Because of the severe winter weather – the so-called "Big Freeze of 1963" – Birmingham played no matches for ten weeks, between 22 December and 2 March. Their third-round FA Cup-tie was played in the first week of March, two months later than the usual date of the first weekend in January.
Twenty-three players made at least one appearance in nationally organised first-team competition, and there were eleven different goalscorers. Half back Terry Hennessey played in 52 of the 53 first-team matches over the season (forwards Ken Leek and Mike Hellawell missed only two), and Leek finished as leading goalscorer with 29 goals, of which 20 were scored in league competition.
Pos = League position; Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Pts = Points
Because of the severe winter weather – the so-called "Big Freeze of 1963" – Birmingham played no matches for ten weeks, between 22 December and 2 March. Their opening third-round FA Cup-tie against Bury was postponed 14 times and abandoned once before finally being played two months after the originally scheduled date.[2]
The first leg of the final, against Birmingham's near neighbours Aston Villa, was played on 23 May at St Andrew's. Birmingham took the lead when Jimmy Harris fed Bertie Auld who crossed for Ken Leek's powerful shot, but Aston Villa equalised via Bobby Thomson. Seven minutes into the second half, the same combination of players made it 2–1, and after 66 minutes Jimmy Bloomfield "ended an excellent run by scoring from a narrow angle, earning even the applause of Villa players"[3] to give Birmingham a 3–1 lead.[4] The second leg, four days later at Villa Park, was goalless. Former England centre half Trevor Smith marked Thomson out of the game,[5] Birmingham's defensive tactics included repeatedly kicking the ball out for throw-ins,[6] and Aston Villa were unable to break their opponents down.
^"Bury Deserve To Replay". The Times. London. 6 March 1963. p. 3. "Replay The Big Freeze 1962–63"(reprint hosted at NewsBank). The Independent on Sunday. London. 19 January 2003. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
^"Birmingham's lead". The Guardian. London. 24 May 1963. p. 15.