• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Birmingham City Football 1939-1945

Thank you Ken for your comments.

Actually it was explained and of course time has since emphasised that no one ever attends the another teams matches if you are a dedicated supporter of what, I guess was considered the best team in the world. lol
 
BazzM said:
RobertS. Sorry I cant help you with your search for info about Jerry Gill, but I will look. I too am interested in players of years gone by, and only last week was surprised when the Mother of my boss at Glasgow Airport,asked me if I knew a Neil Dougall ? I told her I didnt, and she said I ought to, as he used to play for the Blues. So, when I got home, I checked up on this, and sure enough, he did play for us, between 1945-49. He appeared 93 times and scored 15 goals, and also won his only Scottish cap, whilst at the Blues. As this is the uncle of my boss, I made sure I knew a bit more now. Small world isnt it ? Like I said, I will endeavor to find out what I can about Jerry Gill, and if I uncover anything, I will be in touch. Regards, Barry.
Click to expand...

What never heard of Neil Dougall? I say sir, what's your schoolmaster been about? I began humming to myself the tune of Lily of the Lamplight and singing the words we sang long ago:
Dougall passed to Bodle,
Bodle he was fine
Passed it on to Edwards who ran along the line,
Back in the centre, Jones in a scrum
Now we will see a goal for Brum,
If we leave it to Mulraneeeeey, Mulraney he's the one.

These are the heroes we queued to watch..... Neil (Cornelius actually), Harold, George, Wilson, Ambrose ... the forward line of the 40's and 50's. Champions of the League South, beaten in an FA Cup semi-final replay when Ted Duckhouse broke a leg. The season Sam Bartram, Charlton's goalkeeper, hit the bar with a penalty at the Railway End. Heart stop beating, pulse stop racing .... Alan.
 
Alan. Neil played a bit before my time, 1945-49. I was only born in '49. Must admit Ive never heard the little ditty you posted, but glad that someone else remembers him. By the way, I put a post up the other week regarding Roy Martin, check that one out.
 
You cant really expect these youngsters to remember the "Real" players Blues had years ago, I watched
them until I joined up in 1948, Gil in goal, Trigg, Duckhouse h/bs, Harris, Turner, Mitchell, the forward
line you mentioned before, Oh! Happy Days , Bernard
 
That's right I would watch the first team one Saturday and the reserves the next. One thing that I do remember at the Blues they only seemed to have two records to play. Nat King Cole's Rambling Rose and the one they seemed to play all the time was Clark's Trumpet Voluntary.

On the odd occassion my dad's pal would take me down the Villa and I'm proud to say I always cheered for the opposition.
 
Scan0002.jpgHI BERNARD
Alittle late i know,but iwas just browsing the site. In your post dated April 10 2011 you mentioned some old blues players. You mentioned
my two uncels Fred Harris and Cyril Trigg. This photo was taken at a family party several years ago,it was a proud moment for me when
the teams came out and they were both in the team. Between them they served the club for 32 seasons, thats when players stayed loyal
to there clubs
KEN
 
Gilbert Merrick! Keeper Cyri Trigg what a side that was! spent many great times watcjhing that lot! John Crump oldBrit. parker. Co USA
 
Thanks Ken for the mail, but I believe it was Bernard who should have been the recipient. Never mind, it is always pleasing to hear from another Forum Member.

As a child I recall some sporting gentleman was reputed to live in Haslucks Green Road, Shirley. I don't remember whether it was Gilbert Merrick or Geoff Duke (motor cycling guy). In the post war period there used to be, presumably on a Sunday afternoon, a grass track meeting of motor cycles, some with chairs, which was held near the Aqueduct (now affectionately as the 'ackaduc' or some such name) which was close to Shirley railway station. The ford beneath the bridge was a fascinating place to be sure. Well most boys (and men) are attracted to water it seems.
 
I moved out of Brum in 1957, on the Overspill scheme, as a Postman I transfered to Burton on Trent.Then 1973 I moved to Derby and after a few weeks I went on a collection round Alveston.The first call was Wilmorton PO.Went in the office and saw a man behind the counter and said, Blimey its Harold Bodle one of my "Blues" hero's! He was the Sub Postmaster. Had some old natters with him after that .Bernard
 
Last edited:
HI RADIORAILS
Gil Merrick lived in Bills LANE for many years before he passed. In the early years of his carrer he lived in Larne rd Sheldon
across the road from my uncle Cyril Trigg. Ialso used to go to the grass track on Sunday afternoons. Irecall one of the stars was a rider from the
BSA team named SMITH.
KEN
 
I recall Bills Lane, more accurately Bills Woods. Oh! the bluebells that were to be seen there, a lovely sight.
 
Seem to remember reading somewhere Gil had a newsagents shop? The old players we knew were gentlemen compered to nowadays, TV money has ruined our football!Take Care Bernard.
 
HI
Quite right. My aunt also worked for them for many years as a weekly collector from people who had loans.
ken
 
Ken,
Talking about Gil Merrick, a few years ago my Daughter who works for a temping agency, had a job to do at some offices at the back of Marston Green,near the Chester Road and she came home one night and said "There is a old gentleman working there who used to play for Bham City, a grumpy person" "What is his name" "They said it was Gil Merrick" Gil was well passed retirement age but was still working for his friend who ran S.U. She had not a clue who he was as she is in her forties
Dave
 
At the age of about 12, in the 1945/46 season, I think, I attended the game when the "Blues" played Charlton Athletic. In those days, due to war restrictions, the football league programme was divided between Southern teams ( League South), and Northern teams (League North). Charlton and the Blues were neck and neck to be Champions of League South, so the game was crucial. The Blues got off to a good start with a goal from Wilson Young. They were going well until near the end when Charlton were awarded a penalty.

