Bill Julian
Encyclopedia
John William "Bill" Julian (10 July 1867 – 14 March 1957) was an English
football
player and coach.
Born in Boston
, Lincolnshire
, he first played for his local side Boston Town
before moving to Royal Arsenal
in 1889, following a match between the two on Good Friday
of that year. He played in Arsenal's very first FA Cup
tie, against Lyndhurst
on 5 October 1889, and soon earned a reputation as a determined and tough-tackling wing-half. He became club captain in 1890, and was still captain when Arsenal turned professional in 1891.
However, he was replaced as Arsenal captain in October 1891 by new arrival Sandy Robertson (who had previously played for Preston North End
's 1888-89
Double
-winning side), and although assured of a place in the first team, he decided to step down to the reserves. In the summer of 1892, he moved to Luton Town
, to become the club's captain and coach. He played 4 FA Cup ties and 71 other senior matches for Woolwich Arsenal.
After two years at Luton, he joined Tottenham Hotspur
(thus making him the first person to play for both Spurs and Arsenal, albeit long before the latter moved to north London
in 1913), and played in Spurs' very first FA Cup tie, a first qualifying match against West Hertfordshire
, on 13 October 1894; Spurs won 3-2. He left Tottenham in 1895, and finished his career at Dartford
; however he remained local to Woolwich Arsenal and later opened a sports shop in Plumstead
.
Julian retained his footballing ties after retiring from playing, and some time after 1906 moved to the Netherlands
to coach there, with his sons Joseph and Harry, who both also coached a number of teams in the Netherlands. Among the clubs he coached for were MVV, VVV, PSV and HFC Haarlem
, and he was head coach at first HBS Craeyenhout
and then Feyenoord between 1921 and 1922; he left Feyenoord after the club were unable to pay his wages. He trained at Be Quick 1887
and N.E.C. before he returned to England in 1940 to live in Enfield, London
.
He was one of the longest-surviving members of Arsenal's first professional side, along with Gavin Crawford
and Jack McBean. The three were reunited at an Arsenal game against Chelsea
on 20 March 1948 (by which time Arsenal were one of the leading sides in English football), an event recorded in The Official Illustrated History of Arsenal. He lived until the age of 89, dying in Enfield in 1957, outliving both Crawford and McBean to make him the last surviving member of Arsenal's first professional team.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player and coach.
Born in Boston
Boston, Lincolnshire
Boston is a town and small port in Lincolnshire, on the east coast of England. It is the largest town of the wider Borough of Boston local government district and had a total population of 55,750 at the 2001 census...
, Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, he first played for his local side Boston Town
Boston Town F.C.
Boston Town F.C. is an English football club based in Boston, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the United Counties League Premier Division and play at Tattershall Road.-History:...
before moving to Royal Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
in 1889, following a match between the two on Good Friday
Good Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
of that year. He played in Arsenal's very first FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
tie, against Lyndhurst
Lyndhurst F.C.
Lyndhurst F.C. is an English association football club based in Lyndhurst, near Southampton....
on 5 October 1889, and soon earned a reputation as a determined and tough-tackling wing-half. He became club captain in 1890, and was still captain when Arsenal turned professional in 1891.
However, he was replaced as Arsenal captain in October 1891 by new arrival Sandy Robertson (who had previously played for Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
's 1888-89
1888-89 in English football
The 1888–1889 season was the 18th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:A new competition, The Football League, started this season...
Double
The Double
The Double is a term in association football which refers to winning a country's top tier division and its primary cup competition in the same season...
-winning side), and although assured of a place in the first team, he decided to step down to the reserves. In the summer of 1892, he moved to Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
, to become the club's captain and coach. He played 4 FA Cup ties and 71 other senior matches for Woolwich Arsenal.
After two years at Luton, he joined Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
(thus making him the first person to play for both Spurs and Arsenal, albeit long before the latter moved to north London
North London
North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
in 1913), and played in Spurs' very first FA Cup tie, a first qualifying match against West Hertfordshire
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
, on 13 October 1894; Spurs won 3-2. He left Tottenham in 1895, and finished his career at Dartford
Dartford F.C.
Dartford F.C. are an English football club based in Dartford, Kent. After finishing as champions of the Isthmian League Division One North in the 2007–08 season, they compete in the Isthmian League Premier Division. They finished in 8th position in their first season...
; however he remained local to Woolwich Arsenal and later opened a sports shop in Plumstead
Plumstead
Plumstead is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. Plumstead is a multi cultural area with large Asian and Afro-Caribbean communities, in similarity to local areas such as Woolwich and Thamesmead...
.
Julian retained his footballing ties after retiring from playing, and some time after 1906 moved to the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
to coach there, with his sons Joseph and Harry, who both also coached a number of teams in the Netherlands. Among the clubs he coached for were MVV, VVV, PSV and HFC Haarlem
HFC Haarlem
HFC Haarlem was a Dutch football club from the city of Haarlem, established in 1889. The club won the Dutch national title in 1946 and reached five Cup finals, winning in 1902 and 1912...
, and he was head coach at first HBS Craeyenhout
HBS Craeyenhout (football club)
HBS Craeyenhout is a Dutch association football team based in The Hague, a part of the wider HBS Craeyenhout sports team.One of the original clubs of Dutch football, and three times champions , the club refused to enter into professionalism in the 1950s and has played at the amateur level since then...
and then Feyenoord between 1921 and 1922; he left Feyenoord after the club were unable to pay his wages. He trained at Be Quick 1887
Be Quick 1887
Be Quick 1887 is a football club from Groningen, the Netherlands. The club was established in 1887, and is currently playing in the Sunday Hoofdklasse C. Be Quick 1887 won the 1919-20 Dutch national football title.-History:...
and N.E.C. before he returned to England in 1940 to live in Enfield, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
He was one of the longest-surviving members of Arsenal's first professional side, along with Gavin Crawford
Gavin Crawford (footballer)
Gavin Crawford was a Scottish footballer.Born in Kilmarnock, Crawford started playing for local junior sides before joining Sheffield United in 1890 from Glasgow side Fairfield Rangers. After a single season with the Blades, Crawford moved to London to join Woolwich Arsenal, becoming the first...
and Jack McBean. The three were reunited at an Arsenal game against Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
on 20 March 1948 (by which time Arsenal were one of the leading sides in English football), an event recorded in The Official Illustrated History of Arsenal. He lived until the age of 89, dying in Enfield in 1957, outliving both Crawford and McBean to make him the last surviving member of Arsenal's first professional team.