Joe Birch

Joe Birch
Personal information
Full name Joseph Birch
Date of birth 6 July 1904(1904-07-06)
Place of birth Hednesford, England
Date of death 4 December 1980(1980-12-04) (aged 76)
Place of death Colchester, England
Playing position Full back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1920–1926 Cannock Town ? (?)
1926–1928 Hednesford Town ? (?)
1928–1929 Birmingham 1 (0)
1929–1931 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 26 (0)
1931–1938 Fulham 185 (0)
1938–19xx Colchester United ? (?)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Joseph "Joe" Birch (6 July 1904 – 4 December 1980) was an English professional footballer who made more than 200 appearances in the Football League playing for Birmingham, Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic and Fulham.[1] He played as a full back.

Birch was born in Hednesford, Staffordshire. He played non-league football for Cannock Town and Hednesford Town before joining Birmingham in 1928.[2] Birch played his only game for Birmingham in the First Division on Boxing Day 1928 in a 6–2 defeat at Bolton Wanderers, just before the club paid £4,000 for the services of Huddersfield Town full back Ned Barkas.[3] He played for Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic in the Third Division South before moving on to Fulham. In his first season Birch contributed to their winning the Third Division South title and consequent promotion,[2] and in seven seasons with the club he played 185 league games.[1] They awarded him a benefit match against fellow west London club Queens Park Rangers in 1937.[4] He finished off his career with Colchester United, with whom he won the championship of the Southern League in the 1938–39 season.[2]

Birch died in Colchester, Essex, in 1980 at the age of 76.[2]

Honours

with Fulham

with Colchester United

References

  1. ^ a b Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData (Tony Brown). p. 26. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6. 
  2. ^ a b c d Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 72. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9. 
  3. ^ Matthews, pp. 24, 171.
  4. ^ "Football Programmes & Memorabilia". Lockdales. 18 November 2007. http://www.lockdales.com/PricesFootball.htm. Retrieved 2 April 2009.