Billy Hendry
Encyclopedia
William Harold Hendry known as Billy Hendry, was a footballer
who played for Sheffield United as a Centre-Half
.
.
There was no professional football at the time in Scotland, so those players with talents to sell crossed the border. Hendry had an ability to skilfully dribble the ball, a technique not used in the traditional English game in the 1880s.
In 1888, Billy found himself playing for West Bromwich Albion
in the first Football League season
. Hendry, now playing as a centre forward was restless in his time with the Baggies
, and in April 1889 he joined Stoke
. While At Stoke Hendry was mainly used as a left-back and played 16 times scoring once. In January 1890 he joined Preston North End
, who had just become Football League champions for a second time.
Before January 1891 was out, Charles Stokes, a member of Sheffield United’s football committee went to Preston and returned with the signatures of three Preston players. The players he signed were Jack Drummond, Sammy Dobson and Billy Hendry.
Hendry made his debut for Sheffield United against Derby Junction F.C.
on 28 February 1891 in a Midland Counties League
match.
It was Drummond who was to score the goal that took United
into Division One
in 1893, but it was Hendry’s signing that was the most significant. By now, Hendry had become a centre half. He was made team captain at Sheffield United and remained so until his career with the club ended in 1895.
He was a small stocky player, described as neat, cool and calculating with 'exceptional skill'. His value to Sheffield United lay not just in the shrewdness and effectiveness of his play, but in the direction and leadership he gave to the club in the early years of Sheffield United in general.
The United committee "set great value upon his options as to the arrangement and formation of the team, and placed confidence in his judgement... and ability as a player, a captain, and an adviser"
Under Hendry’s leadership, the Blades secured a place in Division One, and foundations were laid for the great Sheffield United team of the turn of the century.
It was also said that Hendry’s advice and guidance helped the natural talents of Ernest Needham
, who was to become an England international
.
Hendry later went on to play for Dundee
, Bury
and Brighton United
.
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...
who played for Sheffield United as a Centre-Half
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
.
Career
Hendry was born in 1869 at Newport-on-Tay, Fife, a village on the Tay estuary. After leaving school, Billy, a talented forward, played for Dunblane Thistle and then Dundee Wanderers, usually at outside right, but he was soon to play football in EnglandEngland
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...
.
There was no professional football at the time in Scotland, so those players with talents to sell crossed the border. Hendry had an ability to skilfully dribble the ball, a technique not used in the traditional English game in the 1880s.
In 1888, Billy found himself playing for West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
in the first Football League season
1889-90 in English football
The 1889–90 season was the 19th season of competitive football in England. Preston North End were Football League champions for the second successive season while The Wednesday finished top of the newly formed Football Alliance. Blackburn Rovers won the FA Cup....
. Hendry, now playing as a centre forward was restless in his time with the Baggies
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
, and in April 1889 he joined Stoke
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
. While At Stoke Hendry was mainly used as a left-back and played 16 times scoring once. In January 1890 he joined 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...
, who had just become Football League champions for a second time.
Before January 1891 was out, Charles Stokes, a member of Sheffield United’s football committee went to Preston and returned with the signatures of three Preston players. The players he signed were Jack Drummond, Sammy Dobson and Billy Hendry.
Hendry made his debut for Sheffield United against Derby Junction F.C.
Derby Junction F.C.
Derby Junction F.C. were an amateur football club in Derby, England. They were active in the 1880s and 1890s, notably being founder members of the Midland League in 1890 and FA Cup semi-finalists in 1888. They played at Derby Arboretum....
on 28 February 1891 in a Midland Counties League
Midland Football League
There have been at least two different football competitions in England which used the name Midland Football League.One existed until 1982 before merging with the Yorkshire League to form the Northern Counties League....
match.
It was Drummond who was to score the goal that took United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
into Division One
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
in 1893, but it was Hendry’s signing that was the most significant. By now, Hendry had become a centre half. He was made team captain at Sheffield United and remained so until his career with the club ended in 1895.
He was a small stocky player, described as neat, cool and calculating with 'exceptional skill'. His value to Sheffield United lay not just in the shrewdness and effectiveness of his play, but in the direction and leadership he gave to the club in the early years of Sheffield United in general.
The United committee "set great value upon his options as to the arrangement and formation of the team, and placed confidence in his judgement... and ability as a player, a captain, and an adviser"
Under Hendry’s leadership, the Blades secured a place in Division One, and foundations were laid for the great Sheffield United team of the turn of the century.
It was also said that Hendry’s advice and guidance helped the natural talents of Ernest Needham
Ernest Needham
Ernest 'Nudger' Needham was an English footballer and cricketer. He played football 14 times for England and captained the side in 1901....
, who was to become an England international
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
.
Hendry later went on to play for Dundee
Dundee F.C.
Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...
, Bury
Bury F.C.
Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...
and Brighton United
Brighton United F.C.
Brighton United F.C. were an association football club based in Brighton, Sussex who were active for a few years at the end of the 19th century....
.
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| West Bromwich Albion West Bromwich Albion F.C. West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands... |
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... |
18 | 4 | 18 | 4 | ||
| Total | 18 | 4 | 18 | 4 | |||
| Stoke Stoke City F.C. Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts... |
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... |
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1889–90 1889-90 in English football The 1889–90 season was the 19th season of competitive football in England. Preston North End were Football League champions for the second successive season while The Wednesday finished top of the newly formed Football Alliance. Blackburn Rovers won the FA Cup.... |
14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 | |
| Total | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 | |
| 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... |
1890–91 1890-91 in English football The 1890–91 season was the 20th season of competitive football in England.-Events:Everton started the 1890–91 season in superb form with five straight victories, with Fred Geary scoring in each of the first six matches... |
15 | 0 | 15 | 0 | ||
| Total | 15 | 0 | 15 | 0 | |||
| Sheffield United Sheffield United F.C. Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production... |
1891–92 1891-92 in English football The 1891–92 season was the 21st season of competitive football in England.-Events:Three new clubs joined the Football Alliance, following the expansion of the Football League to 14 teams, and the defection of Sunderland Albion to the Northern League... |
| | |||||
| 1892–93 1892-93 in English football The 1892–93 season was the 22nd season of competitive football in England.-Events:The Football League and the Football Alliance formally merged, and so the Football League Second Division was formed, consisting mostly of Football Alliance clubs... |
| | ||||||
| 1893–94 1893-94 in English football The 1893–94 season was the 23rd season of competitive football in England.-Events:The 1893–94 season saw four of the most famous teams in English Footballing history join the Second Division: Liverpool, Newcastle United, Manchester City, and the first team based in London, Woolwich Arsenal... |
| | ||||||
| 1894–95 1894-95 in English football The 1894–95 season was the 24th season of competitive football in England.-Football League:Following the collapse of Middlesbrough Ironopolis and the resignation of Northwich Victoria, three new teams were admitted to the Second Division, bringing it to 16 teams... |
| | ||||||
| Total | 69 | 4 | 69 | 4 | |||
| Bury Bury F.C. Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the... |
1895–96 1895-96 in English football The 1895–96 season was the 25th season of competitive football in England.-Events:Loughborough replaced Walsall Town Swifts in the Second Division.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour... |
8 | 1 | 8 | 1 | ||
| Total | 8 | 1 | 8 | 1 | |||
| Career Total | 126 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 126 | 10 | |