The 2011–12 season was Birmingham City Football Club's 109th season in the English football league system. It ran from 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2012. After relegation from the Premier League in 2010–11 under previous manager Alex McLeish, the team finished in fourth position in the 24-team Football League Championship under manager Chris Hughton, who was appointed in June. They lost on aggregate to fifth-placed Blackpool in the promotion play-offs semi-finals. Having won the 2011 League Cup, they qualified for the Europa League, in which they reached the group stage and finished third in their four-team group, only one point behind the two teams qualifying for the knockout rounds. In the 2011–12 League Cup, they were eliminated in the third round by Manchester City, and they lost to Chelsea