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Christopher Birchall Chaconia Medal (born 5 May 1984) is a former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He scored 21 goals in 322 league and cup appearances in a 16-year professional career and scored four goals in 44 international matches for Trinidad and Tobago.
Forging his career with local club Port Vale, he earned worldwide recognition by playing at the 2006 FIFA World Cup for Trinidad and Tobago – the country of his mother's birth. His exploits led to a move up the leagues to Coventry City later that year. After short loan spells with Scottish side St Mirren and Carlisle United, he moved on to Brighton & Hove Albion. In 2009, he moved to the US to sign with MLS club LA Galaxy. Whilst with the Galaxy, the club were crowned Major League Soccer Western Conference champions in 2009 and 2011, and also captured a Supporters' Shield and MLS Cup double in 2011. He joined Columbus Crew for six months in May 2012. He rejoined Port Vale in January 2013 and helped the club to secure promotion out of League Two in 2012–13. He dropped into non-League in September 2016 by joining Kidsgrove Athletic.
He made two Second Division appearances in 2002–03, both away defeats. The teenager earned his first start on 18 October 2003; he was taken off at half-time for Ian Armstrong, as he watched his teammates lose 5–1 at home to Plymouth Argyle. He also played in both games of the club's First round FA Cup struggle over minnows Ford United. In all, he made 13 appearances in 2003–04. Throughout the 2004–05 campaign, Birchall showed his potential, scoring seven goals in 39 games. His first senior goal was a 76th-minute winner against Swindon Town on 19 October. He also scored a brace against Tranmere Rovers on 7 December in a 3–1 home win. At the end of the season he was voted the Young Player of the Year. Birchall scored twice in 32 appearances in the 2005–06 season. However, one of them, a 22nd-minute winner over Bristol Rovers in the FA Cup, was enough to book the Vale a Third round encounter with Doncaster Rovers, which left the club one win away from a lucrative encounter with Aston Villa at Villa Park.
In August 2007, Birchall signed with St Mirren on loan until January 2008. However, he returned to Coventry in early December, after suffering a hamstring injury. He only played just two games for the "Sky Blues" following his return. Not a part of Chris Coleman's plans for 2008–09, John Ward of Carlisle United expressed an interest in August 2008, and had admitted speaking to the player's agent. He had also been linked with a return on loan to his former club, Port Vale. In November, Birchall signed for Carlisle on loan until the end of the year, having taken advice from teammate Keiren Westwood. When returning to Coventry, he agreed to have his contract terminated by mutual consent. Birchall cancels contract , CCFC.co.uk, 2 January 2008. Retrieved 5 January 2008 The midfielder also opted not to return to Carlisle after negotiations with an unnamed American club.
Birchall scored his first MLS season goal against Toronto FC on 11 June 2011 in the second minute of the game; he was assisted by Miguel Pedro López. During the off-season, he returned to Vale Park for fitness training. He did not rule out a return to Port Vale in the future, though admitted that he was enjoying himself in LA, having made friends with Landon Donovan, David Beckham and Robbie Williams. Galaxy won a treble in 2011, being crowned Supporters' Shield and Conference champions, as well as MLS Cup winners. Birchall came off the bench in the cup final, replacing Adam Cristman on 57 minutes, as Galaxy beat Houston Dynamo 1–0 thanks to a Landon Donovan goal.
On 23 January 2012, Arena stated, "There hasn't been a decision made on him Birchall. Originally he wanted go back to England, so we obviously agreed to that and didn't renew his option. He was looking to explore opportunities in England. Perhaps he'll want to come back." He then returned to Burslem to train with Port Vale, and also raised the possibility of playing for the cash-stricken club for free whilst he weighed up his options elsewhere; he said he intended to do this as he owed his career to both the club and to the manager, Micky Adams. Adams said that he was hopeful of bringing Birchall back to Vale Park but said that "I smiled to myself when I saw he was playing for free, because you don't get anything for free in football." Birchall was due to sign a month-to-month contract with the club in February 2012, having turned out in a reserve team game. However, the club were hit with a transfer embargo by the Football League before any contract was signed. At the end of March, he was reported to have signed with Northwich Victoria of the Northern Premier League Premier Division, who were managed by Martin Foyle, his former manager at Vale; however, Birchall denied the story on his Twitter account.
Birchall remained an important first-team player during the 2013–14 season and made 17 starts and 15 substitute appearances as the club posted a ninth-place finish in League One. He signed a new one-year contract in the summer.
He started the 2014–15 season on the right side of midfield after impressing in pre-season training. He ended the campaign with three goals in 30 appearances and signed a new one-year contract in June 2015. However, Birchall was not happy with the contract, claiming he turned down better offers to stay at the club and that his loyalty was being taken advantage of.
After some impressive performances for the Reserves he made his first start of the 2015–16 season on 3 October, taking the place of Byron Moore as manager Rob Page felt he needed a more defensive-minded player to combat Southend United's attacking left-back Ben Coker. He remained in first-team contention until picking up a knee injury just before the new year; the injury required surgery and ruled him out of action for six weeks.
Birchall's agent was spreading the word that he could play for his mother's homeland. He was first made aware of the interest in him by Trinidad and Tobago international centre back Dennis Lawrence, who walked over to him during a game between Port Vale and Wrexham (Lawrence's club at the time). Lawrence inquired if he was indeed eligible to play for the "Soca Warriors" by saying "I hear you've got some 'Trini' blood in you?". Lawrence then passed Birchall's contact details onto the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association, and Birchall was called up to the full Trinidad and Tobago squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Panama and Mexico, following a couple of Exhibition game against Bermuda. After making his debut for the national side, it was widely reported that Birchall was the first White people player to represent the country in sixty years. However, former Trinidad coach Stephen Hart is white and represented Trinidad & Tobago in 1980. The "Prince of Port-of-Spain", West Indies Brian Lara, was also credited for helping the TTFA hear about Birchall after Ashley Giles commented on having some West Indian blood in his family. When the press in Trinidad and Tobago asked why he qualified to play for them, he replied, "Me mum". This memorable response gave rise to his "Soca Warrior" nickname, 'Me Mum'.
Undoubtedly his most important contribution to the "Soca Warriors" came on 12 November 2005, in their home (first) leg of their 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying play-off against Bahrain. Bahrain's Salman Isa had scored in the 72nd minute and were poised to take a 1–0 lead back home for the second leg, but five minutes later, Birchall fired in a stunning goal from well outside the penalty area to equalize. The "Soca Warriors" went on to win the return leg of the play-off in Bahrain 1–0 (on a goal from Lawrence) and advance to their first-ever World Cup finals. Along with goalkeeper Shaka Hislop, Birchall was the only member of the World Cup squad to have been born in England, with the remaining members all having been born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago.
Following their return from the 2006 World Cup, each member of the Trinidad and Tobago national team was awarded the country's second-highest honour, the Chaconia Medal in gold, plus TT$1,000,000 (about Pound sterling87,500 (one quarter in cash, the rest in unit trusts). He is therefore entitled to suffix his name "C.M." if he wishes. "Soca Warrior" fans have also penned a Rapping song in his honour.
He fell out of the first-team picture in November 2011 before earning a recall under new boss Hutson Charles in March 2013. However, he considered his retirement from the international scene in July 2013, having featured on the bench in the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
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