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Players Index Page Last Updated
22 March 2020
 
 

Billy Townley

Blackburn Rovers FC

 2 appearances, 0 to 3 goals

P 2 W 2 D 0 L 0 F 13: A 2
100% successful
1888-91

captain: none
minutes played: 180

Timeline
  William Townley
Birth Wednesday, 14 February 1866 at 64 Lark Hill Terrace, Blackburn, Lancashire [registered in Blackburn, March 1866].
 

According to the 1871 census, William is the second of three children to Daniel and Elizabeth (née Holden). Living at 64 Lark Hill [Terrace] in Blackburn. His father is a mechanic.
 

According to the 1881 census, Wm. now has four more younger siblings and as a consequence, the family now live at 66 Lark Hill Terrace [is 66 a transcriber's error?]. His father is an iron turner.
 

According to the 1891 census, William is the eldest of the seven children at home, there has been another since the last census. Along with their parents they live [back] at 64 Lark Hill Terrace. William is a mechanic, whilst his father is a mechanic in the iron trade.
Marriage to Fanny Chadwick, on Thursday, 16 August 1894 at St Peter's Church, in Blackburn [registered in Blackburn, September 1894].
 

According to the 1901 census, William, now a school teacher, is married to Fanny, a dressmaker, they now live at 62 Lark Hill [Terrace]. They have two children, Mary and Elsie. They live next door to his family, who are at number 64.
 

Not on the 1911 census as he is now in Europe.
  According to the 1939 register, William and Fanny are still married and they live at 4 St. George's Road in Blackpool with two daughters, Mary and Ena. William is a retired schoolmaster, steel examiner and German interpretor.
Death Tuesday, 30 May 1950, aged 84 years 105 days [registered in Fylde, June 1950].

Source

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

Playing Career
Club(s) Played junior football in Blackburn and was soon playing for Blackburn Swifts FC, then Blackburn Olympic FC and then Blackburn Rovers FC. He made one appearance for Colne FC in January 1887. Everton FC made an attempt to sign him for the inaugural Football League season. He was loaned to Stockton FC from July 1892, for the season. Sheffield United FC attempted the same arrangement for the following season. However, he returned to play with Blackburn Rovers FC, then signed Darwen FC on 3 July 1894. Manchester City FC signed him during the summer of 1896 until his retirement a year later.
League History
141 appearances, 52 goals		 Blackburn Rovers FC 1888-94 96 appearances, 37 goals.
debut: 15 September 1888 Blackburn Rovers FC 5 Accrington FC 5.
Darwen FC 1894-96 42 appearances, 15 goals
debut: 1 September 1894 Darwen FC 5 Newcastle United FC 0.
Manchester City FC 1896-97 three appearances
debut (second division): 5 September 1896 Manchester City FC 1 Woolwich Arsenal FC 1.
last (second division): 3 October 1896 Manchester City FC 0 Newton Heath FC 0.
Club honours FA Cup winners 1889-90 (5 apps, 6gls, hat-trick in Final), 1890-91 (6, 2gls);
Football League third place 1889-90 (20, 6gls).
Individual honours None
Distinctions His son is Jimmy Townley (Tottenham Hotspur FC, Brighton & Hove Albion FC and Clapton Orient FC, 1927-31).
Height/Weight 5' 10", 10st. 6lbs or 12lbs [1891].

Source

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

England Career
Player number One of five who became the 152nd player (156) to appear for England.
Position(s) Outside-left
First match No. 35, 23 February 1889, England 4 Wales 1, a British Championship match at Victoria Ground, Boothen, Stoke-upon-Trent, aged 23 years 9 days.
Last match No. 38, 15 March 1890, Ireland 1 England 9, a British Championship match at Ulster Cricket Ground, Ballynafeigh Ground, Belfast, aged 24 years 29 days. maybe
Major tournaments British Championship 1888-89, 1889-90;
Team honours British Championship shared 1889-90;
Individual honours None

Beyond England
Worked as a school teacher from 1890 until he began coaching throughout Europe from 1909 to 1934, primarily in Germany, before and after WWI, particularly in Munich, but also in Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland during the twenties. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.249.


The Numbers
parties Appearances comp. apps minutes goals ave.min comp. goals captain
5 2 2 1840 0 to 3 0 min to 60 min 0 to 3 none
minutes are approximation, due to the fact that many matches rarely stuck to exactly ninety minutes long, allowing time for injuries and errors.
P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts % W/L
2 2 0 0 13 2 +11 0 0 6.50 1.00 100.0 +2

Match Record

Venue & Competition P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts % W/L
Home British Championship 1 1 0 0 4 1 +3 0 0 4.00 1.00 100.0 +1
Away 1 1 0 0 9 1 +8 0 0 9.00 1.00 100.0 +1

Tournament Record

British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1887-88 0 0 0 0 0 0 =0 0 0 0.00 0.00 00.0 =0
BC 1888-89 1 1 0 0 4 1 +3 0 0 4.00 1.00 100.0 +1
BC 1889-90 1 1 0 0 9 1 +8 0 0 9.00 1.00 100.0 +1
BC 1890-91 0 0 0 0 0 0 =0 0 0 0.00 0.00 00.0 =0
BC All 2 2 0 0 13 2 +11 0 0 6.50 1.00 100.0 +2

All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 2 2 0 0 13 2 +11 0 0 6.50 1.00 100.0 +2
2 2 0 0 13 2 +11 0 0 6.50 1.00 100.0 +2

Match History

 Club: Blackborn Rovers F.C. - two full appearances (180 min), 0-3 goals

F.A. International Select Committee - two full appearances (180 min), 0-3 goalsx
Age 21
32 4 February 1888 - Wales 1 England 5, Alexandra Recreation Ground, Crewe BC AW reserve
  

Age 23
1 35 23 February 1889 - England 4 Wales 1, Victoria Ground, Stoke-upon-Trent BC HW Start ol
  

Age 24
2 38 15 March 1890 - Ireland 1 England 9, Ulster Cricket Ground, Belfast BC AW Start ol
It is generally accepted that Townley scored twice.... its possible however, that he did not score any, or one, or two or three.
40 5 April 1890 - Scotland 1 England 1, Hampden Park, Glasgow BC AD reserve
  

Age 25
43 4 April 1891 - England 2 Scotland 1, Ewood Park, Blackburn BC HW reserve
  

Notes

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CG