Bernard "Barney" Bircham (31 August 1924 – 11 October 2007) was an English footballer who played as a goalkeeper in the Football League for Grimsby Town and Colchester United.

Barney Bircham
Personal information
Full name Bernard Bircham[1]
Date of birth (1924-08-31)31 August 1924[1]
Place of birth Philadelphia, England[1]
Date of death 11 October 2007(2007-10-11) (aged 83)[2]
Place of death Grimsby, England[2]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
Sunderland
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Chesterfield 0 (0)
1949–1950 Grimsby Town 8 (0)
1950–1951 Colchester United 7 (0)
Total 15 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

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Born in Philadelphia, Bircham began his career with Sunderland, where he failed to break into the first team, and moved on to Chesterfield, where he also failed to make an appearance.[1]

In 1949, Bircham joined Grimsby Town, where he would make eight appearances,[3] before joining Colchester United for a fee of £800.[1] He made his debut in a 2–1 home victory over Northampton Town on 17 February 1951.[4] He made seven league appearances for Colchester,[5] his final appearance coming in a 3–0 away defeat to rivals Ipswich Town on 24 March 1951.[6]

Barney Bircham died in Grimsby on 11 October 2007. He had two children, Geoffrey and Susan, and left behind wife Betty.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Colchester United - Player profile". Coludata.co.uk. Archived from the original on 4 May 2013. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
  2. ^ a b c "BARNEY BIRCHAM: Obituary - ThisIsAnnouncements - Grimsby and Scunthorpe Telegraph". This Is Grimsby. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
  3. ^ "GRIMSBY TOWN:1946/47-2009/10". Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Transfer Database. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
  4. ^ "Colchester United - Match details - Colchester Utd 2–1 Northampton Town". Coludata.co.uk. Archived from the original on 4 May 2013. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
  5. ^ "COLCHESTER UNITED:1950/51-1989/90 & 1992/93-2011/12". Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Transfer Database. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
  6. ^ "Colchester United - Match details - Ipswich Town 3–0 Colchester Utd". Coludata.co.uk. Archived from the original on 4 May 2013. Retrieved 4 April 2013.