The 1899–1900 Football League season was Small Heath Football Club's eighth in the Football League and their sixth in the Second Division. They spent most of the season in the top four in the 18-team division, but rarely in the top two, eventually finishing in third place, six points behind the promotion positions. They also took part in the 1899–1900 FA Cup, entering at the third qualifying round and losing to Walsall after a replay in the fifth qualifying round. In local cup competitions, they were beaten by Wolverhampton Wanderers in the first round of both the Birmingham and Staffordshire Cups, and by Walsall in the semi-final of the Lord Mayor of Birmingham's Charity Cup.

Twenty-one players represented the club in nationally organised first-team competition, and there were fifteen different goalscorers. Bob McRoberts was the top scorer with 24 goals, of which 19 came in league matches. No other player reached double figures. McRoberts, goalkeeper Nat Robinson and full-back Arthur Archer played in every match. Off the field, the club made a significant financial loss over the season. The directors made it clear they could not continue funding a loss-making enterprise, and suggested that a reduction in players' wages was the only course of action.

Background

After being close to the second promotion place throughout the 1898–99 season, Small Heath eventually finished eighth, five points behind second-placed Glossop North End and a further six behind champions Manchester City. They scored more goals than any other team in the division except Manchester City, and scored more at home than any other, but their away record was poor. The Dart suggested that "the backs are all right, the defect that needs remedying is the half-back line, which is hardly up to the necessary standard."'Spider' (28 April 1899). "Football Arrows". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.10. Walter Abbott, who had scored 42 goals (34 in the league), both totals remaining () club records, signed for Everton for a fee of £250 plus the proceeds of a midweek friendly match.Minute Book No. 2. Everton F.C. p.44. William Robertson left for Bristol Rovers,"Professional Football. Bristol Rovers". The Bristol Mercury: p.3. 1 May 1899. and Clutterbuck joined Southern League club Queens Park Rangers.Westerberg, Kenneth. 1899/1900 (Excel spreadsheet). QPRNet. Ron Norris. Retrieved 16 May 2020. Walter Main, a forward signed from Airdrieonians, was "expected to be a worthy successor to Abbott",'Spider' (25 August 1899). "Football Arrows". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.5. and half-back Tom Farnall returned from Bristol Rovers."Prospects of the Principal Clubs. Small Heath". The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent: p.7. 30 August 1899.

There were no major changes off the field. Walter Hart remained as chairman and Alf Jones as secretary. Alec Leake retained the captaincy,Club Officials & Backroom Staff. The Birmingham City FC Archive. Tony Jordan. 2 January 2002. Archived from the original on 27 March 2003. and there were no changes to the kit of light blue shirts with navy collar trim, cuffs and pocket, white knickerbockers and navy socks.Birmingham City. Historical Football Kits. Retrieved 25 April 2012.

Review

September–October

A good crowd was expected to see Walsall, employers of Small Heath's former captain Caesar Jenkyns, open the season at Coventry Road.'Spider' (1 September 1899). "Football Arrows". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.10. Playing with the wind, Small Heath took an early lead, Wigmore hooking the ball into the net, and the same player scored the third goal off the crossbar in the second half as his side won 3–2."Small Heath v. Walsall". The Manchester Guardian: p.3. 4 September 1899. The team travelled as far as York on the Friday for the following day's match against Middlesbrough, newly admitted to the Football League. The local newspapers had little confidence in their respective teams: the Dart predicted that "Small Heath will have to struggle hard to gain a point", while the Yorkshire Herald feared that "victory can hardly be hoped for over the clever combination Small Heath".'Spider' (8 September 1899). "Football Arrows". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.10.'No Side' (4 September 1899). "Football Notes". The Yorkshire Herald: p.7. Small Heath's forward play, relying on passing between all five forwards, an approach "only possible with a forward line, the members of which have been long acquainted with each other's play", was more effective than Middlesbrough's preference for attacking down either wing and then putting in a cross. In addition, the visiting backs were not averse to the professional foul, "gaining time from the penalty against them", and the forwards "were not particular either about using hands if dispossessed of the ball"."The League. Division II". Northern Echo: p.4. 11 September 1899. In front of a crowd of 10,000 spectators, McRoberts scored all three goals as Small Heath won 3–1."Middlesbrough v Small Heath". The Yorkshire Herald: p.7. 11 September 1899. In the first round of the Mayor of Birmingham's Charity Cup, Small Heath put five second-half goals past a weak Wolverhampton Wanderers eleven, but lost the semi-final to Walsall by three goals to two.

