Joe Birch
English footballer (1904–1980)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Joseph 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.[2] He played as a full back.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Joseph Birch | ||
| Date of birth | 6 July 1904 | ||
| Place of birth | Hednesford, England | ||
| Date of death | 4 December 1980 (aged 76) | ||
| Place of death | Colchester, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[1] | ||
| 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) |
| 1938–19?? | Colchester United | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Birch was born in Hednesford, Staffordshire. He played non-league football for Cannock Town and Hednesford Town before joining Birmingham in 1928.[3] 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.[4] 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,[3] and in seven seasons with the club he played 185 league games.[2] They awarded him a benefit match against fellow west London club Queens Park Rangers in 1937.[5] He finished off his career with Colchester United, with whom he won the championship of the Southern League in the 1938–39 season.[3]
Birch died in Colchester, Essex, in 1980 at the age of 76.[3]