Sam Bartram, the Charlton goalkeeper, was probably the hardest, and most lethal striker of a "dead ball" at that time. Sam ran the full length of the pitch, did not stop running and just hit the ball in his stride. It blasted against the crossbar, and bounced back into play. As the Blues players kicked the ball back up field, Sam had to run like mad back to his own goal!. As great a 'keeper as Gilbert Merrick was, he would never have stopped that shot had it been more accurate. In fact, Gil never even moved! So, the Blues went on to win the game and the Championship. A wonderful team. Oh,, for such a team today! I believe that the Blues would have also had a good chance of reaching the FA Cup Final if Ted Duckhouse had not had his leg broken in the Sheffield Semi-Final game against Derby (who sent on the win the cup), after a Blues replay. The sound of the leg creak echoed all around the ground. It was horrible. Sometimes I can still hear it.
 
Iwas at the railway end were the ball hit the bar.My uncle Fred Harris was in the Blues team that day,the next season he became captain after Arther Turner.Iwas also at the ground the day Gil Merrick saved a cannon ball penalty from Dougie Reed of Portsmouth
 
I have a booklet published by the Evening Despatch in 1956, after that cup final!
It contains a few photographs and several pages of cartoons of individuals and incidents from 1875. The one on Gil Merrick shows the ball hitting the crossbar and vibrating. The caption reads he figured in two amazing penalty episodes. Sam Bartram trotted upfield on 16 Feb 1946 to take the penalty, he very nearly broke the bar! In a cup tie against Portsmouth on 25 Jan 1947 Gil made the save of his life against "cannon ball" Duggie Reid. I also have a page of copied autographs of the 1955/56 team.

I left school the following year and my support for football began to wane but I am still a Blues supporter at heart. The last game I saw was after I moved to Ayr. Blues played Ayr United at Somerset Park in Ayr, in one of the last Anglo Scottish cup ties. One of my old colleagues later informed me, with some delight, that Blues lost to his team Middlesbrough in the final.

If this booklet is of any interest to anyone I will put it in the post to the first person in the UK to PM their address.

Regards

Clarkie
 
Do not remind me of that cup final. Iwas in the army doing n/s. Imanaged to get a ticket, but it was one of the many times they have broken my heart.Another was them not being able to beat Fulham in 2 matches a few years later despite being odds on favourits to reach another final.
 
It's funny, I can't imagine Gil being a grumpy old man. He always seemed like a gentleman on the pitch. I used to watch from the south stand, about half way up (railway end would be on the left) Saw some great games. The side being hard pressed by Newcastle at one time, I saw Gil throw the ball out to the half way line, where Eddy Brown latched on to it and beating the last Newcastle player sped away after the ball and beat the keeper with a side step and scored a goal. Brown only touched the ball a couple of times and Newcastle were totally stunned. I seem to remember the Newcastle skipper Stokoe (I think) applauding.
I guess 55/56 players would be Merrick, Len Boyd (capt) Peter Murphy, Eddie Brown, Gordon Astall, Alex Govan (I think Jackie Stewart was gone by then...another famous disappointment when Jackie hit the upright against Man City...FA cup semi final). Hmm..who else... Noel Kinsey, John Newman/Trevor Smith, Jeff Hall. Can't remember the very talented left half just now, but it will come to me...hmm left back Ken Green?.
The left half became captain after Len Boyd I believe. Anyway when it comes to money, there is the opposite side of the coin also. It seems to me that...ah yes...Warhurst died in a trailer in a scrap yard (learned it from here) after being a first div capt. As the previous poster said 'how sad is that'.
Better that they get lots of dough I think. The problem is that the Oligharks have all of the money and can stuff teams with talented players. OK...not 39/45...still, we have nothing now and Brum and the Wolves might be passing each other up and down. Anyway the competition has been better this year and Villa have had famous wins...notably against Man City who beat Birmingham in the FA Cup final of rotten memory. Hmm...seems to me Villa beat Chelsey also...not bad but I fear that the city are done and full houses are gone. Maybe a rich entity can prove me wrong. Would make a great project for one of these body part 'one and zero' wonders. Harry Hibbs was a great goal keeper also and so too was Johny Schofield who came after Gill but had a bad injury in a game.
 
The booklet prize has been claimed. The winner will remain nameless until he swears he is not a Villa supporter in disguise. However the fact he sometimes wears a kilt might mean he keeps right on to the end of the road at Saint Andrews!

Clarkie
 
Rupert, that was the opinion of my daughter, she did not know him as she is only 44 yrs old but was just working at S & U as a temp helping out for a week, possibly he was like that as he got older. I met him way back at a football do at the Fox and Goose way back in the late fifties, sixties, he did not say much, rather quiet, a little shorter than I though as I am rather tall and he was sort of below me a bit, Don't ask me where I played with my height.
Dave
 
Nobody has mentioned the lady dressed in Blue And White crinoline way back in the 70? who used to walk around the pitch and the sally Ann band that used to play there. May be it was in the previous decade, I am not sure.

Dave
 
Well i had the pleasure today, of meeting clarkie (Colin), to gratefully collect the 1956 Blues booklet he very kindly gave me. It was great having our very own "meet" with a natter over a drink or two. It's nice to know there are more Brummies (& Blues fans) living up this part of the country. Colin, it was a pleasure to meet you, and i hope we stay in contact. Barry.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top