▁W ally ▁H als all , ▁Bob ▁Me ac ock ▁and ▁D ai ▁Rich ards . ▁ ▁Football ▁League ▁Second ▁Division ▁ ▁B irmingham ▁began ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 9 – 4 0 ▁Football ▁League ▁season ▁in ▁the ▁Second ▁Division , ▁but ▁the ▁on set ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War ▁caused ▁the ▁League ▁to ▁be ▁abandoned ▁after ▁three ▁r ounds ▁of ▁Second ▁Division ▁matches ▁had ▁been ▁played . ▁They ▁field ed ▁the ▁same ▁eleven ▁for ▁all ▁three ▁matches : ▁Harry ▁H ib bs , ▁Cy ril ▁Tr igg , ▁Billy ▁Hugh es , ▁James ▁By e , ▁Arthur ▁Turner , ▁Ray ▁Shaw , ▁Jack ie ▁Brown , ▁Don ▁D ear son , ▁Ted ▁D uck house , ▁Fred ▁Harris ▁and ▁Tom ▁Far rage . ▁Far rage ▁was ▁killed ▁in ▁action ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁serving ▁as ▁a ▁private ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 0 th ▁Battalion , ▁the ▁Par ach ute ▁Regiment ▁during ▁Operation ▁Market ▁Garden . ▁With ▁two ▁wins ▁and ▁a ▁draw , ▁they ▁stood ▁second ▁in ▁the ▁table , ▁behind ▁L ut on ▁Town ▁on ▁goal ▁average . ▁ ▁League ▁table ▁( part ) ▁ ▁Mid land ▁Regional ▁League ▁ ▁When ▁war ▁was ▁declared ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁the ▁government ▁b anned ▁public ▁gather ings ▁until ▁safety ▁imp lications ▁could ▁be ▁ass essed . ▁Most ▁football ▁grounds ▁re open ed ▁soon ▁afterwards , ▁even ▁those ▁in ▁built - up ▁or ▁strateg ically ▁significant ▁areas , ▁but ▁B irmingham ' s ▁Chief ▁Const able