Second City Derby

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The clubs first met on 27 September 1879, when Birmingham City were called Small Heath Alliance. The game finished 1–0 – recorded as 'one goal and a disputed goal to nil' – to the home side. Villa won the first competitive game between the clubs, in the Second Round of the FA Cup at Wellington Road in 1887, by four goals to nil. The first league encounter, in the First Division in the 1894–95 season, saw Villa win 2–1. The most significant clash was the final of the 1963 League Cup, which Blues won 3–1 on aggregate over the two-legged final to claim their first major domestic honour. In 1980–81 Villa did the double over Blues and went on to win the First Division title. Blues scored a memorable 3–0 victory at St Andrew's in the first meeting following Villa's European Cup triumph in 1982.

In Their Own Story

The floodlights cut through the damp air at Villa Park as the final whistle approached, the roar of the crowd vibrating through the concrete. In the 1925 league game at Villa Park, with the home side 3–0 ahead with eleven minutes to go, Blues scored three times in a dramatic final spell to draw the match. The following year, Aston Villa made headlines with the signing of Tom 'Pongo' Waring, and his first appearance was for the reserves against Birmingham City's reserves, which famously drew a crowd of 23,000. Waring scored three times in the match. In November 2007, Villa won their third consecutive derby match with a 2–1 victory at St Andrew's. Violent clashes took place outside the ground after the game in which over 20 police officers were hurt. The derby on 20 April 2008 ended in a 5–1 win for Aston Villa at Villa Park, the biggest winning margin for either side in a league match for 40 years.

Reader's Guide

The origin of the Second City Derby lies in 1879 when both clubs first met. Unlike local derbies defined by immediate geography, this rivalry is forged through historical competition for city supremacy. Both Aston Villa and Birmingham City have been among England's most successful clubs, frequently meeting in league and cup competitions throughout history. The biggest clashes often occurred during the early 1900s when both teams were fighting for league positions, establishing a pattern of high-stakes encounters. In the Premier League era, Blues' promotion in 2002 saw fans eagerly anticipating the first league derbies in 15 years. Blues won both derbies 3–0 and 2–0, respectively. Both matches saw goalkeeping errors by Villa goalkeeper Peter Enckelman, including a goal scored directly from an Olof Mellberg throw-in. On 17 June 2011, Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish swapped Blues for Villa in a move that shocked the football world. The teams have not met since Villa's promotion to the Premier League in 2019.

Did You Know?

• The first meeting in 1879 was played on a pitch at Small Heath's Muntz Street ground described by the Villa players as 'only suitable for pot-holing'.
• Tom 'Pongo' Waring's first appearance for Aston Villa reserves against Birmingham City reserves drew a crowd of 23,000.
• The 1963 League Cup final was the most significant clash between the two sides, with Blues winning 3–1 on aggregate to claim their first major domestic honour.
• In the 2002–03 season, Blues supporters sarcastically named Villa goalkeeper Peter Enckelman runner-up in their player of the year vote after his errors in the derbies.
• The 5–1 Villa win on 20 April 2008 was the biggest winning margin for either side in a league match for 40 years.