Birmingham City vs Aston Villa: H2H, Second City Derby Rivalry, Watch Live & More
With just over two miles separating the clubs, the Birmingham City vs Aston Villa Second City Derby has its roots firmly set in the battle for local supremacy.
It is one of the fiercest football rivalries in the world, with fixtures between the two sides sparking plenty of animosity on and off the pitch.
We take a closer look at Birmingham vs Villa including the H2H (stats correct – March 24, 2023), how to watch the Premier League and Championship live, the history of the Second City derby and more.
Birmingham City vs Aston Villa H2H
The two teams have met 126 times across all competitions, with Villa leading the H2H record 57-38 and 31 games drawn.
Villa have also won significantly more major silverware than their local rivals, lifting 20 trophies against Birmingham’s tally of two.
Notable Birmingham City vs Aston Villa Results
- Aston Villa 6-2 Birmingham City – First Division – October 1960
- Birmingham City 3-1 Aston Villa – League Cup – May 1963 (aggregate win)
- Birmingham City 3-2 Aston Villa – First Division – April 1976
- Birmingham City 3-0 Aston Villa – Premier League – September 2002
- Aston Villa 0-2 Birmingham City – Premier League – March 2003
- Aston Villa 2-2 Birmingham City – Premier League – February 2004
- Aston Villa 4-2 Birmingham City – Championship – November 2018
- Birmingham City 0-1 Aston Villa – Championship – March 2019
Birmingham City vs Aston Villa Live Streams
Sky Sports is the best place to watch Premier League and Championship matches, with live streams available to subscribers via the Sky Go app on either desktop or mobile.
If you don’t have a subscription, fans can take advantage of the flexible option of daily or monthly passes through NOW TV.
There are loads of other streaming platforms that cover live Premier League and Championship games, but you will need to use Virtual Private Network (VPN) technology to gain access.
One of the best services is Express VPN, which can be downloaded to various devices including Android, iOS, Fire TV, PC, Mac and smart TVs.
Second City Derby History
The rivalry between the two clubs dates back to the late 19th century and has regularly witnessed some feisty encounters.
One of their most notable meetings was in the final of the 1962/63 League Cup when the Blues won 3-1 on aggregate to claim their major trophy.
They met regularly in the First Division during the late 1970s to early 1980s, with each team recording some memorable victories.
The 1980/81 campaign was a memorable one for Villa, with Ron Saunders’ side completing the double over Birmingham on their way to winning the First Division title.
Villa had more cause for celebration the following year as they lifted the European Cup for the only time in their history.
Both clubs suffered a decline over the next few years, culminating in them dropping out of the top flight of English football.
The two sides eventually returned to the Premier League, with Birmingham completing the double over Villa in their first season at that level.
There were several fiery encounters over the next few years, while hooliganism became an increasing problem whenever the two teams met.
A League Cup meeting in December 2010 was particularly brutal, resulting in Birmingham been heavily fined by the Football Association for failing to control their fans.
Birmingham were relegated to the second tier in 2011 but were joined again by their local rivals when Villa finished bottom of the Premier League in 2015/16.
Villa won four and drew two of their six meetings with the Blues in the Championship before winning promotion back to the top flight at the end of the 2018/19 season.
Birmingham City vs Aston Villa Controversies
Numerous controversies have impacted the Second City Derby, and not all of them have occurred when the two teams have played each other.
Paul Tait gained notoriety in April 1995 when he played for Birmingham against Carlisle United in the Auto Windscreens Shield final at Wembley Stadium.
After netting the winning goal in extra time, Tait ran towards the Birmingham fans before revealing a T-shirt with an offensive slogan about Villa emblazoned on the front.
Tait was subsequently fined two weeks’ wages, although that was a small price to pay for etching his name in the club’s folklore.
Striker Dion Dublin evened things up in the legendary stakes in March 2002 after an incident that was loved by Villa fans and most of professional football.
Dublin launched himself into a full-blooded tackle on Robbie Savage, which the midfielder avoided by throwing himself theatrically into the air.
Savage quickly ‘recovered’ to square up to the normally mild-mannered Dublin, sparking referee Mark Halsey into action.
He attempted to separate the pair, but Dublin gave him the slip and headbutted Savage. While the red card was inevitable, many people thought Dublin deserved a knighthood.
Another controversial incident occurred in March 2019 when hooliganism reared its head during a Championship fixture at St Andrew’s.
A Birmingham thug invaded the pitch and swung a punch at Villa playmaker Jack Grealish, resulting in him being jailed, fined and banned from attending football matches for ten years.
Grealish ultimately had the last laugh, netting the winning goal as Villa recorded another victory on their way to promotion back to the Premier League.
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