▁and ▁former ▁professional ▁footballer . ▁He ▁is ▁the ▁chairman ▁of ▁Sw anse a ▁City ▁football ▁club . ▁Bir ch ▁has ▁been ▁chief ▁executive ▁at ▁several ▁clubs , ▁including ▁Ch else a , ▁Le eds ▁United , ▁Ever ton , ▁Derby ▁County , ▁and ▁She ff ield ▁United , ▁and ▁has ▁worked ▁at ▁Ernst ▁& ▁Young , ▁B DO ▁International , ▁and ▁D uff ▁& ▁Ph el ps . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁Early ▁career ▁Bir ch ▁started ▁out ▁as ▁an ▁app rent ice ▁footballer ▁aged ▁ 1 6 ▁when ▁he ▁joined ▁Liverpool ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 . ▁He ▁left ▁to ▁join ▁Sh rew s bury ▁Town ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁for ▁a ▁then ▁club ▁record ▁fee ▁of ▁£ 5 0 , 0 0 0 . ▁He ▁also ▁had ▁a ▁brief ▁spell ▁at ▁Ch ester ▁after ▁which ▁he ▁retired ▁from ▁playing ▁profession ally . ▁He ▁then ▁en rolled ▁at ▁Liverpool ▁Poly techn ic ▁aged ▁ 2 4 ▁and ▁gained ▁a ▁first ▁class ▁degree ▁in ▁Account ancy ▁before ▁qual ifying ▁as ▁a ▁char tered ▁account ant ▁with ▁Ernst ▁& ▁Young . ▁He ▁also ▁continued ▁to ▁play ▁semi - prof ession ally ▁with ▁clubs ▁including ▁Marine , ▁R unc orn , ▁and ▁North wich ▁Victoria . ▁ ▁Fin an cial ▁career ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁he ▁left ▁Ernst ▁& ▁Young ▁to ▁become ▁Chief ▁Executive ▁of ▁Ch else a , ▁where ▁he ▁led ▁the ▁£ 1 8 0 ▁million ▁sale ▁to ▁Roman ▁Abr am ov ich ▁in ▁ 2 0