Blues Legend Gil Merrick
Yesterday, it was announced that Gil Merrick died on the 3rd of February 2010 aged 88. Sometimes the word legend is over or misused, but not here. Gil was DEFINITELY a legend.
He played for the club as a goalkeeper and went on to manage the side achieving the success of winning the league cup against some other local club. More of that in a while, back to the beginning.
Gil was a Brummy lad, born January 26th 1922 in Sparkhill. He signed for Blues in 1939 and played for the club over 500 times in all competitions. He set an amazing statistic of playing 126 league games in a row for the club, (between 1949-1952). During this time he also played in all the FA cup games and that included an FA cup semi-final, (his second). At the end of this amazing run, Gil was injured and lost his place to Johnny Schofield.
Gil was regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the country during the early fifties, so it wasn’t surprising that in 1951, Gil won his 1st of 23 caps when he was picked to played for England. He played in the 1954 World Cup when England made it to the quarter finals.
In 1955/56 he had re-established himself as first choice. This was an amazing season for Blues, not only did they finish 6th in the top division – still our best finish – but Gil achieved 1 step further in the FA cup as runners up to Manchester City. The following season, Gil and the side achieved ANOTHER semi-final appearance.
Gil Merrick
Towards the end of his career, Gil also played his part in the Blues European games in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. During the 1956-1958 competition, Blues got through to the Semi-finals only to be beaten by Barcelona. He also played during the 1958-1960 competition. This time Blues made it to the final, but Gil lost his place after the final and only played 1 game the following season. He retired from club football in 1960, however his association with the Blues hadn’t finished.
He became the manager of Blues in 1960. The Blues entered the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup again, and Gil lead the team to another final. Once again, however, we were beaten again this time by Roma. He did lead the side to victory in the San-Siro and Blues were the only English club to win there for 40 years.
He main achievement was winning the recently formed League Cup, (then a two legged final), when we beat Villa over 2 legs 3-1 on aggregate.
After a couple of bad seasons in the league, Gil left his post as manager in 1964. He went on the manage a couple of local non-league sides but never another professional club. The only club he was ever associated with, was the Blues.
The club recently re-named the Railway end after him and he also unvieled the new Jeff Hall Memorial clock. Gil was also named in the Legends XI for the Blues Hall of Fame.
Just a little something that Aff posted on the forum:
Always remember a story told to me by a work colleague. She was best friends with one of Gil’s daughters. One day, she was invited around to Gil’s for dinner. During dinner, she asked Gil what he did for a living. He calmly replied that he was manager of Birmingham City FC – and left it at that.
And it’s a story that you hear over and over about the man. He seemed to have no ego and was a gentleman in every sense of the word.
So what can we say about a man who appeared in 3 FA Cup semi-finals and 1 final, who played / managed the club in a semi final and 2 finals of the Inter Cities Fairs Cup, won a domestic trophy and played for England for 23 times including a World Cup, and played and managed only one club and clearly was a gentleman - obviously one word. LEGEND.
RIP Gil.
Please feel free to add your comments / memories about Gil.
Image used by permission John Baker ©
Kenny Burns Speaks to Joys and Sorrows Part 2
Here is part 2 of my interview with Kenny, starting with style as a player! If you missed part 1, you can read it here.
You had a bit of a reputation as a hardman, was that something that developed or was it always there?
It was always there to be honest. I liked the physical aspect of the game. If someone was doing something – you had to stop it. (Me – Didn’t you put Alan Hanson or Mark Lawrenson down in a game?). Well that wouldn’t be hard! Alan wasn’t very physical! There were players who weren’t very physical, so I tried to bully them. You get a hard tackle or challenge in early.
Kenny Burns
So by roughing them up you were gaining an advantage.
Yeah, I’m trying to do the best for the team. If it means me bullying someone to give us the edge, I would do it. Freddie always said, the first chance you get hit the keeper. The first cross – whack him. Next time it comes over, he’ll be watching you and not the ball. I used to try and get away with what I could! I think I only got sent off twice for the Blues though! I came close a number of other times though!
Tell us about Willie Bell, because he took over as manager while you were still with us after Freddie got the sack.
After Freddie got the sack, I got on well with Willie (Bell) and then for some reason it went totally against me. I saw Willie many years later and he said that he was told that I was tapped up by Forest and my sources were never wrong. I said they were wrong this time, I was NEVER tapped up. I got on really well with him, I think I was one of his favourites and probably got away with things a bit more. Then when he became manager I remember he had a Vauxhall Viva and I used to say to him – what are doing driving that as manager of Birmingham City? You should be driving a Mercedies! He did eventually get one. That’s how I used to talk to him!
