Birch: James Walter (Walter)

WW2 Guest: 1944-1945 (Leeds United War-time Guest Player Details)

Right Back

Born: Ecclesfield, South Yorkshire: 05-10-1917

Debut: v Huddersfield Town (a): 02-12-1944

Height & Weight: Unknown

Birch had just signed professional forms with First Division Huddersfield Town in May 1939 when the Second World War brought his Football League career at Leeds Road to an end. He guested for several clubs during the Second World War, making seven appearances for Mossley in the 1939-40 season. He also played one game for Huddersfield Town in that same season as well as five games in the 1943-44 season. In the 1944-45 season he played six games for Oldham Athletic and one with Leeds United as a war-time guest and it was more than likely due to them being short of a Right-Back at kick-off time as they looked to fulfil the fixture at Leeds Road in December 1944, which ended with the home team winning by 4-2. Just before his move from Huddersfield to Rochdale in March 1946, he played eleven games for the Dale in the 1945-46 season and just as in all World War Two games that he played, he didn't score. So, he never did play a Football League game for the Terriers and moved to Third Division North Rochdale. He became their regular Centre Half and in his seven seasons there he clocked up two hundred and forty-three League games and scored ten goals. He was the specialist penalty-taker and all but one of his League goals came from the spot. In the F.A. Cup he scored twice, one being from the spot and made fourteen appearances. Birch retired at the end of the 1952-53 season. He died in 1991.