.gif)
Ronnie Bird (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Ronald Philip "Ronnie" Bird (27 December 1941 – 20 March 2005) was an English
professional footballer.
, Bird began his career as an apprentice at his hometown club Birmingham City
but found first team chances hard to come by and left to join Bradford Park Avenue
, being signed by manager Jimmy Scoular
. He quickly established himself in the side and helped the club to retain their division three status after being promoted the previous year. He eventually left the club in 1965 to join Bury
but only spent seven months at Gigg Lane
before being signed again by Jimmy Scoular, this time at his new club Cardiff City
for £5,000. He helped the club to win the Welsh Cup
in his first season, one of three times he won the competition at Cardiff, and gained a reputation for scoring spectacular goals.
He left Cardiff after five seasons at the club and joined Crewe Alexandra
where he spent one year before dropping into non-league football with Gloucester City. After retiring from football he took over as manager at Ebbw Vale
and Bridgend Town
before later returning to work with Jimmy Scoular as his assistant manager at Newport County
. He left his post at the club during the 1978/79 season and later took over as landlord of the Canton Cross and Romilly Arms pubs in Cardiff
. His experience in the trade prompted Cardiff City to hire him to take charge of the several bars in the clubs ground and he later took up a number of positions at the club including match day hospitality manager, manager of the players restaurant and a commentator for the clubs website. He was taken ill in 2003 and subsequentley stepped down from his various roles at the club, although after recovering somewhat he later returned to commentate on matches again before he died in 2005.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
professional footballer.
Career
Born in BirminghamBirmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, Bird began his career as an apprentice at his hometown club Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
but found first team chances hard to come by and left to join Bradford Park Avenue
Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C.
Bradford Association Football Club, previously also known as Bradford and since its reformation in the 1970s now referred to as Bradford Park Avenue, is a football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England...
, being signed by manager Jimmy Scoular
Jimmy Scoular
James "Jimmy" Scoular was a Scottish football player and manager. Known as a tough, combative player with precise passing skills, Scoular made over 600 appearances in The Football League with Portsmouth, Newcastle United and Bradford Park Avenue, as a player-manager, and attained nine caps for...
. He quickly established himself in the side and helped the club to retain their division three status after being promoted the previous year. He eventually left the club in 1965 to join Bury
Bury F.C.
Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...
but only spent seven months at Gigg Lane
Gigg Lane
Gigg Lane is an all-seater football stadium in Bury, Greater Manchester, England. Historically within Lancashire, it was built for Bury F.C. in 1885, and has been their home ever since.-History:...
before being signed again by Jimmy Scoular, this time at his new club Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
for £5,000. He helped the club to win the Welsh Cup
Welsh Cup
The Welsh Cup is a knock-out football competition contested annually by teams from Wales.The Football Association of Wales is the organising body of this competition, which has been run every year since its inception in 1877-78...
in his first season, one of three times he won the competition at Cardiff, and gained a reputation for scoring spectacular goals.
He left Cardiff after five seasons at the club and joined Crewe Alexandra
Crewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
where he spent one year before dropping into non-league football with Gloucester City. After retiring from football he took over as manager at Ebbw Vale
Ebbw Vale F.C.
Ebbw Vale Football Club were a football team from Ebbw Vale, South Wales.Ebbw Vale played in the first season of the League of Wales in 1992-93. The club then finished 11th before finishing 3rd in two successive seasons to 1997-98. During the years when they finished 3rd the Giles brothers, Paul...
and Bridgend Town
Bridgend Town F.C.
Bridgend Town F.C. is a Welsh football club that currently play in the Welsh Football League First Division. They are based in Bridgend in south Wales. Historically, their local rivals were Maesteg Park who disbanded in 2009...
before later returning to work with Jimmy Scoular as his assistant manager at Newport County
Newport County A.F.C.
Newport County Association Football Club are a professional football club based in the city of Newport, south Wales, who currently play in the Conference National, the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
. He left his post at the club during the 1978/79 season and later took over as landlord of the Canton Cross and Romilly Arms pubs in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
. His experience in the trade prompted Cardiff City to hire him to take charge of the several bars in the clubs ground and he later took up a number of positions at the club including match day hospitality manager, manager of the players restaurant and a commentator for the clubs website. He was taken ill in 2003 and subsequentley stepped down from his various roles at the club, although after recovering somewhat he later returned to commentate on matches again before he died in 2005.