Kenny Burns
It sounds like you had a great time with us as a club, and we loved having you. But tell me a bit about your time after you left us, because you had a great time at Forest. Was the move difficult?
To be honest I found it really hard that Birmingham didn’t want me. That was strange to me. Forest were superb to me. I can’t fault them to be honest.
Have you got a Cloughie story?
Well there was one related to Martin O’Neill, he had been dropped to make way for Trevor and he was really upset about it. Cloughie called everyone in and asked him what the matter was. He said nothing, so Cloughie said yes there is and we will all sit here all day until you tell me. So Martin O’Neill said, OK then I want to know why I’m in the second team. Cloughie just turned round and said, because you’re too good for the third team! That was in front of the whole squad. You were a better man for meeting Cloughie.
There is a rumour that he was in line to become the Blues manager, do you know if that was true?
Yes it was. I remember when I was with him, he said to me. I nearly became manager of Birmingham because of one man, Clifford Coombs. He was a gentleman I nearly went there because of him.
Back to the present Kenny, what do you think about the new owners and about what Alex is doing?
Well I hope the new owners do spend their money to build the club up. Alex has to build slowly, and get the squad playing well and add in better and better players over time. I saw the Villa game earlier in the season and I was disappointed. Alex played 1 up front at home. It’s good that he’s changed it. The run the club is on, is great and they can play. Alex can do it. If the Blues can start getting success, they will become a bigger club than the Villa. I remember the big gates in the 70’s and I believe that these owners can play a big part in making the Blues a big club.
What are you up to now, and you have a new book out Kenny, tell us a bit about that.
I do a lot of after dinner speaking these days, and if anyone wants me to come to an event just contact me. (Contact J&S for details). As you say, I have a book out called No If’s or Butts! It is about my life and career from Scotland to the present day. Stories about managers and about things I’ve experienced. Not that it is all about me as such, it is about those who also played a part in my career. Some stories bout when I got into fights, also when I was on tour with the Blues and some things that happened there and also about my time at Forest!
Kenny thank you so much for giving me the time, you are genuinely one of my all time favourite Blues players. I hope we get chance to meet you again. I did meet you as a kid at Elmdon and you signed an programme for me.
I hope we can meet to, and no problem for this. Actually my signature has changed since then, I can do joined up writing now!
Ladies and Gentleman – Kenny Burns!
Images used with kind permission of Birmingham City FC
Kenny Burns Speaks to Joys and Sorrows Part 1
My 1st game in 1974 Kenny Burns scored in a 4-0 victory against Manchester City. There was 35,000 or so there, and I was hooked for life! I don’t remember any of the goals – but I remember this bustling, “put himself about” forward – and from that 1st game Kenny was one of my heroes, so it was a tremendous honour to talk to Kenny. Here is part 1 of the interview.
I started by asking him about his move to the Blues as a youngster from Glasgow.
I was about 17 when I came to the Blues. I’d been rejected by Rangers. Somebody had dropped out and I got the call, would I like to come down to Birmingham. It was the case that the ticket had been paid, so they needed to get somebody!I had a two week trial and the club said we’d like to sign you, but I said well I’ll see – as I also have a trial next week for Crystal Palace. The club replied by saying well we may not want to sign you next week, so I said Ok give me the pen!
What were your 1st impressions of Brum, especially as a youngster?
It wasn’t a problem, I’d been to the city before – I actually had relatives in the City. I was living with my 2 brothers at the time, I’d been adopted after my mother had died – so yeah, it was time to move on. It wasn’t a problem for me.
Kenny Burns Battles with Kevin Keegan
What were your first impressions of the club?
Don Dorman was chief scout, (Kev: he was responsible for bringing Kenny to us), and Freddie Goodwin was manager, Tony Hateley was just there Trevor Hockey and Malcolm Beard were also there. The team was beginning to change. Freddie was moving things about – Latchford, Hatton, Hynde and Hatton were all to come in. I liked the club, it was great times.
1975 the heartbreak of the semi-final, were you involved in that?
Yeah, we had a young team out in those days. Freddie decided to go for experience and bring experienced players back in despite the young players doing well. I have to say that was unquestionably my saddest moment in football. We thought we’d got out of jail in Sheffield with us equalising. But it just never transformed on the day.
From the saddest, what was your best memory of you playing with us as a club?
To be honest, every minute. OK I went on and furthered my career and to be fair I have been very successful with Forest, don’t ask me to pick a winner because I loved Birmingham that much. I loved everything about my time there. I loved my digs in Alum Rock, I loved the team spirit and camerordrie players such Joe Gallagher, Ian Callahan, Bobby Goode, Bobby Friars, Jimmy Calderwood – we had a GREAT team spirit there. We got to semi-finals of the youth cup. I LOVED my time at Birmingham.
