The Vertu Trophy Final is nearly here as Birmingham City meet holders Peterborough United at Wembley on Sunday, 13 April!

Both sides are bidding to win the competition for a record-equalling third time, and below are some of the important stats you need to know...

Birmingham City have beaten Peterborough United twice in League One this season, coming from 2-0 down at home to win 3-2 in September and winning 2-1 at London Road earlier this week.
The only previous meeting between Birmingham and Peterborough in the EFL Trophy was back in September 1994 at London Road, a 5-3 victory for Birmingham with Jonathan Hunt scoring a hat-trick.
Peterborough won the 2023-24 EFL Trophy with a victory over Wycombe Wanderers at Wembley. No side has ever won the trophy in consecutive seasons.
Both Birmingham and Peterborough have reached two previous EFL Trophy finals, and both won the trophy on each occasion, the Blues beating Tranmere in 1991 and Carlisle in 1995, while Posh beat Chesterfield in 2014 and Wycombe last year. Whoever wins the trophy this year will become the only team to play in three finals and win each one.
Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson – who led Posh to their two previous EFL Trophy wins – will be the second manager to manage in three EFL Trophy finals, along with Kenny Jackett (2006, 2019, 2021). Jackett and Ferguson are two of four managers to win it twice, along with Steve McMahon and Lou Macari, with Ferguson aiming to be the first manager to win it three times.
Birmingham, whose promotion from Sky Bet League One was confirmed with victory over Peterborough, are looking to become the first side to be automatically promoted from League One and win the EFL Trophy in the same season since Rotherham in 2021-22. They could be confirmed champions by this game and would be the first side to win the league and EFL Trophy since Bristol City in 2014-15.
In the history of the EFL Trophy, only Carlisle have won more games (63) and scored more goals (205) than Peterborough United (61 wins, 201 goals). Meanwhile, Birmingham have the best win ratio (81.5%, 22 wins in 27 games) and second-best goals per game (2.1, 57 in 27 games) of any side to play 20+ games, behind Sunderland (2.2 goals per game).
Birmingham City have won 39 games in all competitions this season, the most ever by a Football League side from outside of the top-flight in a season in Football League history. The previous most had been 38, by Wolves in 1987-88 and Fulham and Sunderland both in 1998-99. Birmingham’s 100 goals this season are their most since scoring 117 in 1994-95, a season in which they won the third tier and EFL Trophy.
Jay Stansfield has scored 22 goals in all competitions for Birmingham, four of which have come in the EFL Trophy. It’s the most goals by a Blues player in a season since Che Adams in 2018-19 (also 22), while Steve Claridge was the last player with more in one season in 1994-95 (25).
Kwame Poku has had a hand in 22 goals in just 27 appearances in all competitions for Peterborough this season (12 goals, 10 assists). He also scored Posh’s goal in Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat to Birmingham.

Vertu Trophy Final: Pre-match stats

Vertu Trophy Final: Pre-match stats