Paul Birch RIP

It's been a busy old week. Where do I start?

First things first and to Paul Birch.

It would appear that the game against Chelsea has been nominated Paul Birch Tribute Day by supporters.

According to the website: "The aim is for fans to have the name Birch and the number 7 printed on the back of their shirts as a fitting tribute to the popular star."

One can only hope therefore that all proceeds go to Birch's charity, or to Acorns.

Birch's funeral last week became a Who's Who of professional football in the 1980s and 1990s.

If ever there was any doubt about the popularity of Birch it was in the number of folk who attended the service at West Bromwich Crematorium, and the number who then departed for the wake at the nearby bowling club.

I did not attend the service myself, although my paper did send a reporter and a photographer to cover the event.

I popped along to the bowling club for an hour to register my respect in that small way.

I just felt uneasy about transgressing on people's grief, even though Birch's best pal, Dave Evans, had invited me along.

Gordon Cowans was emotional some hours later.

The usual suspects were there from the 1982/83 squad were there in great numbers: Des Bremner, Allan Evans, Gary Shaw and Nigel Spink to name just a few.

Former youth team mates Ivor Linton, Noel Blake, Mark Jones and Brendan Ormsby were there.

Paul McGrath was there, sat between Doug Ellis and former physio Jim Walker at the servive - his two 'minders' from his playing days.

Martin Keown was present.

The names are others present are too many and varied to remember them all, but I'll give it a go: Mark Lillis, Derek Mountfield, Kevin Richardson, Bobby Thomson, Lee Butler, Geoff Thomas, Don Goodman, Ian Clarkson, Kevin Poole (both representing Blues), Brendan Batson, Cyrille Regis and Ray Wilson (representing Albion).

200 folk were crammed inside and as many as 300 were outside paying their respects.

Dave Evans and Karl Court, of Villa's excellent Former Players Association, gave moving eulogies.

Court's words best sum up what Birch meant to the footballing folk at Villa and at Wolves for that matter.

A close friend of Birch, Court penned his words in the days before he finally succumbed to a illness.

"The word legend is thrown around far too much these days," began Court.

"If you know nothing of Paul Birch, try to imagine a player who undoubtedly had talent, albeit unspectacular.

"Birchy was a player's player, unfussy and 100% committed to the cause, who would work his socks off each and every game, and who never shirked nor gave up.

"A player who stuck with us through the highs and the lows, who came from a Youth Cup winning side, made his first team debut (coming on as sub) in a Super Cup final against Barcelona, and then played through some of the darkest years of our history, which resulted in relegation.

"A player who was pivotal in the 2nd Division side that bounced straight back up.

"A player who picked up the world's best midfielder of the day and put him in his pocket for 90 minutes.

"A player who never publicly moaned and never once asked for a move.

I"t is to his credit that when he eventually moved on to Wolves, their supporters viewed him with the same reverence as we did.

"As a footballer Paul was a fantastic pro and a true legend of not only the Villa, but Midlands football in general, as Wolves and Halesowen will also testify and the stint that he spent as a coach at that little club just across the city.

"When he finished playing he was not too proud to "go out and do a proper job like most of my mates" in his own words.

"He then played for the Aston Villa Old Stars football team for many years, helping to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for those less fortunate than himself. And in the process renewing many old friendships and also making many new ones.

"He was a very proud father who absolutely doted on his dearly beloved daughter Olivia and many was the time that we asked him to play for the Old Stars on a Sunday to be met with the reply "Sorry I can't make it this week, I've got to take Olivia to a gymnastics event" Olivia I know that he was extremely proud of you and your school and gymnastic achievements, keep up the good work."

It was just a pity that Villa could not keep up their momentum with an FA Cup win at Everton to put smiles back on faces in Birch's memory.

Villa's woeful Cup record was just as woeful in Birch's era.

Villa only won four of the 15 appearances he made in the competition between January 1984 when Villa drew 1-1 with Norwich City and his last FA Cup match in a replay defeat to Wimbledon in January 1991.

Those four wins? Beating Portsmouth in a third round replay in January 1986, beating Leeds United in the third round in January 1988, and beating Blackburn and Port Vale in the third and fourth rounds in 1990.

Historians out there might like to know that his last appearance in the FA Cup came in Exeter's 2-1 defeat at Northampton in a first round replay in November 1997.

I will leave the final words to Court, who ended his eulogy with these touching words:

"Paul battled cancer the same way as he played his football, with great courage and dignity.

"As a person "Plug" was second to none, would do anything for anyone, was always there to help, and was great company to be in with his unique dry sense of humour.

"Plug, we all miss you and love you mate, you will be sadly missed but fondly remembered.

"God Bless and may you rest in peace."