You are one of a small number of players who were able excel at both ends of the park. I believe that you joined us as a defender didn’t you?
Yeah I started in defence because I couldn’t play with Joe Connor because he would never pass me the ball, so I said I would play at the back. I had a practice against the Blues youth side, regarded quite highly and we beat them 1-0, and I kept Trevor quiet and I think that’s what cracked it for me to get the trial.
What was Freddie’s reasoning to push you up front?
He came to me on the tuesday morning and asked if I could play CF, and I said Yeah. I didn’t have any problem, because I thought I could beat anyone in the air. He wanted me to hold the ball up. That afternoon I played for the 3rd team at Elmdon, then on the wednesday I Bob Latchford was sold to Everton. I then went to CF in his place.
So Freddie had decided that Bob was going, and was looking to you to cover the position?
If I could do the job up there, because Bob Hatton was a prolific scorer but he could be helped by having someone to hold the ball up for him and I could do that all day long, so it wasn’t a problem. Fred wanted to make sure I could do it obviously he thought I could, he asked me I said I could – so that probably helped him make the decision to sell Bob Latchford. Of course as part of the deal Howard Kendal came to us.
Kenny Burns Proving He Had a Good "Spring"
You obviously COULD play up front, because the season before you went to Forest you scored 20 goals for us.
That’s not a bad return for any striker is it, particularly in probably the best league in the world.
There were a couple of games that season that stand out. Firstly the game at home to Derby when we won 5-1 and you bagged 4 of them. That must have been a great game for you?
Derby had some great players at the time, scoring is about your own belief and I believed I could score goals any time and that game I was lucky that it all went right for me and I scored 4. At the time a local businessman who put a car up – (I jump in, so this IS true then? I was going to ask you about this!) Yes it’s true. He said whoever scored the 6th goal in a game would get a TR7. We were a bit unlucky against Derby not to get the 6th, but we went on to get it against Leicester a few weeks later.
This was the other game I was going to ask you about.
We went to Leicester in the freezing cold and beat them 6-2 and I scored a hatrick and the 6th and won a TR7!
That must have been a brilliant motivation – a TR7 to score a 6th goal.
To be fair I can’t win it without the rest of the team, and I didn’t actually get the car. There was a picture of me getting the car. I would have liked to have got it – but we got the insurance money. So I came back, got in my Austin 1100 and drove home! The rest of the team got 200 quid and the apprentices got a tenner or so – so everyone got something from it. It was around Christmas time.
Part 2 can be read here.
Images used with kind permission of Birmingham City FC
Whatever happened to the heroes of 2002
Filed under: Aylesburyblue Articles, Blues News, Matches, Memories
This weekend brings the playoff finals and while we are all happy not to be taking part in them it did get me wondering about the players who secured Blues’ first Premiership campaign back in 2002.
Nico Vaesen
Vaesen remained Blues’ number one for the following Premier league season until a cruciate knee injury in March 2003 put him out of the game for nine months. With Blues signing Maik Taylor in the summer he struggled to retain his place appearing only a couple of times. In one of those appearances in 2005 he was sent off in a 4-1 defeat by Manchester City. He was released after relegation and now plays for FC Verbroedering Geel in the Belgium 3rd division.
Jeff Kenna
Kenna went on to be a popular player throughout our first couple of seasons before joining Derby County on a free transfer in 2004. He finished his career as player manager with Galway United and is now the manager of Keith Fahey’s old club St Patricks Athletic.
Steve Vickers
Birmingham turned out to be Vickers’ last club as he retired due to injury the following season. He went into property management and does some coaching at non-league level.
Michael Johnson
Johnson was another player who played only one Premier League season for Blues before dropping back down a division. He played for Derby until 2008 and now plays for Notts County alongside another ex-Birmingham Player Jamie Clapham.
Martin Grainger
Sadly injury stopped him from having much of a Premier League career although he did score an excellent free kick against Man Utd. He retired in early 2005 and now works as a chauffeur after a very short spell as the manager of Cheshunt FC.
Paul Devlin
Devlin scored the first ever Premier league goal at St Andrews in a 2-1 defeat of Leeds. He went on to score a couple more goals for us and get ten caps for Scotland before joining Watford. He now plays for Stratford Town in the midland football alliance.
Bryan Hughes
A favourite of many a Bluesnose Hughes’ goals were a major factor in Blues staying up the following season. His attacking runs from midfield made him a useful member of the squad but he decided to move to Charlton in 2004 to get more first team opportunities. He won another play off final for Hull City in 2008 who he still plays for today.
Olivier Tebily
Tebs became a bit of a cult hero at Blues despite not making that many first team appearances in his six years at the club. He finally left in 2008 joining Toronto FC for a short spell. He has now retired back to France with his family.
