Billy Jones (footballer born 1880)
Encyclopedia
William Henry "Billy" Jones (24 March 1881 – 15 March 1948), also known as Bullet Jones and the Tipton Smasher, was an English professional footballer who played as a centre forward for Small Heath
(renamed Birmingham in 1905) in the Football League
and for Brighton & Hove Albion
in the Southern League
.
, Staffordshire
. He played for Smethwick Town and for Birmingham & District League club Halesowen before turning professional with Small Heath
, newly promoted to the Football League First Division
, in 1901. He was their leading scorer for four successive seasons, from 1903–04
to 1906–07, and his performances were rewarded in 1904 with selection for the Football League representative team which played against the Irish Football League. Jones then suffered a series of injuries, the team's form declined, and, believing the player to be past his best, Birmingham released him at the end of the 1908–09 season.
Jones joined Brighton & Hove Albion
of the Southern League
. He was top scorer for that club in both his full seasons, with 22 and 19 goals respectively in all competitions. He contributed to them winning the 1910 Southern League championship and the 1910 FA Charity Shield
, in which they beat Aston Villa, champions of the Football League, and scored the winning goal in the 1910 Southern Professional Charity Cup. Nevertheless, when Birmingham wanted to re-sign him in January 1912, the form of Jimmy Smith
meant that Albion's directors were willing to let him go for a £300 fee.
Jones again top-scored for Birmingham in 1912–13, bringing his total for the club to 102 goals from 253 appearances in all competitions, before returning to Brighton in the summer.
In October 1914, Jones played for a Southern League representative team against the Scottish Football League
; the game, played at Millwall
's ground in London, finished as a 1–1 draw. By January 1915, Jones, like many of his teammates, had enlisted in the "Footballers' Battalion" of the Middlesex Regiment
. They trained at the White City
in London, were released at weekends to play for their clubs, and Jones finished the season – the last completed before the Football League was suspended for the duration of the First World War – as Albion's top scorer for the third time. He returned to the club after the war, played his last competitive first-team match in December 1919, at the age of 38 years and 271 days, and continued to appear occasionally for the reserves
until as late as 1927. He performed various roles for the club, as assistant trainer, scout
and groundsman. He retired after the death of his wife in 1947, and the following March, he died in hospital after being discovered in a gas-filled room.
Brighton & Hove Albion
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
(renamed Birmingham in 1905) in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
and for Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
in the Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
.
Career
Jones was born in TiptonTipton
Tipton is a town in the Sandwell borough of the West Midlands, England, with a population of around 47,000. Tipton is located about halfway between Birmingham and Wolverhampton. It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is a part of the Black Country....
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
. He played for Smethwick Town and for Birmingham & District League club Halesowen before turning professional with Small Heath
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
, newly promoted to the Football League First Division
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 1901. He was their leading scorer for four successive seasons, from 1903–04
1903-04 in English football
The 1903–04 season was the 33rd season of competitive football in England.-Events:For the first time ever, a London team, Woolwich Arsenal, is promoted to the First Division and makes the League's reach nationwide...
to 1906–07, and his performances were rewarded in 1904 with selection for the Football League representative team which played against the Irish Football League. Jones then suffered a series of injuries, the team's form declined, and, believing the player to be past his best, Birmingham released him at the end of the 1908–09 season.
Jones joined Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
of the Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
. He was top scorer for that club in both his full seasons, with 22 and 19 goals respectively in all competitions. He contributed to them winning the 1910 Southern League championship and the 1910 FA Charity Shield
1910 FA Charity Shield
The 1910 FA Charity Shield was the third Charity Shield, a football match contested by the winners of the previous season's Football League and Southern League competitions. The match was played on 5 September 19010 between 1909–10 Football League winners Aston Villa and 1909–10 Southern League...
, in which they beat Aston Villa, champions of the Football League, and scored the winning goal in the 1910 Southern Professional Charity Cup. Nevertheless, when Birmingham wanted to re-sign him in January 1912, the form of Jimmy Smith
Jimmy Smith (footballer born 1889)
James "Jimmy" Smith was an English professional footballer who scored 49 goals from 90 appearances in the Football League playing as a centre forward for Bradford .Smith was born in Stafford, Staffordshire...
meant that Albion's directors were willing to let him go for a £300 fee.
Jones again top-scored for Birmingham in 1912–13, bringing his total for the club to 102 goals from 253 appearances in all competitions, before returning to Brighton in the summer.
In October 1914, Jones played for a Southern League representative team against the Scottish Football League
Scottish Football League
The Scottish Football League is a league of football teams in Scotland, comprising theScottish First Division, Scottish Second Division and Scottish Third Division. From the league's foundation in 1890 until the breakaway Scottish Premier League was formed in 1998, the Scottish Football League...
; the game, played at Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
's ground in London, finished as a 1–1 draw. By January 1915, Jones, like many of his teammates, had enlisted in the "Footballers' Battalion" of the Middlesex Regiment
Middlesex Regiment
The Middlesex Regiment was a regiment of the British Army. It was formed in 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms when the 57th and 77th Regiments of Foot were amalgamated with the county's militia and rifle volunteer units.On 31 December 1966 The Middlesex Regiment was amalgamated with three...
. They trained at the White City
White City Stadium
White City Stadium was built in White City, London, for the 1908 Summer Olympics, often seen as the precursor to the modern seater stadium and noted for hosting the finish of the first modern distance marathon. It also hosted speedway and a match at the 1966 World Cup, before the stadium was...
in London, were released at weekends to play for their clubs, and Jones finished the season – the last completed before the Football League was suspended for the duration of the First World War – as Albion's top scorer for the third time. He returned to the club after the war, played his last competitive first-team match in December 1919, at the age of 38 years and 271 days, and continued to appear occasionally for the reserves
Reserve team
Large professional sports clubs often have far more players under contract than could possibly play in a match. As a result, many of these clubs create second teams composed of players who need playing time, but have little hope of playing on the first team. The players on this second team are...
until as late as 1927. He performed various roles for the club, as assistant trainer, scout
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
and groundsman. He retired after the death of his wife in 1947, and the following March, he died in hospital after being discovered in a gas-filled room.
Honours
Small Heath- Football League Second DivisionFootball League Second DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
promotion: 1902–031902-03 in English footballThe 1902–03 season was the 32nd season of competitive football in England.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour. * indicates new record for competition-First Division:-Second Division:...
Brighton & Hove Albion
- Southern LeagueSouthern Football LeagueThe Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
champions: 1909–10 - Charity Shield winners: 19101910 FA Charity ShieldThe 1910 FA Charity Shield was the third Charity Shield, a football match contested by the winners of the previous season's Football League and Southern League competitions. The match was played on 5 September 19010 between 1909–10 Football League winners Aston Villa and 1909–10 Southern League...