loyola Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Sad news as YTFC fans website is reporting that Marc Bircham is retiring. Bircham Hangs Up His Boots Yeovil Town midfielder Marc Bircham has announced his decision to retire from the game. The 30 year old has been out since the start of September with an ankle injury, and this has been the final nail in the coffin in an injury-ravaged spell at Huish Park. The former Queens Park Rangers hero appeared on BBC Radio 5Live this morning, and explained that although back and hamstring problems had caused him problems last year at Yeovil, that it was the ankle injury that finally finished him off: "The last one and the final straw was my ankle injury. I've been struggling with my back and ankle for a couple of years, but in September I turned my ankle in a tackle and had a bad ankle injury with ligament and nerve damage. I had about six injections. The final straw was that I would have had to have an operation that would have kept me out for five or six months and even then it was 50-50 as to whether it would have worked. So I've called it a day." Bircham made just 18 appearances in the 18 months he was with Yeovil Town. Ironically this season's five appearances had shown signs of him becoming the asset that his footballing CV suggested he could be to the Glovers, and he scored his one and only goal in a green and white shirt at Brentford in what was to be his penultimate match. His last game came against MK Dons on September 6th 2008. The club have yet to announce details of any contract severance, however, the BBC suggested that the decision was taken a couple of days ago. Marc now plans to launch a soccer school in Cyprus this summer and to complete his UEFA A coaching licence as he attempts to commence a career in coaching or management. Despite his Yeovil Town career being a disappointing one for all concerned, we naturally wish him the best of luck with establishing a new career direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarnado1555362291 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Sad to see his career end due to injuries. Come coach in Canada Marc! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VPjr Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 good luck to him in the future. I was never much of a fan but sad to see a career cut short at 30 yrs. old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youllneverwalkalone Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 It's not just a tribute to say "There's only one Marc Bircham!" Can somebody find the swigging the Sleeman with the Vs photo please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snake Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT HE WOULD FINISH HIS CAREER IN MLS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcl_19 Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 very sad to see his career end at such a young age. Good to see he wants to continue in football and maybe we'll see him with a position in the national side or helping developing youth in canada some day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Varsity Tyler Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 Those were some fun games ; ) I'll drink a Sleeman for Bircham the next time I'm out. Credit to a man who scored his first for Canada before ever setting foot in the country, lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youllneverwalkalone Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 Classic. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearcatSA Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 All the best to you, Marc, in your future ventures! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 The Marc Bircham classic, from an old Huddersfield (I believe) board: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearcatSA Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 ^That indeed is a classic! It looks like something you'd see in "When Saturday Comes." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trueviking Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 the best winnipegger to ever grace the beautiful game...i still think he should have played the entire WCQ last time around...showed great enthusiasm and energy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snake Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 i second that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheeta Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 Hate to see a fellow go out of the game like that. Year after year it's been one injury after another. Good luck to Mr. Bircham. Think he'd make a great coach. It isn't all chalk boards and drill cones. A coach needs personality and presence and he's certainly been blessed with those gifts. Ahem, is going to have to learn to watch his mouth around the young ones though.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gator Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 As a QPR fan I'm a little biased, but as I stated at the time Yallop really messed up by not including him in the squad last time around! He was exactly what we were missing in the midfield, a ball winner with good distribution skills! To this day I'll never understand what FY was thinking, or not thinking, especially with some of the players included, Peters comes to mind! The red Canadian hair do should have been enough on its own to show his dedication! Too bad to see him have to quit the game, good luck to Marc in whatever he chooses to do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desigol Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Sad! He did well in the lower Divisions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearcatSA Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 quote:Originally posted by gator He was exactly what we were missing in the midfield, a ball winner with good distribution skills! I wouldn't agree with that: his free kick delivery was good, but I don't think his passing in open play was any great shakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadasBest Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Did Bircham play for us again after that photo? I don't remember. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheeta Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 [?] Now that you mention it, I don't think he did. The Frankie Yallop Experience went all stupid (and right into the tank) after the Belize series if I remember rightly. Nice, Wallace. Way to poke at old wounds... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nolando Posted November 28, 2019 Share Posted November 28, 2019 Great, albeit short, article on Bircham, including mention of his debut for Canada: https://mundialmag.com/blogs/articles/marc-bircham-qpr-queens-park-rangers-tony-fernandes-millwall-david-beckham-2019 gator 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gator Posted November 28, 2019 Share Posted November 28, 2019 I thought I posted this in the thread years ago but apparently I didn't, this is a real funny story about something that happened while playing for Canada: Alex, RandomGuy, Club Linesman and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadianSoccerFan Posted November 28, 2019 Share Posted November 28, 2019 Jim Brennan told his version of the story on this podcast https://www.stitcher.com/s?eid=64484955&refid=asa gator, Lofty and deschamp86 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 22 hours ago, gator said: I thought I posted this in the thread years ago but apparently I didn't, this is a real funny story about something that happened while playing for Canada: I can’t believe I haven’t heard this story hahaha gator 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bison44 Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 They do the same thing now, except Henry puts a honey badger in the "mind" room and the guys visualize being chased by an aggressive def mid. h coach 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowlander Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 On 11/28/2019 at 8:39 AM, nolando said: Great, albeit short, article on Bircham, including mention of his debut for Canada: https://mundialmag.com/blogs/articles/marc-bircham-qpr-queens-park-rangers-tony-fernandes-millwall-david-beckham-2019 An Observer and I were at his debut in NI, enjoyed that. nolando and gator 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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