GIL MERRICKBirmingham City legend and England goalkeeper Gil Merrick died on 3 February, 2010, aged 88.He won 23 international caps and played more than 550 times for Birmingham.He joined the club, who would later rename a stand in his honour, as a professional in 1939 and made his debut during the wartime Midland Regional League in 1940.By the end of the war he already had 170 games under his belt and had replaced his boyhood hero Harry Hibbs as first choice keeper.He helped City to the Division Two title in 1948 and was ever-present in their First Division side for nearly three years straight.He made his England debut in 1951 against Ireland in the Home Championship at the ground of local rivals Aston Villa. His last appearance for his country was in the 1954 Swiss World Cup quarter final which England lost 4-2 to Uruguay.Merrick then helped Birmingham achieve best season to date as they finished sixth in the First Division and were FA Cup runners-up.He retired in May 1960 and immediately became first team manager. In 1963 he led them to the 1963 League Cup, the club’s first major trophy. But after failing to make an impact in the league after four years, he handed over the reins to Joe Mallett.He went on to manage Bromsgrove Rovers and Atherstone Town, but never returned to league management despite his promising start.
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