keith42
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Gil Merrick
Gil Merrick was probably the first footballer I had heard of. He was a pupil at Acocks Green School about 20 years before myself & the teachers were very proud of their old boy.
When I first started watching Blues in 1953 he had established himself as Blues & Englands No1 goalkeeper,taking over from that other Blues goalkeeping legend Harry Hibbs.
Although he helped Blues through one of their more successful periods during the 50s & also the most capped keeper during that time,many people remember the 6-3 & 7-1 defeats against Hungary,but most Blues fans blamed England captain Billy Wright & the brilliance of Hungarian centre forward Feranc Puskas for the 13 goals conceaded & not Gil.
When Merrick retired from playing in 1960 he became one of Blues most successful managers.In the 1960/1 season Blues were runners up to Roma in the European Fairs Cup & becoming the first English side to beat Inter Milan at the San Saro for forty years in the Semi.
Gil Merrick was the only Blues manager to bring a major trophy to St Andrews when beating Villa in a two legged League Cup Final in 1963. It was 3-0 Ken Leek (2) Jimmy Bloomfield (1) at St Andrews & 0-0 at Villa Park where Blues captain Trevor Smith picked up the Cup.Yes truly great memories of Gil Merrick.
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5/Feb/2010, 11:09 pm
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Tim BCFC
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Re: Gil Merrick
A genteman on and off the pitch. He was so proud, yet humbled, when Blues renamed the 'Railway Stand' the 'Gil Merrick Stand' last season.
R.I.P Mr Birmingham City
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5/Feb/2010, 11:49 pm
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M00R5
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Re: Gil Merrick
Only a fool would blame the 'keeper rather than England's out-of-date tactics for the Hungary debacles.
R.I.P. Gil Merrick, a true legend of Midlands and English football.
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6/Feb/2010, 2:59 am
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RoJ
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Re: Gil Merrick
My Dad took me to St Andrews for the first time in 1958 and we stood in the Railway End. Gil Merrick was in goal and his stature and reputation was something that I can still remember well. The stars of the team for me were Gil Merrick and Gordon Astle, both internationals. I still have vivid memories of my first three games in that era: Luton we lost 1-0; mighty Wolves we lost 3-0; Blackburn Rovers we won 3-0.
I was also at the first leg of the League Cup Final: villa, WE WON 3-1!
That he was a local lad playing for his local team defines this era and marks it out from our more mercenary time.
Tomorrow I shall very proudly be standing applauding in the Gil Merick Stand to pay tribute to a proper sporting hero, probably the first I ever had.
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6/Feb/2010, 9:20 am
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keith42
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Re: Gil Merrick
Great 12 page pull out about his life in todays morning edition of the Bham Mail.
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6/Feb/2010, 11:15 am
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