Gil Merrick

Former Birmingham City FC goalkeeper Gil Merrick – England's No1 at the 1954 FIFA World Cup finals – has died at the age of 88.

Born in the city's Sparkhill district, Merrick represented Birmingham from 1939 until his retirement in 1960, making over 700 appearances in all competitions. He also earned 23 England caps, notably featuring in the sides that lost 6-3 at home and 7-1 away in two epochal friendly games against Hungary in 1953 and 1954.

"In some ways it was a privilege to play against them," he remembered of the 'Magical Magyars'. "I don't think there was a better side to teach us how to play football. We'd never seen anything like it. We never had a ghost of a chance at all. Poor Alf [Ramsey, the right-back] didn't know which way to turn, because the little left-winger was going by him like a train."

Merrick went on to manage Birmingham from 1960-64, leading them to 1962/63 League Cup final success against local rivals Aston Villa FC, before briefly coaching more modest sides, Bromsgrove Rovers FC and Atherstone Town FC.