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Birmingham City and Peterborough United went head-to-head at Wembley today in the EFL Trophy final, and it was a game that made history for one side, while denying the other their own chance at record-breaking success.
Going into the game on the back of a brilliant week, in which Birmingham had not only secured promotion from League One but also the title, too, the Blues were in a confident mood.
Birmingham were the outstanding favourites to secure the EFL Trophy against Peterborough United, especially after defeating the Posh in midweek already.
On the day, though, Peterborough stunned Birmingham with two first-half goals to storm into a shock lead by the interval. Posh stood firm in the second half, limiting the Blues to half chances and one offside goal which was correctly ruled out.
It was a surprising victory for Peterborough, and a monumental one, too, for multiple reasons.
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Birmingham City miss out on historic league and cup double
We had predicted that Birmingham could replicate a 30-year old record they set in 1994/95 when they joined the list of teams to win promotion and the EFL Trophy. Now, though, Chris Davies’ side are regretting the missed opportunity after this shock defeat.
Granted, some will say it’s only the EFL Trophy, but with the resources Birmingham have, they were certainly expected to win the competition, especially with how dominant they have been this year.
Birmingham have been breaking records all season, and regardless of what level it’s at, adding two trophies to the cabinet would have been a nice touch.
But, in the end, it’s Peterborough celebrating their own historic win, with the Posh now becoming the first team ever to retain the Football League Trophy. They have also become the most successful team in the competition’s history, levelling Bristol City’s three wins over the years.
Peterborough United manager Darren Ferguson also becomes the first man to lift this trophy four times, having done so as a player with Wrexham, and now three times as coach with the Posh.
Birmingham City will demand better moving forward
Birmingham have spent a lot of money to achieve promotion this season, and we have been quick to give Chris Davies the credit he deserves for ensuring this star-studded squad fulfills their potential.
Davies’ message to the players after earning promotion was clear; that they could enjoy themselves but that there was still work to be done. However, something clearly didn’t click on Sunday, with the talented Blues side being mostly anonymous on the big stage.
It’s not just about this season for Birmingham, though, with success for the 2025/26 campaign and beyond being targeted, too. We already know Birmingham will spend aggressively in the summer to ensure they have the best possible chance of getting a second-successive promotion and get to the Premier League as soon as they can.
The fans have made it clear they expect more from Birmingham, too, and you do get the feeling that regardless of this cup final defeat, the Blues will go on to do great things next year and could well be back strutting their stuff in the top flight very soon.