Tommy Mooney
Mooney only played one game in the top flight before being sent out on loan and then moving to Swindon Town at the end of the season. He went on to play for Oxford, Wycombe and Walsall. Most recently he has been playing in the Spanish 2nd division with UD Marbella.
Geoff Horsfield
The Horse was another St Andrews hero who played a part in our succesful fight to stay up in 2003. He joined Wigan in September 2003 and also played again in the Premier League with West Brom. He had to retire after being diagnosed with testicular cancer but after fighting that off he joined Lincoln City for a few games in 2009.
Stern John
He will always be remembered as the player who scored the last minute winner against Millwall in the semi final. He scored a further nine goals for Blues in the Premier league before joining Coventry. He is currently a Southampton player although he spent the second half of the season on loan at Bristol City.
Subs
Stan Lazaridis
Stanley was another Blues legend who became a regular fixture down the left in the following seasons. He left after relegation in 2006 to join Perth Glory in his native Australia but his time their was curtailed by a twelve month drug ban. He retired in 2008.
Andrew Johnson
Johnson left Blues the following season as part of the deal the brought Clinton Morrisson from Crystal Palace. This proved to be a bit of bad business as he went on to score 74 goals for Palace before moving to Everton for £8.5m. He now plays for Fulham.
Darren Carter
The Birmingham trainee turned out to be the hero as he put away the winning penalty. Unfortunately his career never took off the way we had hoped and he was eventually sold to West Brom in 2005. He now plays for Preston North End.
Unused sub
Damien Johnson
The only member of the team still at the club.
Best Blues Player Part 1
This idea came from a post on the forum. A regular poster called Keep Right On is compiling a list for each position. Please vote in the poll for your opinion on who was the best.
——————————————————————————————————————
Harry Hibbs
Harry played his whole career for the Blues, playing 389 games for the team. He was the reliable keeper that saw the Blues play regular football in the top tier of English football, and also reach the 1931 FA cup final. He may have gone onto to play more for the side, but the Second World War ended his career. He played 25 times for England.
Signed From: N/A Sold To: N/A League Apps: 358 Years:1925-1939
Gil Merrick
Gil played 485 league games for the Blues, in a career the stretched over three decades. Gil was the keeper that played at Wembley in 1956, and was part of the side that won the second division in 1955, and finished 6th in the first division the following season, out best ever finish. He played 23 times for England.
Signed From: N/A Sold To: N/A League Apps: 485 Years:1939-1960
Johnny Schofield
Johnny had the unfortunate experience to play ’second fiddle’ to Gil Merrick for most of his Blues career. But as soon as Gil lost his place, it was Johnny who filled his boots. He went on to play in both the 1960 and 1961 finals of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, and well as being on the winning side during the 1963 League Cup.
Signed From: N/A Sold To: Wrexham League Apps: 212 Years:1950-1966
Jim Herriot
Signed from Dunfermline in 1958, Jim was one of those keepers who would make world class saves for the whole match, but let the ball go through his hands in the last minute. He was nearly ever-present in the side as the routinely finished mid-table in Division Two, before losing his place to Dave Latchford in 1970. He played 8 times for Scotland.
Signed From: Dunfermline Athletic Sold To: Hibernian League Apps: 181 Years:1965-1971
David Seaman
David was brought by Ron Saunders of Peterborough in 1984. He performed steadily helping the side to promotion in his first season. It was during his second season with the club that his performance’s started to catch the eye. He was sold at the end of the 1985-86 season, and would later go on to become England’s No 1 keeper, playing 75 times.
Signed From: Peterborough United Sold To: Q.P.R. League Apps: 75 Years:1984-1986
Ian Bennett
Ian was undoubtedly one of Barry Fry’s better signings. He play regularly for five seasons, helping the side to promotion from Division Two, before briefly loosing his place to Kevin Poole. But it was not long before Ian was back between the sticks for the Blues, and over the next few season’s helped the side gain play-off places in Division One. He also played in the League Cup Final of 2001. With the introduction of Nico Vaesen and Maik Taylor, it was felt that it was time for Ian to move on, and he joined Leeds in 2005.
Signed From: Peterborough United Sold To: Leeds United League Apps: 287 Years:1993-2005
Maik Taylor
Signed initially on loan, it was Maik Taylor that made the goalkeeping position his own during Blues’ latter Premier League years. A string of stunning performance, such as his display against Manchester City saw manager Steve Bruce sign him permanently in the January 2004 transfer window. Having only lost his place in the side once to Colin Doyle, Maik has successfully helped the side to two promotions from the Championship.
Signed From: Fulham Sold To: N/A League Apps: 302 Years:2003-Present
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