At home to another new team, Chesterfield Town, Walter Wigmore dropped back to centre-half in place of Alex Leake, who had been injured in the Charity Cup-tie. Billy Bennett replaced Wigmore in the forward line. Playing against a strong wind, McRoberts opened the scoring when he was first to the rebound after his shot was fumbled, and Bennett converted a cross from Sid Wharton not long before the interval. Persistent attacking led to further goals, from Harry Wilcox and Walter Main, before the visitors' Herbert Munday scored when the ball rebounded off the crossbar. Main scored his second, and the home team's fifth, from a sweeping passing move, then Chesterfield made the final score 5–3."Small Heath v. Chesterfield". The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent: p.8. 18 September 1899. On a pitch made slippery by a thunderstorm before kickoff, the visitors had Nat Robinson to thank for keeping Gainsborough Trinity at bay; the home side protested that one shot "scooped out" by Robinson had in fact crossed the line. Then McRoberts scored a solo goal, Trinity's goalkeeper allowed Wharton's shot from distance to slip through his hands into the net, and Wharton made the half-time score 3–0 after a move between McRoberts and Wigmore left him a tap-in. Freddie Fenton pulled one back with a header after Robinson missed his punch, and Bennett made the final score 4–1 after the goalkeeper failed to hold a low shot."Gainsbro' Trinity v. Small Heath". The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent: p.8. 25 September 1899. It was confirmed that Leake had gone to Manchester for specialist treatment on damaged ankle ligaments. At home to Bolton Wanderers, relegated from the First Division in 1899, the defence was worked hard from the outset, but Small Heath "began to wake up", and the attack went to the other end, John Willie Sutcliffe playing "grandly", particularly when the visitors temporarily went down to ten men. In heavy rain in the second half, the defences had the upper hand, and the game finished goalless."Small Heath v. Bolton Wanderers". The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent: p.8. 2 October 1899. With four wins and a draw, Small Heath went into October in third place in the league, two points behind Leicester Fosse having played one game fewer.

McRoberts and Wigmore scored in the first half, against the wind, and the same players contributed three goals in the second to give Small Heath an easy victory at home to Lincoln City."Small Heath v. Lincoln City". Liverpool Mercury: p.10. 3 October 1899. A weakened eleven still managed a 2–1 win at Loughborough,"Loughbro' v. Small Heath". The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent: p.8. 9 October 1899. which preceded the visit of Newton Heath to Coventry Road. On a fine day on a pitch in good condition, Small Heath fielded a stronger eleven than had recently been the case, Alex Leake resuming at centre-half. Goalless at the interval after a "stubbornly contested" first half, the home side had much the better of the second, and Main's 55th-minute goal from McRoberts' "excellent" pass was enough to secure the win."Football Notes". The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent: p.8. 16 October 1899. In the first round of the Staffordshire Cup, Small Heath drew 2–2 at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers, but lost the replay by eight goals to nil.

A crowd of more than 13,000 spectators attended league leaders Small Heath's visit to Sheffield Wednesday, where the kickoff was delayed for ten minutes because the referee had not arrived. One of the linesmen took his place, and the two teams tossed a coin to decide which would provide a replacement linesman; Small Heath won the toss. By the time the referee arrived some 15 minutes into the game, Wednesday were a goal ahead, and with two neutral officials running the line, they scored three more in the next 20 minutes. In the second half, the visitors had more of the play: their "defence was excellent, and they fully held their own", but they could not score, Wednesday's Tommy Crawshaw regularly "checking determined rushes by the visitors' front rank" to disrupt their attacking play. Robinson was singled out for praise, despite conceding four goals."Sheffield Wednesday v. Small Heath". The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent: p.8. 23 October 1899. In a friendly arranged as part of Walter Abbott's transfer, Small Heath beat an Everton XI by six goals to two. Oswestry United agreed to switch the venue of the third qualifying round of the FA Cup to Coventry Road, took an unexpected but, on the balance of play, deserved 2–1 lead in the first half, and then conceded nine without reply."Small Heath v. Oswestry". The Wrexham Advertiser: p.3. 4 November 1899. Small Heath went into November in second place in the division, level on points with Sheffield Wednesday having played one match fewer.

November–December

Small Heath strengthened their squad with two signings. The first, Bristol Rovers' 21-year-old forward Jack Leonard, who had several previous clubs despite his youth,'Spider' (10 November 1899). "Football Arrows". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.10. joined for "a large sum" and a benefit match."Athletics". The Bristol Mercury: p.6. 2 November 1899. The second was the 33-year-old full-back Bob Cain, who played for many years for Sheffield United without missing a league match, and left Tottenham Hotspur for Albion Rovers the previous season because "the hard work was too much for him. The Hotspur that year took part in no fewer than eighty-eight fixtures, and Cain played in eighty-four of them.""Football Notes". The Dundee Courier & Argus: p.7. 9 November 1899.