England Football Online
Players Index Page Last Updated
30 September 2024
 
 

Billy Beats

Wolverhampton Wanderers FC

 2 appearances, 0 goals

P 2 W 1 D 1 L 0 F 8: A 2
75% successful
1901-02

captain: none
minutes played: 180

Timeline
  William Edwin Beats
Birth Monday, 13 November 1871 in Wolstanton, Staffordshire
  registered in Wolstanton October-December 1871
  "William Edwin Beats was born at Wolstanton, in North Staffordshire, on November 13th, 1871" - Athletic News, Monday, 27 January 1902
 

According to the 1881 census, the nine year-old William is the eldest son, although the fourth of six children, to Edwin and Amelia (née Gaugherty). They all live in Victoria Street in Wolstanton. His father is a slater.
 

According to the 1891 census, William, now a stone miner, is the oldest of the three children that are at home with their parents, still in Victoria Street.
"UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE...
OXFORD, APRIL 10. 
"Bacherlor in Arts.—Bertie O. Corbett, Oriel;" - London Standard, Monday, 12 April 1897.
Marriage to Elizabeth Paulina Cousens, on Wednesday, 13 April 1898 at Holy Trinity Church Sneyd Green, Staffordshire.
  registered in Wolstanton April-June 1898
Children Billy and Lena Beats had five children together. Alice (b.11 September 1898), John (b.1 May 1903), Edwin (b.1907), William (b.1909) and Paulina (b1910).
 

According to the 1901 census, William, now a professional footballer, is now married to Elizabeth with a single daughter, Alice, living at 62 Bristol Street in Wolverhampton.
 

According to the 1911 census, William E., a professional trainer in the football industry, is married with five children, Alice, John, Edwin, William and Lena, all living at 95 Grovelands Road in Reading.
Berkshire Electoral Registers confirm the Beats' at 95 Grovelands Road since at least 1910.

  (His father died in early 1918)
According to the 1921 census, William E., still married and now a licensed victualler, and with four children and a servant, they live at The Truro, 46/48 Castle Street in Reading.
Berkshire Electoral Registers and Kelly's Directory confirm the Beats' at 46-48 Castle Street since at least 1915 until 1936. By 1937, they had moved to 2 Manchester Road.
(His mother died in late 1922)
(Their youngest daughter, Lena, died in 1927, aged 17 years)
Death Thursday morning, 6 April 1939 at 2 Manchester Road, Reading, Berkshire.
aged 67 years 144 days registered in Reading April-June 1939
"DEATH OF MR. W. BEATS... "Mr. William Beats, ex-international footballer, who finished his playing career with the Reading F.C. and afterwards acted as trainer for many years, died this morning." - Reading Standard, Thursday, 6 April 1939.

Obituary
"Death of 'Billy' Beats
 "Head of a family with a wonderful footballing record, William Edwin (Billy) Beats, former international, Wolverhampton and Reading centre forward, died at his home, 2 Manchester Road, on Thursday last week, at the age of 67. Mr. Beats commenced his professional football career at the age of seventeen, when he signed for Burslem Port Vale (now Port Vale). He joined Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1895 and was with them for eight seasons, during which time he was twice capped for England, against Wales in 1901, and against Scotland the following year. He took part in several inter-league games, twice against Scotland and twice against Ireland, and captained the England side on one occasion. On leaving the Wolves Mr. Beats went to Bristol Rovers, subsequently returned to Port Vale at the end of the 1905-6 season, and a season later joined Reading as player-trainer. After four or five seasons he returned to Bristol Rovers in a similar capacity, and then in September, 1914, came back to Reading, taking over The Truro public-house in Castle Street. During the war he was engaged on munitions work, but again assisted the Reading F.C. as trainer until 1925." - Reading Mercury,  Saturday, 15 April 1939
"The Funeral...
Wednesday, 12 April 1939
St. Bartholomew's, Reading
"The funeral took place at St. Bartholomew's Church on Wednesday, the service being conducted by the Rev. G. B. Tims. Wreaths were sent by members of the bereaved family. The funeral arrangements were carried out by the Reading Co-operative Society's funeral department, under the supervision of Mr. W. J. Hope." - Reading Standard, Friday, 14 April 1939.
Probate "BEATS William Edwin of 2 Manchester-road Reading died 6 April 1939 Probate Oxford 30 June to Edwin Beats electrical and mechanical engineer and William Beats electrical engineer. Effects £5687 18s. 11d." [2024 equivalent: £312,370]
 

According to the 1939, Elizabeth P. is a widow living by private means at 6 Cholmeley Road in Reading with her eldest daughter and her family.
  His wife, Lena Beats, died in Reading on 4 May 1973.

