Ernest Clarke Williamson (24 May 1890 – 30 April 1964) was an English

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...

 goalkeeper.

Born in Murton, County Durham

Murton, County Durham

Murton is a village in County Durham, England. Lying six miles east of the city of Durham and seven miles south of Sunderland, it has a population of 7,339....

, Williamson began his career at local sides before moving to 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...

 in 1913 to join Croydon Common

Croydon Common F.C.

Croydon Common Football Club were an amateur and then professional football club based in Croydon.-History:The team formed in 1897 as an amateur church team competing in local leagues. They turned professional in 1907, joining the Second Division of the Southern League...

. During World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

 he served in the Royal Army Service Corps

Royal Army Service Corps

The Royal Army Service Corps was a corps of the British Army. It was responsible for land, coastal and lake transport; air despatch; supply of food, water, fuel, and general domestic stores such as clothing, furniture and stationery ; administration of...

 and also turned out for various teams as a guest, including over 120 appearances for 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...

. After the war ended, Williamson officially signed for Arsenal, who had just been promoted to 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....

; after sharing the keeper's jersey with Stephen Dunn in 1919-20

1919-20 in English football

The 1919–1920 season was the 45th season of competitive football in England, and the first following the end of World War I.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour. * indicates new record for competition...

 he made it his own the following season, playing 33 of the Gunners' 42 matches in 1920-21

1920-21 in English football

The 1920–21 season was the 46th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:The Football League Third Division is introduced, expanding the League's operational radius south of Birmingham...

, and only missing one match the season after that.

His consistency for Arsenal brought the attention of the 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...

 selectors, and he became Arsenal's first post-First World War international, playing in both of England's matches away to Sweden

Sweden national football team

The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...

 on 21 May and 24 May 1923. However, by this time his Arsenal place was under threat; after conceding fourteen goals first in five matches during 1922-23

1922-23 in English football

The 1922–23 season was the 48th season of competitive football in England.-Events:Liverpool retained the First Division title, but halfway through the season their manager David Ashworth left the club to take over at Oldham Athletic, who ended the season relegated.-Honours:Notes = Number in...

 he had been dropped in favour of Dunn, and later Jock Robson

Jock Robson

John Hardy "Jock" Robson was a Scottish football goalkeeper.Born in Innerleithen, Tweeddale, Robson played as a goalkeeper despite only standing at 5’8”. Robson had served in the First World War with the Seaforth Highlanders; after returning home he played for local side Vale of Leithen...

. In June 1923 he left Arsenal for free to go to Norwich City

Norwich City F.C.

Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...

. In all he played 113 official first-class matches for Arsenal, in addition to his unofficial wartime matches.

After playing for Division Three South Norwich for two seasons, Williamson retired from football altogether in 1925. He died in 1964, aged 73.