Marc Bircham Officially Retired Speaks: Career Highlight? "Captaining QPR, playing for QPR"

-
- REMINDER - February 6 Voting Deadline: 2009 Fanzine Awards: VOTE for the Best QPR Fanzine, Blog, Editor, Writer.

- Visit QPR Report's recently-launched QPR Report Messageboard. With its focus solely on QPR and broader football matters (with no politics, world affairs, or other non-football topics); with its "general football articles-of-interest" postings; and with its belief that different QPR messageboards can offer different things; the "boutique" QPR Report messageboard aspires to be a little "different" (as suggested by its moderators). Visit the messageboard and judge for yourself! All perspectives welcome! [Brief Registration required to post (but obviously no registration necessary to read).) Today's Video Snippet

- Video snippets of QPR from 1992/1993 as QPR beat Everton 4-2 with Andy Sinton Hatrick


Best of luck to Marc Bircham, forced to retire from injury:
Q: Looking back, what do you see as the highlight of your career.
A: "Captaining QPR, playing for QPR that was always my dream as a boy. It was the only reason I kicked a ball, when I was a kid everything in my room was QPR, curtains, pillows I used to go and watch them home and away so it was the only reason I wanted to play football was to play for QPR, win stuff for QPR and to captain them was just a dream.

YEOVIL OFFICAL SITE - Birch finally has to call it a day
- Yeovil Town midfielder Marc Bircham has been forced to finally give up his playing career after a long fight against back, hamstring and now ankle injuries.
The club has reached an agreement with Marc and the 31 year old midfielder will pursue a media career on both radio and TV.
- Marc joined Yeovil at the start of the 2007/08 season after spells at Millweall and QPR but made only 9 appearances that season.
- This season has been no better and Marc only made 5 starts, but did score 1 goal in the Johnstons Paint Trophy match against Brentford.

- Marc talked to Glovers World exclusively today and the interview is printed below.
Everybody at the club pass on their good wishes to Marc for his future career.

Marc Bircham Interview.

AH: Well I've got a stranger with me today, Marc Bircham, you're back but I gather it might be a slightly sad day.

MB: I've come back to see the rest of the lads and say my final farewells really, it's more of a sad day really as in when I first did my ankle and I couldn't get to see the physio.
He said that I needed this big operation, but because of the crushed nerve he couldn't operate and it needed to heal.
It could have been two months or it could be two years you don't know, so that's a real disappointment but it is nice to get back and see the lads.

AH: You've obviously come to some sort of agreement with regards to your contract with club.

MB: Yeh, I've got to retire. We had to terminate the contract; it's as simple as that.
I've tried to find other avenues to go down to try and get out of retiring. I've tried to see if there are any other little operations I can have, but there is not.
I've been to see the best ankle surgeon in Europe, Mr Hadad, once he tells you that you've got to look at probably finding other employment, you have to.

AH: It's definitely the ankle that is the major concern is it?

MB: Pure and simple, it's the ankle. The problem before was the back of the hamstring, as you know I spent a lot of personal time and money into sorting that during the summer as in going to see Michael Owens personal physio John Green.
I spent hours and lots of money getting over that this summer which I felt I did as it was my first pre-season I had completed in five years. I then had a little setback to do with an old injury, and then when I came back I played against Brentford and Milton Keynes.
Then for me to do my ankle in training the way I did was disappointing. But it's one of those things. I'm always optimistic, the glass is always half full not half empty, I've had a really good career and set out to do nearly everything I've wanted to do in football so fingers crossed.

AH: Looking back, what do you see as the highlight of your career.

MB: Captaining QPR, playing for QPR that was always my dream as a boy. It was the only reason I kicked a ball, when I was a kid everything in my room was QPR, curtains, pillows I used to go and watch them home and away so it was the only reason I wanted to play football was to play for QPR, win stuff for QPR and to captain them was just a dream.

AH: I know is has been a stop-start time at Yeovil, but can you look back with any satisfaction or do you feel frustrated by it all?

MB: I feel frustrated, but I also feel guilty and sorry to the fans, they didn't see the best of me, they only saw glimpses of me but when I did play I was never fully fit.
I was trying to get my fitness and they probably only saw half of what I can do, but I still feel that I played quite well for Yeovil when I did play and when I did get out on the pitch.
I just want to say thanks, it is a lovely club, it's got lovely fans even thought most of the time I have been here I have been injured a good staff of people here that work in the ground, lovely people that work in the ground, the coaches I got on really well with, it's a family run club and I just wish them all the best.
I've got nothing negative to say about Yeovil, as a group of lads, I've got friends that I have made at Yeovil and it think they will be life friends.
I just hope they can get out of the problem and stay in the league, which will be a fantastic achievement.

AH: What do you see in the future for Marc Bircham?

MB: My Future? I've been doing a fair bit of media work and I'm doing my UEFA A licence this summer and may go and coach
when the weather gets better I'll go and play some golf as I never played it during the season as I didn't want it to affect my back. I miss playing golf
AH: Are we likely to see or hear you on TV or radio?
MB: I've done a fair bit for Sky, I've done a podcast for Radio 1, and so if you've got your new iPhone you can download it on that.
I'm doing radio 5 as well, the Eamon Holmes show and there is another little TV show that I've written myself, football wise. Fingers Crossed.

AH:So it's not the male version of Football WAGs is it?

MB: No, no, it's a football idol type show and we've had a lot of interest so fingers crossed that will be taking off.

AH: So it's not going to be a lazy time for Marc Bircham?

MB: You know what; luckily I have had to retire at winter time because if it was summer I would be out buzzing, playing golf, I would never have got anything done.
It was fantastic to spend Christmas at home and thinking about what I should do.
It was my first Christmas with the kids and with the family, so then a week after Christmas it was like "right, I've got to start doing something" I had stuff in the pipeline before and just going out there, talking about football on tele and radio which is an easy job.
But I was just trying to make ends meet I suppose.

AH: In a way it's quite exciting, you've got all of these potential projects, TV, Radio, Press,. You've got a lot to focus on?

MB: Yeh, I was like that as a player, I didn't just go home and rest. I've always had ideas and to be fair I have had to shift my plans forward.
I've had these plans for when I finish playing but over the last couple years when I've had these injury problems it gets to you thinking.
I don't want to be one of those footballers who, when they stop playing, have nothing to do.
I'm quite a hyperactive person, I've always kept busy so I've had all these ideas and have had to put them into the perspective now.
I would like to try and get into coaching somewhere but they are so many ex players and players with the same thinking you're not guaranteed anything.
If that comes along then it's a bonus and if you can fit it in to your work schedule it will be excellent.

AH: Well I'm sure I speak on behalf of all the Yeovil fans, I know we haven't seen much of you, but what we have seen has been great, it's been nice knowing and working with you.

MB: I just thank all the fans and hope that the Yeovil fans get behind the team, because if they stay up it's a great achievement. Yeovil Official Site