1960–61_Birmingham_City_F.C._season
1960–61 Birmingham City F.C. season
Birmingham City F.C. 1960–61 football season
The 1960–61 Football League season was Birmingham City Football Club's 58th in the Football League and their 34th in the First Division. They finished in 19th position in the 22-team division for the second consecutive season. They entered the 1960–61 FA Cup in the third round proper and lost to Leicester City in the fifth round after a replay, and entered the inaugural season of the Football League Cup in the second round, losing to Plymouth Argyle in the third, again after a replay. In the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, Birmingham beat Inter Milan both at home and away in the semi-final to reach their second consecutive final, but the competition schedule meant that the match itself was played in September and October 1962, well into the 1961–62 playing season.[1]
Manager Gil Merrick, appointed to succeed Pat Beasley at the end of the 1959–60 season, brought in former Spanish international winger Emilio Aldecoa – the first Spaniard to play in the Football League – as coach.[2] Twenty-four players made at least one appearance in nationally organised first-team competition, and there were twelve different goalscorers. Full back Brian Farmer played in 54 of the 55 first-team matches over the season, and Jimmy Harris finished as leading goalscorer with 17 goals in all competitions; in the league, Harris and Mike Hellawell were joint top scorers, each with 10 goals.
