|
|
|
Bill George |
Aston Villa FC
3 appearances,
2 goals against
2 clean sheets, one penalty saved
P 3 W 1 D 2 L 0 F 3:
A 2
67% successful
1901-02
captain: none
minutes played: 270 |
 |
|
Timeline |
| |
William George |
|
|
Henry George, in
1871, was superintendent of Salop Fire Brigade and the entire family lived
at St. Chad's Firs Station, making it a possible birthplace of Billy |
|
Birth |
Monday,
29 June 1874 in St. Chad's, Shrewsbury, Shropshire |
|
|
registered in Atcham March-June 1874 |
|
Baptism |
Sunday,
4 October 1874 in St. Chad's, Shrewsbury |
|
|
According to the 1881
census, William is one of six children to Henry and Anne Frances (née
Sargent). With two
lodgers, they live at 17 St. Alkmonds Square in Shrewsbury. His father is a
Post Office porter. |
|
"DEATHS |
...'GEORGE.—July
1, at 17, St. Alkmond's Place, aged 45, Fanny, wife of Henry George, late
sergeant instructor of the 1st Shropshire Artillery Volunteers,
Shrewsbury." -
Shrewsbury Journal, Wednesday, 4 July 1883 |
69747 |
His father died on 21 June 1887.
The orphan, George, joins the Royal Artillery on 3 December
1888, he is only fourteen years old. "George
was serving with the 81st Field Battery at Trowbridge Barracks".
According to the 1891
census, William is one of many Royal Artillery boys at the Royal Artillery
barracks in Woolwich. |
|
Marriage |
to Florence
Kate Angell, on Saturday, 17 April 1897, at Trinity Church, Trowbridge
in Wiltshire |
|
|
registered in
Melksham April-June 1897 |
|
Children |
Billy and Florence
George had five children together. Florence Lily
(b.25 October 1897), Helen Frances (b.18 December 1898),
William Henry (b.17 April 1900), Samuel Alfred
(b.17 March 1903) and Annie Elizabeth (b.25
August 1912) |
|
|
According to the 1901
census, William is married to Florence with two daughters, Florence and
Helen, and a son, William. They live at 93 Carlton Road in Aston. William, however, along with seven other footballers, is visiting
Blackpool, for they are staying at the Station Hotel on Talbot Road. |
|
|
According to the 1911
census, William is still a professional footballer, married and now with
one more son, Samuel Alfred. They live at 60 Northfiled Road, Kings
Norton. |
|
|
According to the 1921 census,
William, now a labourer (for FE Baker Motorcycle works), is still married,
and with his four children and mother-in-law, they still live at 60
Northfield Road. |
|
"TWO VILLA VETERANS ILL |
...'Billy'
George is lying in a critical condition in Selly Oak Hospital, here he
underwent a serious operation on Thursday. Aston Villa's most famous
goalkeeper is employed by the Birmingham Corporation at Hams Hall, where
he spends his spare time coaching an amateur team." -
Birmingham Gazette, Saturday, 23 September 1933 |
|
Death |
Wednesday, 6 December 1933
in Selly Oak Hospital, Raddlebarn Road, in the Selly Oak area of Birmingham, Warwickshire.
Reports following his death confirmed he
died on the Wednesday, not the Monday. |
|
aged
59 years 160 days
|
registered in Birmingham October-December 1933 |
|
Obituary |
"W. GEORGE DEAD—Goalkeeper Who Helped Villa To Win Cup
"The death took place yesterday at Selly Oak Hospital,
after a long illness, of Mr. William George, the former Aston Villa
goalkeeper, who also kept goal for England some 30 years ago.
"George
joined Aston Villa in 1896 after serving in the Guards, and his first
match for Villa was against West Bromwich Albion. Subsequently it
transpired that the proper formalities regarding his transfer had not been
completed before the match started, and as a result he was suspended.
He was a member of the Villa team that won the F.A. Cup in 1905 by
defeating Newcastle United in the final by two clear goals, and on that
occasion George played a fine game. After leaving Villa he became a
trainer at Birmingham F.C., and on one occasion kept goal for them.
"For a number of years he had been employed at the Austin Motor Works.
George was also a good cricketer and assisted Warwickshire occasionally,
whilst he played fairly regularly for Aston Unity." -
Birmingham Gazette, Thursday, 7 December 1933
"DEATH OF 'BILLY' GEORGE—Trowbridge
Goalkeeper Who Went to Aston Villa
"The death took place at Selly Oak Hospital,
Birmingham, on Wednesday, of William George, in his fifty-ninth year. He
had been ill a long time.
"Born in June, 1874, 'Billy' George is well
remembered by the older followers of football in Wiltshire, and more
especially by the supporters of Trowbridge Town F.C., from which club he
went to Aston Villa more than thirty years ago. He was for some time
stationed at the Trowbridge Artillery Barracks. George was famous for his
enormous physique; he was well over six feet tall, and possessed terrific
kicking and punching powers. During one match on the High School ground in
Trowbridge he kicked a ball from one goal clean over the goal at the
opposite end.
"Upon joining the Villa, George quickly achieved
distinction and in 1905 he played in the English Cup final when the Villa
defeated Newcastle by 20 at Crystal Palace. In 1902 he was 'capped' for
England against Ireland, Wales and Scotland, and was playing in the match
at Ibrox Park, Glasgow, when one of the grandstands collapsed and resulted
in the death of 25 persons. He also played cricket for Warwickshire."
