Alf Kirchen
Encyclopedia
Alfred John "Alf" Kirchen (August 26, 1913 – August 18, 1999) was an English
football
er.
Born in Shouldham
, Norfolk
, Kirchen played for local clubs, and for his county at youth level. He was signed by Tom Parker
, the manager of Second Division
Norwich City
in 1934 and he immediately impressed, scoring seven goals in fourteen League games, and three in four FA Cup
games for the Canaries. He soon caught the eye of First Division
champions Arsenal
, and was signed for £6,000 in March 1935, at the age of only 21.
Kirchen arrived too late at Arsenal to pick up a League winner's medal (the club completing a hat-trick of titles that year), but he still made an immediate impact, scoring twice on his debut against Arsenal's arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur
on March 6, 1935 – the match finished 6-0 to Arsenal, a record in a North London derby
. A right-winger
, Kirchen had to fight for a first team spot with Joe Hulme
(who started the 1936 FA Cup Final
ahead of him), but by the start of the 1936-37
season, Kirchen was the Gunners' first-choice right winger.
Kirchen became well known for his pace and fierce shooting, which soon attracted international attention; he picked up three caps (and scored twice) for England
on a 1937 tour of Scandinavia
, his debut coming against Norway
on May 14, 1937, and his final match being against Finland
on May 20 of the same year. Despite these performances however, he was never picked again.
He finally picked up a League winners' medal as Arsenal won the 1937-38
title, playing nineteen games that season, but the Second World War
intervened just as he was reaching the peak of his career. Kirchen served in the Royal Air Force
as a PT instructor, which allowed him to continue playing wartime matches for Arsenal (he appeared 116 times, scoring 81 goals, as well as three more times for England), but a severe injury picked up in a match against West Ham United
in 1943 forced his early retirement. In all, excluding wartime appearances, he played 101 official first-class matches for Arsenal, scoring 45 goals.
Kirchen later returned to his old club Norwich City, as a trainer, before leaving football to become a farmer
at Thwaite St. Mary and Hedenham
in south Norfolk
. He later returned to Norwich as a director of the club, and also served as Honorary President of the Norfolk Arsenal Supporters Club. He also represented his country at clay pigeon shooting
and was a keen player of lawn bowls. He died in 1999, several days short of what would have been his 86th birthday.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
er.
Born in Shouldham
Shouldham
Shouldham is a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.It covers an area of and had a population of 608 in 246 households as of the 2001 census....
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, Kirchen played for local clubs, and for his county at youth level. He was signed by Tom Parker
Tom Parker (footballer)
Thomas Robert "Tom" Parker was an English football player and manager.-Southampton:Born in Woolston, Southampton, Parker began playing with local sides, such as Sholing Rangers and Sholing Athletic, before joining Southern League side Southampton as an amateur in 1918, just before the end of the...
, the manager of Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
in 1934 and he immediately impressed, scoring seven goals in fourteen League games, and three in four FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
games for the Canaries. He soon caught the eye of First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
champions Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, and was signed for £6,000 in March 1935, at the age of only 21.
Kirchen arrived too late at Arsenal to pick up a League winner's medal (the club completing a hat-trick of titles that year), but he still made an immediate impact, scoring twice on his debut against Arsenal's arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
on March 6, 1935 – the match finished 6-0 to Arsenal, a record in a North London derby
North London derby
The North London derby is the name of the football local derby between the two major teams in North London – Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.-History:...
. A right-winger
Winger (sport)
In certain sports, such as football, field hockey, ice hockey, handball, rugby union, lacrosse and rugby league, the term winger is the name of a position. It refers to positions on the extreme left and right sides of the pitch . In American football and Canadian football, the analogous position...
, Kirchen had to fight for a first team spot with Joe Hulme
Joe Hulme
Joseph Harold Anthony "Joe" Hulme was an English footballer and cricketer.-Football career:Born in Stafford, Staffordshire Hulme usually played as a right-winger...
(who started the 1936 FA Cup Final
1936 FA Cup Final
The 1936 FA Cup Final was a football match between by Arsenal and Sheffield United on 25 April 1936 at Wembley. The showpiece match of English football's primary cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup , it was the 64th Cup final, and the fourteenth at Wembley.Each team received a...
ahead of him), but by the start of the 1936-37
1936-37 in English football
The 1936–37 season was the 62nd season of competitive football in England.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour...
season, Kirchen was the Gunners' first-choice right winger.
Kirchen became well known for his pace and fierce shooting, which soon attracted international attention; he picked up three caps (and scored twice) for England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
on a 1937 tour of Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
, his debut coming against Norway
Norway national football team
The Norway national football team represents Norway in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Norway, the governing body for football in Norway. Norway's home ground is Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo and their head coach is Egil Olsen...
on May 14, 1937, and his final match being against Finland
Finland national football team
The Finland national football team represents Finland in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Association of Finland....
on May 20 of the same year. Despite these performances however, he was never picked again.
He finally picked up a League winners' medal as Arsenal won the 1937-38
1937-38 in English football
The 1937–38 season was the 63rd season of competitive football in England.-Overview:This season is notable as the reigning champions Manchester City became the only team to have won the League title one season then been relegated the next.-Honours:...
title, playing nineteen games that season, but the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
intervened just as he was reaching the peak of his career. Kirchen served in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
as a PT instructor, which allowed him to continue playing wartime matches for Arsenal (he appeared 116 times, scoring 81 goals, as well as three more times for England), but a severe injury picked up in a match against West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
in 1943 forced his early retirement. In all, excluding wartime appearances, he played 101 official first-class matches for Arsenal, scoring 45 goals.
Kirchen later returned to his old club Norwich City, as a trainer, before leaving football to become a farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
at Thwaite St. Mary and Hedenham
Hedenham
Hedenham is a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.It covers an area of and had a population of 173 in 70 households as of the 2001 census.For the purposes of local government, it falls within the district of South Norfolk....
in south Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
. He later returned to Norwich as a director of the club, and also served as Honorary President of the Norfolk Arsenal Supporters Club. He also represented his country at clay pigeon shooting
Clay pigeon shooting
Clay pigeon shooting, also known as clay target shooting, and formally known as Inanimate Bird Shooting, is the art of shooting at special flying targets, known as clay pigeons or clay targets, with a shotgun or any type of firearm....
and was a keen player of lawn bowls. He died in 1999, several days short of what would have been his 86th birthday.