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Players Index Page Last Updated
20 January 2024
 
 

Bill Williams

West Bromwich Albion FC

 6 appearances, 0 goals

P 6 W 6 D 0 L 0 F 32: A 5
100% successful
1897-99

captain: none
minutes played: 540

Timeline
  William Williams
Birth Thursday, 20 January 1876 in West Smethwick, West Bromwich, Staffordshire
registered in West Bromwich January-March 1876
Baptism 20 February 1876 in Smethwick
Education Oldbury Road School, Smethwick


According to the 1881 census, William is the second of four children to Richard Charles and Elizabeth (née Dudley) and they live at 106 Oldbury Road in Smethwick area of West Bromwich. His father is a glass maker.
 

According to the 1891 census, and now at 48 Mallin Street, William has four more younger brothers, and along with his older brother, Thomas, is a labourer at the Glassworks with their father.
Marriage to Mary Ann Woolley, in Spring 1897 in Smethwick
registered in King's Norton April-June 1897
Children Billy and Mary Williams had two children together. Wilfred Leslie (b.1898) and Iris Hilda May (b.15 May 1903)
The Old House at Home in 1960

According to the 1901 census, William is a public house manager, married to Mary Ann, with one son, Wilfred Leslie. They have two servants, living at The Old House at Home at 183 Halfords Lane in Smethwick (left).

According to the 1911 census, William is a beer house keeper, still married, and now has a second child, a daughter, Iris Hilda May. Along with one servant, they still live at The Old House at Home (left).

According to the 1921 census, William is a licensed victualler, is still married, and with their daughter, Iris, they still live at The Old House at Home (left), along with two servants and one visitor, Frank Symons.
His father died on 7 June 1928 in Smethwick
Death: Tuesday, 22 January 1929 at The Old House at Home Inn, Halfords Lane, in Smethwick, West Bromwich, Staffordshire
aged 53 years 2 days registered in Birmingham South January-March 1929

Obituary
"William Williams, popularly known as 'Billy' Williams, died to-day. He was born in Smethwick on 20 January, 1876 and has been a licensed victualler there for many years. He attended the Oldbury-road elementary school but left at the age of 13 and went to work as a glass maker at Chance's works in Spon-lane....there was an early end to his football career.
For many years he took a large part in philanthropic work, and only a few weeks ago he handed over a cheque for £734 with which to endow a cot in Father Hudson's homes at Coleshill." - The Evening Despatch, Tuesday, 22 January 1922.
 "The death took place to-day of William Williams, aged 53, who played full-back for West Bromwich Albion from 1894 to 1900. Born at Smethwick, Staffordshire." - The Nottingham Evening Post, Tuesday, 22 January 1922.
"Billy Williams, a famous old West Bromwich Albion player of the last century, died at Smethwick yesterday. He joined the Throstles in 1894 and played in the final against the Villa at Crystal Palace in 1895, when the Villa won by a goal to nil. Williams was a full back and was capped six times by England." - The Daily Mirror, Wednesday, 23 January 1929.
Funeral
 
Monday, 28 January 1929
 St. Paul's, West Smethwick
Buried in St. Paul's Road cemetery
"A strking tribute was paid to the memory of a great footballer, noble-hearted fellow, and generous friend, on the occasion of the funeral of William Williams, known the world over in the height of his fame as 'Billy' Williams. There was a service at St. Paul's Church, West Smethwick, with which he was identified as a boy. It was conducted in the presence of a crowded congregation, representative of the world of football, the institutions with which he was identified in the district, and of the R.A.O.B., all the Lodges in the Borough being represented. Many were unable to gain admission to the Church, while the numbers were augmented at the St. Paul's Road cemetery, where the interment took place. The Rev. W.C. Jordan, M.A., Vicar of Slaidburn, Yorkshire, who officiated, was a former centre-forward of the ALbion F.C., and represented his 'Varsity. He had interesting associations with West Smethwick, where 'Billy' Williams was born, was educated, had his experience as a glassmaker at Spon Lane Glass Works; and where he first joined a football team. In addition to the wreaths of Mrs. Williams and her daughter, there was laid on the coffin a beautiful floral token in blue and white—emblematical of the team with which he gained his greatest honours—West Bromwich Albion." - Smethwick Telephone, 2 February 1929
Probate "WILLIAMS William of The Old House at Home Inn Halfords-lane Smethwick Staffordshire died 22 January 1929 Probate Birmingham 11 April to Mary Ann Williams widow and Thomas Woolley schoolmaster.
 Effects £1780 1s. 9d." [2023 equivalent: £93,598]
  His wife, Mary Ann Williams, died in Wednesbury towards the end of 1947
Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] &

