The 2004–05 season was Birmingham City Football Club's 102nd season in the English football league system, their third season in the Premier League and their 53rd in the top tier of English football. It ran from 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2005. Under the management of former Birmingham City player Steve Bruce, the team finished in 12th place, two places lower than the season before. They reached the fourth round of the FA Cup and the third round of the League Cup. The top scorer for the season was England forward Emile Heskey with eleven goals in all competitions, of which ten were scored in the League.
Pre-season
Pre-season friendlies
Premier League
Season review
August
Steve Bruce named four debutants, Mario Melchiot, Muzzy Izzet, Jesper Grønkjær and club-record signing Emile Heskey, in the starting eleven for the opening-day visit to Portsmouth, with another, Julian Gray, on the bench. Robbie Savage's free kick gave Birmingham an early lead, equalised from the penalty spot five minutes later. Both goalkeepers excelled in the 1–1 draw. Birmingham's midfield dominated at home to Chelsea, but neither team's strikers were on form; the only goal came from substitute Joe Cole's second-half shot deflected past Maik Taylor off Martin Taylor. Heskey's first goal for his new club, an "unstoppable header" from Stan Lazaridis' cross, was enough to beat Manchester City and ended a run of 11 winless Premier League games, but he had an "awful day in front of goal" and was booked for diving against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane, where Jermain Defoe's solo goal was the difference between the sides.
September
Even with new signing Dwight Yorke on the left wing, Heskey and Mikael Forssell up front, and two penalty appeals, Birmingham only managed one goal to Mark Viduka's two for Middlesbrough. Maik Taylor's error allowed Charlton Athletic to take a lead, and after Damien Johnson was sent off for two yellow cards, Bruce brought on Yorke and David Dunn, making his first appearance of the season after injury. Dunn was instrumental in the play that led to Izzet's corner from which Yorke headed an equaliser, and Birmingham were the better side thereafter. Without Forssell, whose loan was ended early after exploratory surgery found a serious issue with his knee, Bruce selected a five-man midfield with Heskey as lone striker away to fourth-placed Bolton Wanderers. They duly fell behind, Izzet equalised just after half-time, and the game ended 1–1 after Henrik Pedersen's goal for Bolton was incorrectly disallowed for offside and Heskey's last-seconds header "was going in until it diverted past the far post."
October
Nicky Butt scored an equaliser when Newcastle United came to St Andrew's. Goals from Yorke and Upson had given Birmingham a 2–1 lead, but Butt pounced on 67 minutes to rescue the Magpies a point. Birmingham held Manchester United to a goalless draw at St Andrew's two weeks later and also played out a 0–0 draw at St Mary's Stadium against Southampton after that. But they were disappointing in a 1–0 loss at home to Crystal Palace on 24 October. Former Birmingham striker Andrew Johnson scored the goal for Palace, who were coming into form. Johnson ran clear of the Birmingham backline after a quick Palace counterattack.
November
Following a run of eight games without a win, Birmingham beat Liverpool 1–0 at Anfield. Veteran Darren Anderton scored the goal on 77 minutes. He turned home from one yard out after Upson had headed a corner across goal. It was Birmingham's first away win in the league all season. But Birmingham fell to a 1–0 defeat at home to Everton the following week. Thomas Gravesen scored a 69th-minute penalty after Izzet handled a shot on the goalline. Referee Rob Styles sent Izzet off and awarded Everton the spot-kick. Heskey was denied a leveller by a great last-ditch block by Tony Hibbert and Yorke wasted a late chance from ten yards. Birmingham wasted a two-goal lead at Ewood Park against Blackburn Rovers. Matt Jansen gave the hosts an early lead with an incisive finish but Anderton equalised 12 minutes later. Robbie Savage put Birmingham ahead on 38 minutes after Melchiot's marauding run down the right. Moments before half-time Dunn netted against his old side to give Birmingham a 3–1 lead at the interval. But Steven Reid and Paul Gallagher's goals in the second period rescued Rovers an unlikely point. Clinton Morrison gave Birmingham an early lead against Norwich at St Andrew's with his first goal of the campaign, but Darren Huckerby's stunning second-half strike denied the Blues their third league win of the season.