Billy Williams (footballer born 1876)
Encyclopedia
William "Billy" Williams (20 January 1876 – 22 January 1929) was an English
footballer who played his entire professional career (as a full back) with West Bromwich Albion
at the end of the nineteenth century. He also made six appearances for England
.
and, after leaving Oldbury Road School, played for various local clubs, including West Bromwich Hawthorns, West Smethwick, Hawthorn Villa and Old Hill Wanderers. It was while he was playing for the latter club that he was spotted by West Bromwich Albion
, and he was signed as a replacement for Mark Nicholson who had left to join Luton Town
. Williams joined Albion in May 1894, signing for a £20 transfer fee.
His potential was seen immediately and he went straight into the first team. Although Albion had a difficult league season, narrowly avoiding the end of season "Test match" play-offs by a win on the final day of the season, they had more success in the FA Cup
. In the semi-final
against Sunderland
, Williams scored from the penalty spot following a foul on Billy Bassett
, thus helping Albion secure their fifth FA Cup Final
appearance. In the final
itself, played at Crystal Palace
against local rivals Aston Villa
, Villa took a first minute lead when Bob Chatt
's shot was half saved by goalkeeper
Joe Reader
and John Devey
bundled the ball over the line. This was the fastest goal in FA Cup
history, scored after just 30 seconds.
In the following season, Williams was ever-present in a defence that conceded 59 goals as Albion struggled throughout the year. They finished the season at the foot of the table and had to enter the end of season test matches involving the two teams finishing at the foot of the First Division
and the two who finished at the top of the Second Division
. Williams scored in a 6–1 victory over Manchester City
and in a 2–0 victory over Liverpool
, and as a result Albion retained their First Division status with Liverpool replacing Small Heath.
The 1896–97 season was yet again disappointing for Albion as they finished the season in twelfth place. For Williams however, it heralded the start of his England
career, when he was called up to play at left-back in the British Home Championship
match at Trent Bridge
, Nottingham
against Ireland. England "totally dominated the game" winning 6–0, with a hat-trick from Fred Wheldon (also making his international debut) and a pair from Steve Bloomer
.
The 1897–98 league season was more successful for Albion and at the end of March they still had faint hopes of a high finish, but four defeats in April resulted in a seventh-place finish. Williams was called back into the England team for the 1898 British Home Championship
against Ireland played at the Solitude Ground, Belfast
on 5 March 1898. In a close match, England defeated the Irish by three goals to two.
Williams retained his place for the match against Wales
on 28 March, when he was joined by his West Bromwich Albion colleague Tom Perry
who was making his single international appearance at right-half. England won the match comfortably 3–0, with two goals from Fred Wheldon. The final match of the international season was against Scotland
and was to decide the 1898 British Home Championship
with both teams level on points. In the match, played at Celtic Park
, Glasgow
on 2 April, Scotland were defeated by a fast and powerful England side, who emerged victorious by three goals to one, with Steve Bloomer
scoring twice. Despite playing all three matches away, England claimed the British Home Championship
after a two-year gap.
Williams was again selected for the 1899 British Home Championship
matches against Ireland and Wales. The first match, against Ireland, was played at Roker Park
, Sunderland
's newly opened ground, and ended in a 13–2 victory for England, with four goals from Gilbert Smith
and three from Jimmy Settle
. This match is still both the record number of goals scored by England in a single match and the highest aggregate goals (15) in a game involving England. England defeated the Welsh in the next match 4–0 with a pair of goals from Steve Bloomer
Williams was expected to play in the deciding match against Scotland a few weeks later, but a niggling cartilage injury ruled him out and he was unable to reclaim his place the following season. In his England career, he played six matches all of which ended in victories, with only five goals conceded.
He continued to play on for West Bromwich Albion until the 1900–01 season
but the cartilage injury forced him to retire in June 1901. In his West Bromwich Albion career he played 180 league games, plus two in the test matches and 22 in the FA Cup, a total of 204 matches with 12 goals.
for West Bromwich Albion. He subsequently became a licensee
in West Bromwich
for many years. He died in West Bromwich on 22 January 1929, two days after his 53rd birthday.
England
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...
footballer who played his entire professional career (as a full back) with 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...
at the end of the nineteenth century. He also made six appearances for England
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...
.
Football career
Williams was born in SmethwickSmethwick
Smethwick is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell, in the West Midlands of England. It is situated on the edge of the city of Birmingham, within the historic boundaries of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire....
and, after leaving Oldbury Road School, played for various local clubs, including West Bromwich Hawthorns, West Smethwick, Hawthorn Villa and Old Hill Wanderers. It was while he was playing for the latter club that he was spotted by 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...
, and he was signed as a replacement for Mark Nicholson who had left to join 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...