Playing Career

Club(s)		 Played schoolboy football in Smethwick before joining Hawthorn Villa FC. "He played right-back for the works team called West Smethwick Hawthorns...His next club was Old Hill Wanderers. At the close of 1893-94 season he asked for a trial with West Bromwich Albion. His form was satisfactory and he was signed on..." in May 1894. He became a first-team regular.
"Unfortunately there was an early end to his football career. At the age of 24, just when he was at the zenith of his fame, had the misfortune to displace a cartilege of one of his knees. That was on 3 November, 1900, in a match v. Stoke, at The Hawthorns. Play had been in progress some fifty minutes when the snap was heard. 'Billy' was in two minds what to do with the approaching ball. He hesitated whether to head it or kick it. His leg went from under him and he was carried off and attended to. He returned to the field of play, and the displacement happened a second time. He was under a specialist for ten weeks, and on the latter's advice he relinquished strenuous football." in June 1901.
League honours
180 appearances, 8 goals		 West Bromwich Albion FC 1894-1900 180 appearances, eight goals
debut: 1 September 1894 Sheffield United FC 2 West Bromwich Albion FC 1.
last: 3 November 1900 West Bromwich Albion FC 2 Stoke FC 2.
Club honours "won the West Bromwich Cup, beating West Bromwich Standard in the final on the Oldbury Town club's ground. Won the championship of the Birmingham and District League in 1893-94 season."
FA Cup runners-up 1894-95 (6ᵃ 1ᵍ);
Football League Division One best seventh 1897-98 (28ᵃ 3ᵍ)
Individual honours Football League (five appearances)
Distinctions The Billy Williams charity football match was played in Smethwick from 1921
Height/Weight not known

Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990].

England Career
Player number One of five who became the 229th players (230) to appear for England.
Position(s) Left-back
First match No. 59, 20 February 1897, England 6 Ireland 0, a British Championship match at Trentbridge Cricket Ground, Brook Lane, West Bridgford, Nottingham, aged 21 years 31 days.
Last match No. 66, 20 March 1899, England 4 Wales 0, a British Championship match at Athletic Ground, Ashton Gate, Bedminster, Bristol, aged 23 years 59 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1896-97, 1897-98, 1989-99;
Team honours British Championship winners 1897-98, 1898-99;
Individual honours The Professionals (two appearances 1896-97, withdrew in March 1895)
The North (one appearance, February 1899)
Distinctions None
Beyond England
After retiring from playing, he became Albion's trainer and later on, the club scout. Became a licensee in West Bromwich latterly for 25 years. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.270.


The Numbers
parties Appearances comp. apps minutes captain
6 6 6 540 0 none
The minutes here given can only ever be a guideline and cannot therefore be accurate, only an approximation.
P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
6 6 0 0 32 5 +27 0 3 5.33 0.83 100 +6
All of his matches were in the British Championship competition

Venue Record

Venue P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Home 3 3 0 0 23 2 +21 0 2 7.667 0.667 100.0 +3
Away 3 3 0 0 9 3 +6 0 1 3.00 1.00 100.0 +3

Tournament Record

British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1896-97 1 1 0 0 6 0 +6 0 1 6.00 0.00 100.0 +1
BC 1897-98 3 3 0 0 9 3 +6 0 1 3.00 1.00 100.0 +3
BC 1898-99 2 2 0 0 17 2 +15 0 1 8.50 1.00 100.0 +2
BC All 6 6 0 0 32 5 +27 0 3 5.333 0.833 100.0 +6

All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 6 6 0 0 32 5 +27 0 3 5.333 0.833 100.0 +6
6 6 0 0 32 5 +27 0 3 5.33 0.83 100 +6

Match History

 Club: West Bromwich Albion F.C. - six full appearances (540 min) F.A. International Select Committee - six full appearances (540 min)x

Age 19 trial  
withdrew - The Professionals vs. The Amateurs, 28 March 1895;
Age 20    
one appearance - The Professionals vs. The Amateurs, 25 March 1896;

apps match match details comp res. rundown pos

Age 21
1 59 20 February 1897 - England 6 Ireland 0
Trentbridge Cricket Ground, Nottingham		 BC HW   lb
 

one of five who became the 229th players (230) to appear for England
the ninth West Bromwich Albion FC player to represent England

trial  
one appearance - The Professionals vs. The Amateurs, 15 March 1897;

Age 22
2 62 5 March 1898 - Ireland 2 England 3
Cliftonville Gardens, Belfast		 BC AW   lb
3 63 28 March 1898 - Wales 0 England 3
The Racecourse, Wrexham		 BC AW   lb
4 64 2 April 1898 - Scotland 1 England 3
Celtic Park, Glasgow		 BC AW   lb

Age 23 trial  
one appearance - The South vs. The North, 1 February 1899;

5 65 18 February 1899 - England 13 Ireland 2
Roker Park, Sunderland		 BC HW   lb
6 66 20 March 1899 - England 4 Wales 0
Athletic Ground, Bedminster		 BC HW   lb
 


     

 
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