Birmingham City

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The history of this fixture dates back to Small Heath Alliance's disputed victory over Villa in 1879, recorded as 'one goal and a disputed goal to nil'. The first competitive meeting occurred on 5 November 1887, where Villa beat Small Heath 4–0 in the FA Cup first round (goalscorers were not recorded for that match). In the 1925 league game at Villa Park, Birmingham made headlines by scoring three times in the final eleven minutes to draw a match after trailing 3–0. Another dramatic moment came in the 1963 League Cup final, where Blues won 3–1 on aggregate against Villa to claim their first major trophy at the top level, though Birmingham City had already won Football League Second Division titles prior to that. The rivalry has also seen significant violence, notably in November 2007 when over 20 police officers were hurt after a 2–1 Villa win at St Andrew's.

In Their Own Story

In March 2003, the derby turned violent before and after the game at Villa Park. Two Villa players, Dion Dublin for a head-butt on Robbie Savage and Joey Guðjónsson for a tackle on Matthew Upson, were sent off. Missiles were hurled at police outside on Witton Lane. Violence escalated again in December 2010 during a League Cup match where Blues won 2–1; supporters came onto the pitch, flares were lit, and seats were ripped out. A Birmingham City club chef was among those arrested following scenes described as a 'warzone'. Conversely, Villa achieved dominance in the late 2000s, setting a record of six straight league wins from 2005 to 2010, capped by a 5–1 victory in April 2008, the biggest winning margin for either side in a league match for 40 years.

Reader's Guide

For Aston Villa fans, visiting St Andrew's involves navigating a hostile environment where evening kick-offs have historically led to drunkenness and violence. Matches often require strong police presence to separate fans, as seen when missiles were hurled at officers on Witton Lane in 2003. The fixture is marked by specific turning points: Blues' 3–0 wins in 2002 following Villa's goalkeeping errors, or the 2006 victory where Kevin Phillips scored for Villa. Recent history shows a shift in momentum; while Villa held a record six consecutive league wins from 2005 to 2010, the streak ended with draws in October and December 2010. The 2009–10 season saw Villa win both meetings by 1–0, with Gabriel Agbonlahor scoring late winners, continuing a trend where Villa scored winning goals in the final 10 minutes of three consecutive derbies.

Did You Know?

• The first game in 1879 was recorded as 'one goal and a disputed goal to nil' on a pitch described by Villa players as only suitable for pot-holing.
• In the 1925 league match, Birmingham scored three times in the final eleven minutes to draw after trailing 3–0.
• Birmingham City were fined £40,000 by the Football Association for failing to control their fans after pitch invasion and violence on 23 October 2010.
• Aston Villa holds a record of six straight league wins against Birmingham City from 2005 to November 2009.
• The biggest winning margin in a league match for either side since the 1960s occurred on 20 April 2008, when Aston Villa won 5–1.