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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Ex-England goalkeeper remembered | Ex-England goalkeeper remembered |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| Former England goalkeeper and long-serving Birmingham City player Gil Merrick has been remembered by fans at a memorial service. | Former England goalkeeper and long-serving Birmingham City player Gil Merrick has been remembered by fans at a memorial service. |
| Supporters gathered at the club's St Andrew's stadium in the stand named after the Sparkhill-born goalkeeper. | Supporters gathered at the club's St Andrew's stadium in the stand named after the Sparkhill-born goalkeeper. |
| Merrick, who died aged 88, made more than 700 appearances for the Blues between 1939 and 1960. He also managed the club to League Cup glory in 1963. | Merrick, who died aged 88, made more than 700 appearances for the Blues between 1939 and 1960. He also managed the club to League Cup glory in 1963. |
| The goalkeeper won 23 caps for England and played in the 1954 World Cup. | The goalkeeper won 23 caps for England and played in the 1954 World Cup. |
| The service included a minute's silence, tributes and readings. | The service included a minute's silence, tributes and readings. |
| Footage was also shown on a big screen to supporters, who gathered in the stand known as the Railway Stand before it was renamed in honour of the goalkeeper last year. | |
| He had fantastic hands Chief executive Michael Dunford | He had fantastic hands Chief executive Michael Dunford |
| Chief executive Michael Dunford described Merrick as a "fantastic man" who stayed loyal to the club and was "an absolute legend in the eyes of Birmingham City fans". | Chief executive Michael Dunford described Merrick as a "fantastic man" who stayed loyal to the club and was "an absolute legend in the eyes of Birmingham City fans". |
| He added: "In the present atmosphere in football and conditions, then Gil Merrick would have been one of the great players, playing for England. | He added: "In the present atmosphere in football and conditions, then Gil Merrick would have been one of the great players, playing for England. |
| "[A] transfer fee for Gil Merrick [would be] probably priceless, but certainly in today's market you would be looking upside of £10m plus, wouldn't you? | "[A] transfer fee for Gil Merrick [would be] probably priceless, but certainly in today's market you would be looking upside of £10m plus, wouldn't you? |
| "I had the privilege of meeting him only two or three times since I came to the club in October. | "I had the privilege of meeting him only two or three times since I came to the club in October. |
| Supporters gathered in the stand named after the goalkeeper | Supporters gathered in the stand named after the goalkeeper |
| "You only had to look at his hands - no wonder he caught the ball so often. | "You only had to look at his hands - no wonder he caught the ball so often. |
| "He had fantastic hands, but he was a pure gentleman as well." | "He had fantastic hands, but he was a pure gentleman as well." |
| Merrick played 126 consecutive league games between 1949 and 1952 and kept goal in the 1956 FA Cup final, in which Birmingham City were beaten 3-1 by Manchester City. | Merrick played 126 consecutive league games between 1949 and 1952 and kept goal in the 1956 FA Cup final, in which Birmingham City were beaten 3-1 by Manchester City. |
| He played against Ferenc Puskas's Hungry when England lost 6-3 at Wembley in 1953 and 7-1 at the Nepstadio the following year. | He played against Ferenc Puskas's Hungry when England lost 6-3 at Wembley in 1953 and 7-1 at the Nepstadio the following year. |
| Merrick, who retired as a player in 1960, was the manager when Birmingham City beat Aston Villa 3-1 on aggregate in a two-leg final to win the 1963 League Cup. | Merrick, who retired as a player in 1960, was the manager when Birmingham City beat Aston Villa 3-1 on aggregate in a two-leg final to win the 1963 League Cup. |
| In August 2009 Merrick became a recipient of a Broad Street Star on the Birmingham Walk of Fame. | In August 2009 Merrick became a recipient of a Broad Street Star on the Birmingham Walk of Fame. |