Herbert Birchenough

Herbert Birchenough

Birchenough in a Burslem Port Vale squad photo in 1898
Personal information
Full name	Herbert Birchenough
Date of birth	(1874-09-21)21 September 1874
Place of birth	Haslington, England
Date of death	28 February 1942(1942-02-28) (aged 67)
Place of death	Newcastle-under-Lyme, England
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
	Haslington
	Crewe Hornets
	Nantwich
	Sandbach St.Mary's
	Audley
1897–1900	Burslem Port Vale	61	(0)
1900–1902	Glossop	81	(0)
1902–1903	Manchester United	25	(0)
	Crewe Alexandra
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Herbert Birchenough (21 September 1874 – 28 February 1942) was an English footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He played 167 league games in the Football League for Burslem Port Vale, Glossop, and Manchester United between 1898 and 1903. His son, Frank, was also a professional footballer who played in goal.

Career

Birchenough was born in Haslington, Cheshire, and played for non-League sides Haslington, Crewe Hornets, Nantwich, Sandbach St.Mary's, and Audley, before joining Burslem Port Vale in October 1897. He kept a clean sheet on his debut, on 6 November 1897 in a 4–0 home win over Ilkeston Town. He quickly established himself as the number 1 keeper and helped the team win the Staffordshire Senior Cup in 1898. Vale moved from the Midland Football League into the Football League Second Division in 1898–99, and Birchenough's goalkeeping heroics in the FA Cup win over Sheffield United were a major part of the club's success in regaining their Football League status. He was a virtual ever-present at the Athletic Ground. After 24 league and cup appearances in 1899–1900 he was sold to Glossop in January 1900 for £250 to ease Vale's financial difficulties. The "Hillmen" finished bottom of the First Division in 1900 and finished fifth and eighth in the Second Division in the 1900–01 and 1901–02 seasons respectively. He then moved to Manchester United. He kept goal in 25 league and five FA Cup games in the 1902–03 campaign, after making his debut in a 1–0 win over Arsenal on 25 October. He later played for Crewe Alexandra in the Birmingham & District League.

Family

His son, Frank Birchenough, followed in his footsteps as a goalkeeper and represented West Ham United and Burnley.

Career statistics

Source:

Club	Season	Division	League		FA Cup		Total
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Burslem Port Vale	1898–99	Second Division	33	0	3	0	36	0
	1899–1900	Second Division	18	0	3	0	21	0
	Total		51	0	6	0	57	0
Glossop	1899–1900	First Division	13	0	0	0	13	0
	1900–01	Second Division	34	0	1	0	35	0
	1901–02	Second Division	33	0	2	0	35	0
	1902–03	Second Division	1	0	0	0	1	0
	Total		81	0	3	0	84	0
Newton Heath	1902–03	Second Division	25	0	5	0	30	0

Honours

Burslem Port Vale

• Staffordshire Senior Cup: 1898