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Birch F.C. was an English rugby and association football club from Rusholme, founded in around 1870 as a club playing originally just the association code.

By 1878, the club mostly played rugby only, but in April 1878 played a friendly against Queen's Park because "it has lately been practising the dribbling as well as the Rugby game", due to a former Queen's Park player (James Strang) joining the club. The club entered the FA Cup the next season, but scratched when drawn at home to Darwen.

In 1879 the association part of the club broke away to form Manchester Wanderers In 1881 Birch was a founder member of the Lancashire County Rugby Football Union.

The club ceased to exist in the 1890s.

Notable players

Thomas Slaney, the first Stoke City manager, guested for the team against Queen's Park.

References

1. "Birch 0-6 Queen's Park". The Sportsman: 3. 8 April 1878.
2. "report". Bell's Life: 5. 23 November 1878.
3. James, Gary (2014). "The Emergence of an Association Football Culture in Manchester 1840–1884". Sport in History. 34: 49–74. doi:10.1080/17460263.2013.873075. S2CID 145361026.
4. Marshall, Francis (1892). Football: the Rugby Union Game.
5. Stewart, Ant. "Rusholme Ruffians".

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