'World record' - Birmingham City reach new heights after Cambridge win on League One final day

Birmingham City are now the world record holders for the most points in a professional football league season, a remarkable feat to round off a truly extraordinary 2024/25.

Blues’ narrow 2-1 victory away at Cambridge United on the final day of the League One season was enough to move up to 111 points, 19 more than nearest challengers Wrexham.

Christoph Klarer opened the scoring at Cledara Abbey Stadium but Blues were pegged back by Shayne Lavery before half time. With the score at 1-1, Cambridge saw Elias Kachunga sent off for a second bookable offence, breathing some belief into Birmingham that they could go and find a winner. They did just that in the 82nd minute as a deep cross was headed into his own net by Kelland Watts.

Lukas Jutkiewicz, on for his final ever appearance before hanging up his boots, would love to claim the goal as he was the closest to it, but Watts definitely had the decisive touch. It won’t go down as the Juke’s goal as a result, but he certainly had a big influence and was rightfully serenaded by his teammates and the away supporters.

Birmingham were already the joint world record holders after the 2-0 win at Blackpool but they’re now in a league of their own following yet another victory, their 34th of the season. Blues’ previous total of 108 points was level with Red Star Belgrade (2020/21, Serbia Super League, 38 games) and Verdy Kawasaki (1995, J League, 52 games), but they’ve now soared to new heights.

It could be argued that Red Star’s achievement was more impressive given they played eight fewer matches, but nobody can take the new world record away from Birmingham. It’s unlikely 111 will ever be beaten, too, so their name will be etched in the history books for many years to come.

Chris Davies’ side had already broken two other records before the trip to Cambridge, smashing the record 103 League One tally set by Wolverhampton Wanderers’ in 2013/14 and surpassing the 106-point EFL record Reading managed in the Championship in 2005/06.

Those achievements in themselves would’ve been enough, but ‘world record holders’ has an even better ring to it. Blues can now call themselves just that – and by a comfortable three-point margin, too.