. Williams joined Albion in May 1894, signing for a £20 transfer fee.
His potential was seen immediately and he went straight into the first team. Although Albion had a difficult league season, narrowly avoiding the end of season "Test match" play-offs by a win on the final day of the season, they had more success in the 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...
. In the semi-final
FA Cup Semi-finals
The FA Cup Semi-finals are played to determine which teams will contest the FA Cup Final. They are the penultimate phase of the FA Cup, the oldest football tournament in the world.- Location :...
against Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
, Williams scored from the penalty spot following a foul on Billy Bassett
Billy Bassett
William Isiah Bassett was an English association footballer, director and club chairman who served West Bromwich Albion for over half a century.-Playing career:...
, thus helping Albion secure their fifth FA Cup Final
FA Cup Final
The FA Cup Final, commonly referred to in England as just the Cup Final, is the last match in the Football Association Challenge Cup. With an official attendance of 89,826 at the 2007 FA Cup Final, it is the fourth best attended domestic club championship event in the world and the second most...
appearance. In the final
1895 FA Cup Final
The 1895 FA Cup Final was contested by Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion at Crystal Palace. Aston Villa won 1–0, with Bob Chatt being credited with scoring the fastest goal in FA Cup Final history, scored after just 30 seconds...
itself, played at Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace National Sports Centre
The National Sports Centre at Crystal Palace in south London, England is a large sports centre and athletics stadium. It was opened in 1964 in Crystal Palace Park, close to the site of the former Crystal Palace, in the former parkland and also usurping part of the former grand prix circuit.It was...
against local rivals Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
, Villa took a first minute lead when Bob Chatt
Bob Chatt
Robert Chatt was an English footballer who was a member of the Aston Villa team which won the Football League championship three times in the 1890s. Chatt was credited with scoring the fastest goal in FA Cup Final history, scored after just 30 seconds in the 1895 FA Cup Final...
's shot was half saved by goalkeeper
Goalkeeper (football)
In association football, the goalkeeper occupies a position that represents the last line of defence between the opponent's offence and his own team's goal. The primary role of the goalkeeper is to defend his team's goal and prevent the opposition from scoring a goal...
Joe Reader
Joe Reader
Josiah "Joe" Reader was an English footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He spent his entire professional career with West Bromwich Albion and served the club as a player, coach and steward for a total of 65 years....
and John Devey
John Devey
John Henry George "Jack" Devey was a football player.-Football career:Devey was born in Birmingham and signed for Aston Villa in March 1891; he would go on to become one of Aston Villa's greatest captains...
bundled the ball over the line. This was the fastest goal in 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...
history, scored after just 30 seconds.
In the following season, Williams was ever-present in a defence that conceded 59 goals as Albion struggled throughout the year. They finished the season at the foot of the table and had to enter the end of season test matches involving the two teams finishing at the foot of the 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....
and the two who finished at the top of the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 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...
. Williams scored in a 6–1 victory over Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
and in a 2–0 victory over Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
, and as a result Albion retained their First Division status with Liverpool replacing Small Heath.
The 1896–97 season was yet again disappointing for Albion as they finished the season in twelfth place. For Williams however, it heralded the start of his England
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...
career, when he was called up to play at left-back in the British Home Championship
1897 British Home Championship
The 1897 British Home Championship was an international football tournament between the British Home Nations. It was won by Scotland after a late goal at The Crystal Palace which beat England to the trophy despite England's dominance of the competition up to that point...
match at Trent Bridge
Trent Bridge
Trent Bridge is a Test, One-day international and County cricket ground located in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England and is also the headquarters of Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club. As well as International cricket and Nottinghamshire's home games, the ground has hosted the Finals Day of...
, Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
against Ireland. England "totally dominated the game" winning 6–0, with a hat-trick from Fred Wheldon (also making his international debut) and a pair from Steve Bloomer
Steve Bloomer
Steve Bloomer was an English footballer and manager who played for Derby County, Middlesbrough and England during the 1890s and 1900s. Bloomer remains a legend at Derby County and the club anthem, Steve Bloomer's Watchin', is played before every home game...
.
The 1897–98 league season was more successful for Albion and at the end of March they still had faint hopes of a high finish, but four defeats in April resulted in a seventh-place finish. Williams was called back into the England team for the 1898 British Home Championship
1898 British Home Championship
The 1898 British Home Championship was the fifteenth edition of the annual football tournament played between the British Home Nations. England won the trophy after whitewashing all three opponents and taking the maximum six points...
against Ireland played at the Solitude Ground, Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
on 5 March 1898. In a close match, England defeated the Irish by three goals to two.