Source

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

Playing Career

Club(s)		 "His first club was that of Port Hill. As soon as he had made a local reputation such as Stoke and Newcastle-under-Lyme Swifts cast covetous eyes on him. Indeed, Beats nearly came to terms with Stoke, but he signed his first professional form for Port Vale Rovers, the reserve of Burslem Port Vale [in 1889]. He played with them for a season and a half and then went into the latter eleven as inside-left. But there came a time when Beats had an ambition to play a part in important football. Everton, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Nottingham Forest were anxious to secure him. Beats went to Nottingham to play in a benefit match. He wore the Garibaldi uniform of the Forest, who offered him terms, but they were not accepted.  [on 30 May 1895] ...at ten minutes past eleven that night I signed for the 'Wolves' [for £80 transfer fee]. The secretary of Port Vale and Mr. Addenbrooke were in one room arranging the terms of the transfer, and Mr. Molyneux, of Everton, was waiting in another room to see if he could secure me." Joined Bristol Rovers FC on 9 May 1903, before making a return to Burslem Port Vale FC on 9 May 1906 for the season.
"SITUATIONS WANTED... "BILLY BEATS, International. Centre Forward. Open. Apply Bridge Inn, Etruria-rd., Hanley, Staffordshire." - The Athletic News, Monday, 3 June 1907.
  Joined Reading FC in August 1907 as their player-coach, retiring from playing in 1911.

League honours
309 appearances 106 goals		 Burslem Port Vale FC 1892-95 77 appearances, 26 goals
debut (division two): 12 September 1892 Ardwick FC 2 Burslem Port Vale FC 0.
Wolverhampton Wanderers FC 1895-1903 199 appearances, 67 goals
debut: 2 September 1895 Wolverhampton Wanderers FC 5 Burnley FC 1.
Burslem Port Vale FC 1906-07 33 appearances, thirteen goals
debut (division two): 1 September 1906 Burslem Port Vale FC 1 Leicester Fosse FC 2.
last (division two): 27 April 1907 Burslem Port Vale FC 3 Blackpool FC 0.
Club honours FA Cup runners-up 1895-96 (6ᵃ 1ᵍ);
Football League Division One third place 1897-98 (28ᵃ 11ᵍ); fourth place 1899-1000 (22ᵃ 9ᵍ);
Southern League winners 1904-05;
Individual honours Football League (five appearances)
Distinctions His son, Edwin, would go onto win schoolboy honours with England and become a professional footballer for Aston Villa FC and Queen's Park Rangers FC.
Height/Weight 5' 7", 10st. 12lbs, also 11st 2lb. [1902].

Source

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

England Career
Player number One of six who became the 262nd players (266) player to appear for England.
Position(s) Centre-forward
First match No. 72, 18 March 1901, England 6 Wales 0, a British Championship match at St. James' Park, Gallowgate, Newcastle upon Tyne, aged 29 years 125 days.
Last match
1 year 46 days		 No. 76, 3 May 1902, England 2 Scotland 2, a replayed British Championship match at Aston Lower Grounds, Trinity Road, Aston, Birmingham, aged 30 years 171 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1900-01, 1901-02;
Team honours British Championship winners 1900-01;
Individual honours The North (one appearance February 1902);
Distinctions None

Beyond England
At the age of thirteen, he went into the coalpit and worked as a miner for seven years. Afterwards, he helped his father as a slater. After leaving Reading FC, Beats joined Bristol Rovers FC as their trainer in 1911, returning to Reading FC in 1914. He retired from the game during the war. Became a licensee in Reading from 1914 to 1936. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.29/30.


The Numbers
parties Appearances comp. apps minutes captain
3 2 2 180 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
2 1 1 0 8 2 +6 0 1 4 1 75 +1
Both of his matches were played in the British Championship competition and at a home venue

Tournament Record

British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1900-01 1 1 0 0 6 0 +6 0 1 6.00 0.00 100.0 +1
BC 1901-02 1 0 1 0 2 2 =0 0 0 2.00 2.00 50.0 =0
BC All 2 1 1 0 8 2 +6 0 1 4.00 1.00 75.0 +1

All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 2 1 1 0 8 2 +6 0 1 4.00 1.00 75.0 +1
2 1 1 0 8 2 +6 0 1 4 1 75 +1

Match History

 Clubs: Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. - two full appearances (180 min) F.A. International Select Committee - two full appearances (180 min)x

apps match match details comp res. rundown pos

Age 29
1 72 18 March 1901 - England 6 Wales 0
St. James' Park, Newcastle upon Tyne		 BC HW   cf
 

one of six who became the 262nd player (266) to appear for England
the eleventh player from Wolverhampton Wanderers FC to represent England

Age 30 trial  
one appearance  - The South vs. The North, 24 February 1902;

void 5 April 1902 - Scotland 1 England 1
 Ibrox Park, Glasgow		 BC AD void cf
2 76 3 May 1902 - England 2 Scotland 2
Aston Lower Grounds, Birmingham		 BC HD   cf
 


      

 
cg