jim Barron acted as caretakers until December, when former Crystal Palace manager Steve Bruce was appointed. Under his management Birmingham improved to finish fifth in the First Division for the third season running, qualifying for the play-offs yet again. This season, however, Birmingham finally tasted success: after beating Millwall 2-1 on aggregate in the semi-final, they faced Norwich City in the play-off final at the Millennium Stadium. After normal time ended goalless, the match went to extra time, only for Norwich's Iwan Roberts to score in the first minute of extra time. However, Geoff Horsfield equalised 11 minutes later and, with no further goals, the match went to a penalty shoot-out. Birmingham won 4-2 to finally gain promotion to the Premier League, 16 seasons after their previous top-flight campaign.

Match details

DateLeague
position		OpponentsVenueResultScore
F–A		ScorersAttendanceReport
11 August 200119thWimbledonAL1–3B. Hughes 87'9,142
19 August 20018thMillwallHW4–0B. Hughes 22', 27', Horsfield 30', Eaden 45'19,091
25 August 20017thWalsallAW2–1Mooney 20', Horsfield 41'7,245
27 August 20013rdStockport CountyHW2–1Grainger 2', Mooney 21' pen.18,478
8 September 20013rdSheffield WednesdayHW2–0A. Johnson 43', B. Hughes 63'19,421
15 September 20017thManchester CityAL0–331,714
18 September 20019thBurnleyHL2–3A. Johnson 19', 40'18,426
23 September 200114thPreston North EndHL0–123,004
26 September 200114thWatfordAD3–3B. Hughes 4', Horsfield 47', Grainger 85'13,091
29 September 200114thCrewe AlexandraAD0–07,314
13 October 200112thBarnsleyAW3–1Marcelo 36', Horsfield 55', Furlong 83'11,910
18 October 200110thNottingham ForestAD0–018,210
20 October 20016thBradford CityHW4–0Marcelo 37', 45', 48', Sonner 39'25,011
23 October 20015thGillinghamHW2–1Horsfield 36', 47'27,101
26 October 20016thGrimsby TownAL1–3Marcelo 49'5,419
30 October 20016thPortsmouthAD1–1Marcelo 25'15,612
4 November 200110thRotherham UnitedHD2–2Branston 45' o.g., Horsfield 51'28,436
7 November 200110thWest Bromwich AlbionHL0–123,554
17 November 200112thSheffield UnitedAL0–415,686
25 November 200111thCoventry CityHW2–0Marcelo 17', 61'18,279
30 November 200111thGillinghamAD1–1Marcelo 63'8,575
8 December 200110thNorwich CityHW4–0Mooney 30', 45', 58' pen., Marcelo 46'17,310
11 December 20019thCrystal PalaceHW1–0Mooney 64' pen.20,119
16 December 200110thWolverhampton WanderersAL1–2Marcelo 40'21,482
22 December 20017thWalsallHW1–0Purse 14' pen.20,127
26 December 20018thSheffield WednesdayAW1–0Horsfield 77'24,335
29 December 20016thStockport CountyAW3–0Vickers 18', Marcelo 49', Mooney 76'5,827
1 January 20027thNottingham ForestHD1–1Mooney 4'19,770
10 January 20026thMillwallAD1–1Mooney 45'11,856
19 January 20028thWimbledonHL0–217,766
29 January 20028thWest Bromwich AlbionAL0–125,266
16 February 20029thBarnsleyHW1–0John 51'19,208
23 February 20029thWatfordHW3–2Purse 21', Mooney 42', 53' pen.18,059
26 February 20028thBurnleyAW1–0Mooney 25'13,504
2 March 20029thPreston North EndAL0–115,543
5 March 20029thManchester CityHL1–2M. Johnson 4'24,160
9 March 200210thWolverhampton WanderersHD2–2John 36', Devlin 45'22,104
12 March 20027thBradford CityAW3–1Purse 6', John 31', Horsfield 82'13,105
15 March 20027thNorwich CityAW1–0John 22'18,258
24 March 20027thCoventry CityAD1–1Horsfield 81'17,945
30 March 20026thGrimsby TownHW4–0B. Hughes 22', 31', John 50', D. Johnson 64'23,249
1 April 20026thCrystal PalaceAD0–019,598
7 April 20026thPortsmouthHD1–1John 2'25,030
10 April 20024thCrewe AlexandraHW3–1John 30', Carter 45', Mooney 49'28,615
13 April 20024thRotherham UnitedAD2–2Grainger 38', Beech 70' o.g.10,536
21 April 20025thSheffield UnitedHW2–0Horsfield 61', Grainger 63'29,178

League table (part)

Results summary

Play-offs

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScore
F–A		ScorersAttendanceReport
Semifinal 1st leg28 April 2002MillwallHD1–1B. Hughes 56'28,282
Semifinal 2nd leg2 May 2002MillwallAW1–0
2–1 agg.		John 90'16,391

Final

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScore
F–A		ScorersAttendanceReport
Third round5 January 2002LiverpoolAL0–340,875-

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScore
F–A		ScorersAttendanceReport
First round22 August 2001Southend UnitedHW3–0Mooney 7', 90' pen., Whelan 16' o.g.12,015
Second round11 September 2001Bristol RoversAW3–0A. Johnson 45', M. Johnson 62', B. Hughes 68'5,582
Third round10 October 2001Manchester CityAL0–613,112

Transfers

In

Out

Loan in

Loan out

Appearances and goals

No.Pos.Nat.Name
20MFJacques Williams
23FWChris Ward
24FWDele Adebola
26MFRoss Diamond
27DFTony Capaldi
29MFMickael Sabathier
34FWCraig Fagan