6'0"  11st.3 lb.
b. East Ham  22 August 1945
 

Debut  30 September 1978 (33y 39d) Final Game 14 March 1979 (33y 204d)
CAREER: Haydn Rd Jnr Sc;Claremont Sec Mod;Parliament St Methodists;Bartons Transport;Stamford;Thorneywood Ath;Notts County (jnrs);Sheffield United  Jun'639106+1-31];Chelsea Nov'67 (£100,000)[74+1-20];Crystal Palace Jun'70 (£100,000)[41-11];Leicester City Sep'71 (£100,000)[156+7-12];Notts County Mar'76 (loan)[5];San Jose Earthquakes (USA) Apr'77 (loan);Notts County Sep'77[28];Memphis Rogues (USA) Apr'78;Blackburn Rovers Sep'78;Luton Town Mar'79[9+1];Hereford United Oct'79[11];Trowbridge (p-c) '80.
 

FL        17 + 1 apps  -1 wdn                                  2 ns
FAC      2 apps         -1 wdn
Total  19 + 1 apps   2 wdn  + 30m – 22m           2 ns

Autobiography    Bring Back the Birch  with Paul Mace Polar Publishing 2000 384 pages
                             ISBN 10  1899538178                                                                                             
                             ISBN 13 978-1899538171

Born in London but raised in Nottingham he joined Sheffield United from school and was given an early first team debut. He quickly established himself as an elegant player equally at home in midfield or upfront. After completing a century of appearances and winning Under 23 international caps he became Dave Sexton's first signing at Chelsea. With his platinum blond hair and penchant for publicity Birchenall was happy at Stamford Bridge and continued to be in demand and popular at Crystal Palace and Leicester. By then he had dropped deeper, bringing stability and balance to the team and off the field he had become respected as a dressing room guru. He intended his spell in America to be his swansong but the Rovers were desperate for a man of influence and brought him home. Unhappily he was not accustomed to relegation dog fights and looked ill at ease. Never a man to be unoccupied he bought the Griffin Inn in Swithihead (a 300 year old public house) and started a business importing ladies' footwear. He also coached Trowbridge into the Alliance Premier League and became public relations officer at Leicester.