11 brilliant photos from Birmingham City’s 1971/72 promotion season - 50 years on

To celebrate 50 years since Blues promotion to Division One - here’s 11 snaps from the archives!

It’s May 2nd 1972, a Bob Latchford goal has just seen Birmingham City beat Leyton Orient 1-0 to be promoted to Division One.

There’s been many superb Blues teams over the years but this one is right up there.

It may have been before the time of many but for those old enough to remember it, they’ll never forget it and for those that aren’t - they’ve more than likely been told about it enough times to make them think they were.

A 16-year-old Trevor Francis was just one of many stars in the squad with top scorer Latchford and Bob Hatton two other memorable names.

It’s been 50 years since that promotion season, a season which saw the Blues lose only five games and just one by more than the odd goal. How times have changed...

They finished runners up to Norwich City who won the league by just a point but that doesn’t matter because it’s the promotion that will never be forgotten.

We’ve dug up 11 pictures from the archives from that special 1971/72 campaign for you to reminisce with and there’s some absolute belters!

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