James Birch
Encyclopedia
James Birch was an English footballer who played mainly with QPR
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Birch was signed by QPR manager James Cowan
from his former club Aston Villa. Birch had scored 49 goals for Villa's reserves in two seasons but was only a fringe player at the Midlands club, and this form prompted Rangers to sign him in 1912. Birch was small in stature - only 5 feet 7 inches - but he was a stocky and bustling inside-forward. He made his debut in the September against Plymouth Argyle
and scored both goals in a 2-1 win. Had the First World War not intervened it is very possible that he would have played in excess of 500 games for QPR and ended up as the club's all-time leading scorer.Although never really prolific he was an extremely consistent goalscorer who could usually be relied on to score 15+ a season.
He went on to play 334 league games (363 in all competitions) for Rangers, scoring 125 league goals (144 in all). He stands 3rd in the all-time list of leading scorers at QPR. In 1926 he was transferred to Brentford
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Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
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Birch was signed by QPR manager James Cowan
James Cowan (footballer)
James Cowan was a Scottish footballer and manager.Born in Jamestown, Dunbartonshire, Cowan was a Scottish international half-back who played with local sides Renton and Vale of Leven before moving to England in 1888 to play for the Warwickshire County FC...
from his former club Aston Villa. Birch had scored 49 goals for Villa's reserves in two seasons but was only a fringe player at the Midlands club, and this form prompted Rangers to sign him in 1912. Birch was small in stature - only 5 feet 7 inches - but he was a stocky and bustling inside-forward. He made his debut in the September against Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
and scored both goals in a 2-1 win. Had the First World War not intervened it is very possible that he would have played in excess of 500 games for QPR and ended up as the club's all-time leading scorer.Although never really prolific he was an extremely consistent goalscorer who could usually be relied on to score 15+ a season.
He went on to play 334 league games (363 in all competitions) for Rangers, scoring 125 league goals (144 in all). He stands 3rd in the all-time list of leading scorers at QPR. In 1926 he was transferred to Brentford
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
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