Nottingham Forest Birtles was signed by
Nottingham Forest from non-league
Long Eaton United Manchester United Under manager
Dave Sexton, Birtles made his debut for
Manchester United in a
First Division victory over
Stoke City at the
Victoria Ground on 22 October 1980. He made 28 appearances in his first season with the club. He scored his first league goal for United in the
1981–82 season, and went on to score 11 times for them that season. He began the
1982–83 season still with Manchester United, but was not selected for a first team game, and returned to play for Nottingham Forest.
Return to Forest His second tenure at Forest included a spell at centre-half. However, he still proved himself to be a competent goalscorer, particularly with 15 league goals in the
1983–84 season and 14 in the
1986–87 season, the last of which he was joint top goalscorer alongside midfield star
Neil Webb and up-and-coming striker
Nigel Clough. However, Forest manager
Brian Clough allowed Birtles to part from the club on a free transfer in June 1987.
Notts County and Grimsby Town He spent 18 months with
Notts County, during which he appeared in almost every league game. Birtles ended his career with
Grimsby Town. They won two successive promotions during his time there, and by the end of his career he had accumulated more than 400 professional league appearances. ==International career==