Alan "Birdy" Birkbeck - RIP

[lraC]

Like others have already posted, he was a real super fan. I didn’t know him personally, but certainly knew who he was and saw him on many occasions up and down the country watching Rovers.

The thing I remember him most for, is being in the opening credits on match of the day with his Rovers flat cap on.

Rovers were a huge part of his life and something definitely needs to be done on Friday to mark his passing. If the club don’t do anything official, then the fans certainly need to. Maybe a big picture of him with that flat cap on, displayed on the big screen before the match or a rendition of there’s only one Alan Birkbeck sang on 18 and 75 minutes. A mention by the sky commentary team too, would be fitting. 

Fans like him are once in a lifetime.

RIP Birdy. 

Edited November 8, 2023 by lraC
Typo

[Upside Down]

RIP Birdy

I think I may have met him once in the Aqueduct. 

Definitely heard about him plenty. 

Deserves a send-off from the club. He gave everything for Rovers. 

[47er]

8 hours ago, Miller11 said:

It’ll be strange being at a game knowing one of the absolute constants won’t be there. Home, away, U21s, club events, you always knew he’d be there. Always happy to talk Rovers when you’d bump into him in town or around Ewood.

Very sad day for the club and its supporters. We’ve lost a legend. Probably number 2 in the list of our greatest ever supporters, and I don’t reckon he’d mind being second to Jack.

 

If only he'd been as rich as Jack!

[Riversider28]

30 minutes ago, 47er said:

If only he'd been as rich as Jack!

He was……Rovers rich. 

[JHRover]

Really sad news. I didn't know him too well but would always say hello and crossed paths many times at games especially friendlies and u21 fixtures when there would be smaller numbers of Rovers fans in attendance. He was just Rovers through and through.

Will be strange not seeing him around any more. It's an odd feeling, as despite not going to games with him you just knew that if Rovers were playing somewhere then he was going to be there. Hong Kong, Austria, Portugal, Spain etc. Last December we joined groups for the trip to Marbella to watch the games v Hearts and Ajax. 

Always remember going out to Portugal about 10 years ago. As we got off the bus and walked into the hotel the first thing we saw was Birdy walking around with his cap on. Only this summer we turned up in Hartberg and within minutes found him sat in a bar on the square. Such a familiar face and constant feature of going to games, it was almost like an element of going to games itself, seeing him around meant Rovers were in town.

Rovers have lost an immense supporter and someone who put god knows how much time and effort into not just games but meetings, events, fans forums, arranging travel away.

My thoughts are with Annette, a constant by his side at games, and his family and friends.

 

Edited November 8, 2023 by JHRover

[arbitro]

Some nice tributes to Alan on Lancs Live.

https://www.lancs.live/news/lancashire-news/blackburn-rovers-superfan-alan-birdy-28065735

[rigger]

1 hour ago, arbitro said:

Some nice tributes to Alan on Lancs Live.

https://www.lancs.live/news/lancashire-news/blackburn-rovers-superfan-alan-birdy-28065735

Typical, in the headline under his picture, they have spelt his name wrong.

[berkshireblue]

RIP Birdy

Did not know him but had a good chat in a bar in Cologne before the Bayern Leverkusen game a few years ago. Seen him at many away games from Celtic to Cambridge midweek on a wet Autumn night

As others have commented 2nd to Jack as a superfan, which would have made him very happy!

Fantastic he saw the club win the premier league

[R0verb0y]

20 hours ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

The house Birdy lived in was also the Birthplace of Rovers 1928 Cup final winning Capt Harry Healless I do believe.

I didn't know that - or Birdy, either; except by reputation - but, if that's the case, then it's fitting in a way. He really was a legend in his own lifetime.

A taxi driver who collected me from the Car Park after our last trip to Turd Moor last December pointed his house out to me as if it was part of a tour of "Historic buildings of Blackburn"!

R I P.

[Al]

On 07/11/2023 at 16:58, Sweaty Gussets said:

Was Birdy the guy who has a house on the side street at the end of the DE car parks? I think there are life-size cutouts of him and his wife in the windows!

RIP

Condolences to his famly and friends. 

 

That's him. RIP Birdy

[R0verb0y]

22 hours ago, only2garners said:

.... .... .... ....

.... .... .... ....

Given his history and the award he got for his efforts the club would I think be amenable to some form of action to remember him on Friday night, subject of course to the approval of his wife Annette, who of course was always at his side at games.

