Events surrounding the February 1905 match away to Small Heath highlighted their Coventry Road ground's inadequacies. The official attendance was given as 28,000,This Day's Matches. Birmingham Daily Mail. 25 February 1905. p. 4. though with the gates closed before kick-off, thousands scaled walls or forced entrances in order to gain admission, and the actual attendance was estimated at anything up to 35,000.Matthews (1995), Complete Record. p. 57.Inglis, Simon (1996). Football Grounds of Britain (3rd ed.) London: CollinsWillow. p. 44. .
