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Players Index Page Last Updated
29 December 2022
 
 

Billy Butler

Bolton Wanderers FC

1 appearance, 0 goals

P 1 W 0 D 1 L 0 F 1: A 1
50% successful

1924

captain: none
minutes played:
90

Timeline

  William Butler
Birth 27 March 1900 in Atherton, Bolton, Lancashire [registered in Leigh, June 1900].
Baptism 15 April 1900 in St Michaels and All Angels Church, Howe Bridge, Atherton, Bolton.
 

According to the 1901 census, William is the youngest of three children to William and Mary Elizabeth, living at 161 Leigh Road in Leigh. His father is a coal mine hewer.

 

According to the 1911 census, William now has four more younger siblings. Still with their parents, still in Leigh Road and father is still a hewer in the coal mines.

  According to the 1921 census, William is a collier drawer, and is the oldest of seven children still living at home with their parents still at 161 Leigh Road.
  According to the 1939 register, William is married, working at the munitions factory, and living at 12 Bray Road in Guildford.
Death 11 July 1966 in Durban, South Africa, aged 66 years 106 days [not registered in England].

Source

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

Playing Career

Club(s) Started his career with Howe Bridge FC before he joined the Royal North Lancashire Regiment when he was nineteen years old where he became a centre-forward playing Army football. It was from that position that he signed for Atherton Collieries FC of the Bolton Combination, after leaving the army. It was in one of those combination matches that we has spotted by Bolton Wanderers FC who duly signed him in April 1921, switching him to outside-right. After Bolton were relegated, Butler requested a transfer, after 407 league appearances and 65 goals, and he was on on his way to Reading FC on 2 June 1933. He was appointed manager at Reading FC on 30 August 1935 with the intention of carrying on his playing, but he never did. He turned out for Guilford City FC in 1940.
Club honours FA Cup winners 1922-23, 1925-26, 1928-29; Football League Division Three South runners-up 1934-35,
Individual honours None
Distinctions None
Height/Weight 5' 7", 10st. 10lbs [1923].

Source

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

Management Career

Club(s) On 30 August 1935, Butler took over as Reading FC manager, becoming the youngest at the time. He resigned on 10 February 1939, effective at the season's ending, for personal reasons and then took over at Guildford City FC on 26 June 1939, whom he also played for. He also became a PT instructor in the RAF during WW2 and then managed Torquay United FC from 18 July 1945 until his resignation on 15 May 1946. Managed Johannesburg Rangers FC of South Africa and coached Pietermaritzburg & District FA. He subsequently coached for the Rhodesian FA. He was one of the ten men interviewed for the Newcastle United FC manager's job in May 1947, the job going to George Martin.
Club honours Division Three South Cup winners 1937-38;

England Career

Player number One of two who became the 472nd players (473) to appear for England.
Position(s) Outside-right
Only match No. 140, 12 April 1924, England 1 Scotland 1, a British Championship match at Empire Stadium, Wembley, London, aged 24 years 16 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1923-24;
Team honours None
Individual honours None
Distinctions Butler and Charlie Spencer were the first England debutants at Wembley.

Beyond England

After leaving Torquay, he st up a business in Camberwell, London. In February 1948, The Football Association sent Butler on a goodwill tour of South Africa. He emigrated soon after, continuing his management career. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.56.

 

Billy Butler - Career Statistics
Squads Apps comp. apps Mins. goals ave.min comp. goals Capt. Disc.
1 1 1 90 0 0 min 0 none none
minutes are an approximation, due to the fact that many matches rarely stick to exactly ninety minutes long, allowing time for injuries and errors.

 

Billy Butler - Match Record - All Matches - By Type of Match
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Home - British Championship 1 0 1 0 1 1 =0 0 0 1.00 1.00 50.0 +0
All 1 0 1 0 1 1 =0 0 0 1.00 1.00 50.0 +0

 

Billy Butler - Match Record - Tournament Matches
British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1923-24 1 0 1 0 1 1 =0 0 0 1.00 1.00 50.0 +0
BC All 1 0 1 0 1 1 =0 0 0 1.00 1.00 50.0 +0
All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1 0 1 0 1 1 =0 0 0 1.00 1.00 50.0 +0
All 1 0 1 0 1 1 =0 0 0 1.00 1.00 50.0 +0

 

Billy Butler - Match History
 Club: Bolton Wanderers F.C. - 1 full cap

F.A. International Select Committee - 1 full capx

Age 24
1 140 12 April 1924 - England 1 Scotland 1, Empire Stadium, Wembley BC HD Start or

Notes

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CG