- The Wiltshire Times,
Saturday, 9 December 1933 |
Funeral
Monday,
11 December 1933
Lodge Hill
cemetery, Birmingham |
|
"MR.
W. GEORGE BURIED
"The funeral took place at Lodge Hill
cemetery yesterday, following a service at Bourneville Parish Church, of
Mr. William George, who died in Selly Oak Hospital last Wednesday. In
addition to the family mourners there were present representatives of
various organisations with Mr. George had been associated. The coffin was
borne by six Austin Motor Works policemen, on which staff George was
employed." - Birmingham
Gazette, Tuesday, 12 December 1933 |
|
|
According to the 1939 Register,
Florence, now a widow, is living at 21 Colworth Road in the Shenley Green
area of Birmingham, along with her daughter, Annie. |
|
|
Following the
death of their eldest child, Florence, in early 1935, his wife, Florence,
would die in early 1950 |
|
Source |
 Douglas Lammings' An
English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] & |
|
Playing Career |
|
Club(s) |
Began
his career with the Woolwich Ramblers FC. He played army football, based
in Trwobridge, and then played with Trowbridge Town FC. He played for
Aston Villa FC on 9 October 1897 without any transfer being registered, in
fact, that transfer registration was falsified. It resulted in suspensions
and heavy fines. George himself, earning a one month suspension
(he played his final match with Trowbridge on 16
October in a Western League match against Bristol City FC), but
remained with Villa until 1911. His career was curtailed by a foot injury.
Signed with Birmingham FC as a trainer in July 1911, and became the club's
emergency goalkeeper. |
League honours
356 appearances |
Aston Villa FC
1897-1911 355 appearances
debut: 9 October 1897 Aston Villa FC 1 West
Bromwich Albion FC 1.
Birmingham FC 1911
one appearance
only (division two): 11 September 1911 Birmingham FC 1
Barnsley FC 3. |
|
Club honours |
Wiltshire Cup
runners-up 1896-97;
FA Cup winners
1904-05 (6ᵃ);
Football League
Champions 1898-99 (30ᵃ), 1899-1900 (34ᵃ), 1909-10 (3ᵃ),
runners-up 1902-03 (29ᵃ), 1907-08 (30ᵃ), 1910-11 (14ᵃ),
fourth 190405 (33ᵃ); |
|
Individual honours |
Football League
(one appearance) |
|
Distinctions |
Played
first class cricket for Warwickshire CC
(Thirteen tests 1901-06); Also assisted Wiltshere CC and
Shropshire CC. Retired from cricket during the 1914 summer.
His benefit match was played between past and present
Villa players, and Aston Unity FC...at cricket, in August 1913. |
|
Height/Weight |
6'
1½", 13st.
7lbs [1901/02]. 17st. 4lbs [1910] |
|
Source |
Douglas Lammings' An English
Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990]. |
|
England Career |
|
Player number |
One of five who became the 270th player (270)
to appear for England. 31st goalkeeper to appear. |
|
Position(s) |
Goalkeeper |
|
First match |
No. 74, 3 March 1902, Wales 0 England 0,
a British Championship match
at
Racecourse Ground, Mold Road, Wrexham, aged 27 years
247 days. |
Last match
61 days |
No. 76,
3 May 1902, England 2
Scotland
2, a replayed British Championship
match at Aston Lower Grounds, Trinity Road, Aston, Birmingham, aged 27 years 308 days. |
|
Major tournaments |
British
Championship 1901-02; |
|
Team honours |
None |
|
Individual honours |
The
Professionals (one appearance 0ᵍᵃ, September 1901) |
|
Distinctions |
Died five days
after Davie Weir |
|
Beyond England |
|
Joined rivals Birmingham FC as a
trainer on 28 July 1911. After leaving football, he worked at the Austin
Motor Works in Longbridge. -
An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who.
Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.106/7. |
|
The Numbers |
|
parties |
Apps |
Comp
Apps |
minutes |
GA |
GA Av.
min |
Comp GA |
Clean
Sheets |
Cln
Sht Av |
captain |
|
4 |
3 |
3 |
270 |
2 |
135 min |
0 |
2 |
67% |
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 |
|
3 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
+1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0.667 |
66.7 |
+1 |
|
All of his matches were played in the British Championship
competition |
Venue Record
|
Venue |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS
|
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
Home |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
=0 |
0 |
0 |
2.00 |
2.00 |
50.0 |
=0 |
|
Away |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
+1 |
1 |
2 |
0.50 |
0.00 |
75.0 |
+1 |
Tournament Record
|
British Championship Competition |
|
Type |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
BC 1901-02 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
+1 |
1 |
2 |
1.00 |
0.667 |
66.7 |
+1 |
|
BC
All |
3 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
+1 |
1 |
2 |
1.00 |
0.667 |
66.7 |
+1 |
|
All Competition |
|
Type |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
BC |
3 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
+1 |
1 |
2 |
1.00 |
0.667 |
66.7 |
+1 |
|
3 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
+1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0.667 |
66.7 |
+1 |
Match History
|
apps |
match |
match details |
comp |
res. |
rundown |
pos |
|
|
England
Football Online
