Nick Seddon explores the history of the Second City derby, including the all-time head-to-head record between Aston Villa and Birmingham City and five of the most memorable meetings between the Midlands rivals.
The Second City derby is one of the fiercest fixtures in English football, standing alongside the classic Old Firm derby between Celtic and Rangers as one of Britain’s biggest football rivalries.
Quite curiously, though, it’s also relatively scarce compared to some of the other big-name encounters.
Despite the rivalry stretching back to 1879, Aston Villa and Birmingham City have faced off just 126 times in competitive football, compared to 199 meetings of the Manchester clubs and 248 Merseyside clashes.
There have been several barren periods where Villa and the Blues have been in separate divisions during that time, though it has arguably made this rivalry even fiercer.
So, who has the better all-time record, and what have been the best Aston Villa v Birmingham City games? We’ve taken a look at the head-to-head statistics before picking out five of the most memorable Second City derbies.
Aston Villa v Birmingham City: All-time head-to-head record
Aston Villa have historically had the upper hand in the Second City derby, winning 57 of their 126 competitive meetings with Birmingham City. The Blues have claimed 38 victories, while 31 encounters have ended in draws.
Villa also lead the overall scoring charts, with 200 goals compared to Birmingham’s 158.
| Competition | Villa wins | Draws | Birmingham wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top flight | 42 | 26 | 32 |
| Second tier | 7 | 3 | 4 |
| FA Cup | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| League Cup | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| Full Members’ Cup | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Overall | 57 | 31 | 38 |
All competitive meetings. Statistics correct as of 28 October 2026.
The two clubs last met in March 2019, when Aston Villa won 1-0 at St Andrew’s in the Championship. Since then, the rivals have competed in separate divisions, leaving supporters waiting for the next instalment of this historic fixture.
The 5 best Second City derbies of all time
From unforgettable goalkeeping errors to dramatic comebacks and emphatic victories, the rivalry has produced plenty of memorable moments. Here are five famous Aston Villa v Birmingham City encounters from across the decades.
Birmingham City 3-0 Aston Villa, Premier League, September 2002
Our opening entry is notable for several reasons, as it was the first Second City derby for a decade and the first clash in the top flight for 15 years.
Birmingham ended their 16-year exile from the top flight when beating Norwich on penalties in the play-off final and they were keen to stabilise after a mixed start that had seen them win just one of their opening five games.
Villa had made a similarly sluggish opening to their campaign and they soon had work to do against their arch-rivals, after Clinton Morrison latched onto Robbie Savage’s chest down to fire home just after the half-hour mark.
The visitors had their chances to get back into proceedings, rattling the crossbar and having a goal ruled out for offside, but they wrote themselves into the history books for all the wrong reasons 13 minutes from time.
Goalkeeper Peter Enckelman inadvertently became a Blues legend when failing to properly control a throw-in from Olof Mellberg, allowing the ball to dribble into the back of the net. That goal rather knocked the stuffing out of Villa and Birmingham compounded their misery seven minutes from time, when Geoff Horsfield capitalised on a defensive error to slide home a third.
Aston Villa 2-2 Birmingham City, Premier League, February 2004
This meeting at Villa Park was just the fourth time the clubs had clashed this century, with both sides in pursuit of European qualification after fine first halves of the campaign.
Villa were keen to change their fortunes in this fixture, having lost their first two derbies to nil the previous year and played out a goalless draw earlier in the campaign. They didn’t take long to break their duck either, with Darius Vassell celebrating his recent England call-up by slotting home on 21 minutes.
It was one-way traffic and Villa doubled their lead in some style after the interval, when Thomas Hitzlsperger lashed home a scorcher from outside the area.
Birmingham refused to lie down however and clambered back into it against the run of play on the hour mark through Mikael Forssell, who struck low from outside the area.
The game really should have been over but instead it was the Blues who had the last laugh in the fourth minute of added time, when Stern John pounced from two yards to pinch a point in a grandstand finish.
Birmingham City 3-1 Aston Villa, League Cup final first leg, May 1963
Our next entry is a world away from modern-day football, though it’s certainly notable as it remains the only meeting in a major final between the pair.
The League Cup was in just its third year, with the invention of floodlights creating an opportunity for a new competition for clubs to sink their teeth into.
Neither side had enjoyed a particularly glamorous campaign, with Villa finishing 15th and Birmingham avoiding relegation on the final day, so this competition provided a notable chance for bragging rights.
Villa were the favourites to lift the trophy but they had work to do in the second leg, after a brace from Ken Leek and a fine finish from Jimmy Bloomfield sealed a 3-1 success at St Andrew’s.
Villa tried everything to get back into proceedings in the second leg, but they were unable to breach the visitors’ defence and Birmingham held on for their first piece of major silverware.
Aston Villa 5-1 Birmingham City, Premier League, April 2008
The opening three entries have admittedly been far easier reading for the blue side of the city, though the balance of power quickly started to turn following Birmingham’s relegation in 2006.
The Blues bounced back at the first attempt but their first year back was a struggle and they arrived at Villa Park deep in relegation trouble, sitting one point from safety. Meanwhile, high-flying Villa were chasing European qualification and they were fittingly ruthless.
The hosts didn’t take long to hit full stride and took the lead on 28 minutes, when England winger Ashley Young lashed the ball into the bottom corner. Young played his part in the second, too, when his enticing free-kick was nodded home by John Carew before the break.
Villa were in cruise control and Carew added a third after the restart, when guiding Gareth Barry’s centre into an empty net. Young was keen to match his team-mate and hammered home a fourth just after the hour mark.
Blues forward Mauro Zarate had a tantrum when withdrawn but his replacement Mikael Forssell was able to pull back a consolation on 67 minutes with a smart finish.
It was all in vain however and there was still time for talkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor to have a say 12 minutes from time, when latching onto a poor defensive error to fire home and seal the rout.
Aston Villa 4-2 Birmingham City, Championship, November 2018
Our final entry is a six-goal thriller from the second tier, which is where each of the last six Second City derbies have been played.
This match-up was the most recent to be played at Villa Park, with the two sides going in different directions since. Villa were expected to finally escape the Championship at the third attempt after relegation and were firm favourites against a Blues side rooted firmly in mid-table.
Birmingham hadn’t won any of their last six derbies coming into this but made the perfect start on 28 minutes through Lukas Jutkiewicz, who scored his side’s first goal at Villa Park for a decade when guiding home a corner at the far post.
The visitors should have doubled their lead soon after, too, when Che Adams rattled the post from close range.
A frantic game was soon turned on its head before the interval, when Jonathan Kodjia and Jack Grealish scored within two minutes of each other to put Villa in front.
The Blues were rattled and Tammy Abraham increased the lead from the spot six minutes after the restart having been felled by a clumsy challenge by Michael Morrison.
Birmingham wouldn’t lie down and Kristian Pedersen gave them hope just before the hour mark, volleying home for his first goal for the club.
Villa would have the last laugh in some style, however, when Alan Hutton slotted home after charging forward from his own area.
Villa would win the return leg at St Andrew’s that March and the two sides haven’t crossed paths since.
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