Ralph Birkett
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ralph James Evans Birkett | ||
| Date of birth | 9 January 1913 | ||
| Place of birth | Dartmouth, Devon, England | ||
| Date of death | 2002 (aged 88–89) | ||
| Place of death | Brixham, Devon, England | ||
| Playing position | Outside-right | ||
| Youth career | |||
| ?–1930 | Dartmouth United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1930–1933 | Torquay United | 95 | (19) |
| 1933–1935 | Arsenal | 19 | (7) |
| 1935–1938 | Middlesbrough | 93 | (35) |
| 1938–1939 | Newcastle United | 24 | (3) |
| National team | |||
| 1935 | England | 1 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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Ralph James Evans Birkett (9 January 1913 – 2002) was an English professional footballer who played once for the England national team.
Birkett was discovered by Torquay United while playing for Dartmouth United, moving to Plainmoor as an amateur in 1930. He made his league debut on the right wing in March 1930, starring in a 7-0 win against Bournemouth, Torquay's first win of the new year. He signed a professional contract with the Third Division South club the same month.
In 1933, after 95 league games in which he scored 19 times for Torquay, Birkett moved to Arsenal for a fee of £1,588, joining the Highbury side during one of the most impressive periods in their history. His First Division debut came on 2 September 1933 against Sheffield Wednesday, at Hillsborough, and initially he established himself in the team, winning a League Championship medal in his first season at the club (1933-34). The following season he struggled to make the first team, after an initially bright start; he scored twice in Arsenal's 1934 Charity Shield win, 3-0 over Everton. However, his first-team opportunities became limited, thanks to the good form of Joe Hulme (whom Birkett had been signed to replace) and new signing Alf Kirchen. Birkett left for Middlesbrough in March 1935, after only 19 league appearances for Arsenal, in which he scored 7 goals.
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