Doubtless, given the weekend it is, both teams will be wearing black armbands throughout the game, anyway; but, surely it must be possible for the announcer to use some form of words before the Last Post referring to us having "lost one of our own." without seeming disrespectful to the soldiers whom we'll be commemorating?

[only2garners]

5 minutes ago, R0verb0y said:

Doubtless, given the weekend it is, both teams will be wearing black armbands throughout the game, anyway; but, surely it must be possible for the announcer to use some form of words before the Last Post referring to us having "lost one of our own." without seeming disrespectful to the soldiers whom we'll be commemorating?

There won't be anything around the remembrance events. I think things will probably coalesce around a minute's applause on the 74th minute.

[roverandout]

Rip

[Mike E]

If the Hall of Fame events are to recommence, he must be the next member to be admitted.

Saw him at many games and events, and he was even kind enough to buy me a pint when I was a bit short of cash at THAT away game in Doncaster.

Grumpy, yes.

Lovely, yes.

Rover, YES!

[pk1875]

Its a sad loss and my thoughts are with Annette and family. The club released a lovely tribute to Birdy. Personally I don't think the passing a Birdy should be part of the remembrance ceremony. 

I rapturous applause and no doubt singing will happen on the 74th minute. What I do think would be a lasting a fitting memory would be for the club to Finally develop the much promised museum within Ewood and  with the support of the family get some of the Birdy collection on display.

RIP fellow Rover

 

Edited November 9, 2023 by pk1875

[Leonard Venkhater]

18 hours ago, R0verb0y said:

Doubtless, given the weekend it is, both teams will be wearing black armbands throughout the game, anyway; but, surely it must be possible for the announcer to use some form of words before the Last Post referring to us having "lost one of our own." without seeming disrespectful to the soldiers whom we'll be commemorating?

Tell the Home Secretary !

I agree with you on this. 

[speeeeeeedie]

19 hours ago, R0verb0y said:

Doubtless, given the weekend it is, both teams will be wearing black armbands throughout the game, anyway; but, surely it must be possible for the announcer to use some form of words before the Last Post referring to us having "lost one of our own." without seeming disrespectful to the soldiers whom we'll be commemorating?

There is a world of difference between a fan dying in his 70's vs. those who died for their country. I'm with @only2garners, if it does warrant any action it should be separate. 

[Mattyblue]

If he does warrant anything?, Of course he does. The 74th minute applause sounds exactly the right approach.

[R0verb0y]

9 hours ago, Leonard Venkhater said:

Tell the Home Secretary !

I agree with you on this. 

Sorry, @Leonard Venkhater , I can't take seriously anybody whose parents named them after a character in an 80s US TV Serial!

[Oldgregg86]

Birdy took me under his wing in the bowyer era. After going to many a game alone he invited me on his coach, got me tickets and made me feel welcome . It was nice to finally feel apart of the rovers family and now have many a friend I can bump into home or away. I even got him his blue and white hats he famously wears. Hopefully that will have been placed on his seat for tonight’s game or passed down to the next rovers fanatic. He was one of a kind and will be missed by all who knew him. I hope there is applause on the 74th minute with his picture on the screen wearing the famous cap. This picture was when the ewood blues sponsored the game which he did annually. Great day I will never forget

[Mattyblue]

That was Birdy all over. So often you’d see someone new on the coach or sat with him in a pre match boozer and he’d explain how he met them away at Barnsley or wherever and they’d travelled on their own, so he invited them to come with us in future.

 

Edited November 10, 2023 by Mattyblue

[arbitro]

12 minutes ago, Oldgregg86 said:

Birdy took me under his wing in the bowyer era. After going to many a game alone he invited me on his coach, got me tickets and made me feel welcome . It was nice to finally feel apart of the rovers family and now have many a friend I can bump into home or away. I even got him his blue and white hats he famously wears. Hopefully that will have been placed on his seat for tonight’s game or passed down to the next rovers fanatic. He was one of a kind and will be missed by all who knew him. I hope there is applause on the 74th minute with his picture on the screen wearing the famous cap. This picture was when the ewood blues sponsored the game which he did annually. Great day I will never forget

I've seen Birdy in that suit and if I remember correctly he told me he had it made and insisted on an embroidered Rovers badge on the breast pocket.

His love of Rovers really knew no bounds.

[Oldgregg86]

1 minute ago, arbitro said:

I've seen Birdy in that suit and if I remember correctly he told me he had it made and insisted on an embroidered Rovers badge on the breast pocket.

His love of Rovers really knew no bounds.

Yeah that’s true . First thing he did that day was point that out 😂

[arbitro]

 

[arbitro]