Williams retained his place for the match against Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
on 28 March, when he was joined by his West Bromwich Albion colleague Tom Perry
Tom Perry (footballer)
Thomas "Tom" Perry was an English international footballer, who played as a right half.-Career:Born in West Bromwich, Perry played professionally for West Bromwich Albion, and earned one cap for England in 1898....
who was making his single international appearance at right-half. England won the match comfortably 3–0, with two goals from Fred Wheldon. The final match of the international season was against Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
and was to decide the 1898 British Home Championship
1898 British Home Championship
The 1898 British Home Championship was the fifteenth edition of the annual football tournament played between the British Home Nations. England won the trophy after whitewashing all three opponents and taking the maximum six points...
with both teams level on points. In the match, played at Celtic Park
Celtic Park
Celtic Park is a football stadium in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which is the home ground of Celtic FC. Celtic Park, an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 60,832, is the largest football stadium in Scotland and the sixth-largest stadium in the United Kingdom, after Murrayfield, Old Trafford,...
, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
on 2 April, Scotland were defeated by a fast and powerful England side, who emerged victorious by three goals to one, with Steve Bloomer
Steve Bloomer
Steve Bloomer was an English footballer and manager who played for Derby County, Middlesbrough and England during the 1890s and 1900s. Bloomer remains a legend at Derby County and the club anthem, Steve Bloomer's Watchin', is played before every home game...
scoring twice. Despite playing all three matches away, England claimed the British Home Championship
British Home Championship
The British Home Championship was an annual football competition contested between the United Kingdom's four national teams, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from the 1883–84 season until the 1983–84...
after a two-year gap.
Williams was again selected for the 1899 British Home Championship
1899 British Home Championship
The 1899 British Home Championship was an international football tournament between the British Home Nations. A very high scoring affair, the competition featured the highest scoreline ever achieved in the Home Championships when England defeated Ireland 13–2 in Sunderland...
matches against Ireland and Wales. The first match, against Ireland, was played at Roker Park
Roker Park
Roker Park was an English football stadium situated in Roker, Sunderland. The stadium was the home of the English football club Sunderland A.F.C. from 1897 to 1997 before the club moved to the Stadium of Light. Near the end of the stadium's history, its capacity was around 22,500 with only a small...
, Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
's newly opened ground, and ended in a 13–2 victory for England, with four goals from Gilbert Smith
G.O. Smith
Gilbert Oswald Smith , familiarly known as G. O. Smith or simply as G...
and three from Jimmy Settle
Jimmy Settle
Jimmy Settle was an English professional footballer. A fast-paced inside or outside right, he could have chosen sprinting if he had not taken up football.Settle played for Bolton and Bury before joining Everton in 1899, with whom he won the FA Cup in 1906...
. This match is still both the record number of goals scored by England in a single match and the highest aggregate goals (15) in a game involving England. England defeated the Welsh in the next match 4–0 with a pair of goals from Steve Bloomer
Steve Bloomer
Steve Bloomer was an English footballer and manager who played for Derby County, Middlesbrough and England during the 1890s and 1900s. Bloomer remains a legend at Derby County and the club anthem, Steve Bloomer's Watchin', is played before every home game...
Williams was expected to play in the deciding match against Scotland a few weeks later, but a niggling cartilage injury ruled him out and he was unable to reclaim his place the following season. In his England career, he played six matches all of which ended in victories, with only five goals conceded.
He continued to play on for West Bromwich Albion until the 1900–01 season
1900-01 in English football
The 1900–01 season was the 30th season of competitive football in England.-Events:Stockport County played their first season in the football league. Blackpool also returned to the league, at the expenses of Loughborough and Luton Town.-Honours:...
but the cartilage injury forced him to retire in June 1901. In his West Bromwich Albion career he played 180 league games, plus two in the test matches and 22 in the FA Cup, a total of 204 matches with 12 goals.
After football
After retiring from playing, Williams became a trainer and later a scoutScout (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...
for West Bromwich Albion. He subsequently became a licensee
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
in West Bromwich
West Bromwich
West Bromwich is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell, in the West Midlands, England. It is north west of Birmingham lying on the A41 London-to-Birkenhead road. West Bromwich is part of the Black Country...
for many years. He died in West Bromwich on 22 January 1929, two days after his 53rd birthday.
Honours
West Bromwich AlbionWest 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...
- FA CupFA CupThe 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...
finalists: 18951895 FA Cup FinalThe 1895 FA Cup Final was contested by Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion at Crystal Palace. Aston Villa won 1–0, with Bob Chatt being credited with scoring the fastest goal in FA Cup Final history, scored after just 30 seconds...
England
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...
- 1898 British Home Championship1898 British Home ChampionshipThe 1898 British Home Championship was the fifteenth edition of the annual football tournament played between the British Home Nations. England won the trophy after whitewashing all three opponents and taking the maximum six points...