Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | William Townsend | ||
Date of birth | 27 December 1922 | ||
Place of birth | Bedworth, England | ||
Date of death | 21 December 1988 | (aged 65)||
Place of death | Thornton-Cleveleys, England | ||
Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
Youth career | |||
Nuneaton Borough | |||
1939–1942 | Derby County | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | ( Gls) |
1942–1953 | Derby County | 79 | (0) |
1953–1957 | Burton Albion | ||
1957–1959 | Banbury Spencer | ||
1959–1960 | Burton Albion | ||
Managerial career | |||
1959–1960 | Burton Albion (player-manager) | ||
1960–1962 | Burton Albion | ||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
William "Bill" Townsend (27 December 1922 – 21 December 1988) [1] was an English football player and manager. A goalkeeper he played for Nuneaton Borough, before moving to Derby County as a wartime guest, then becoming a professional player, he would then end his career at Burton Albion and Banbury Spencer. He would later return to Burton Albion as a player and later manager.
Townsend started his footballing career as a teenager at home town Nuneaton Borough before joining Derby County in 1939 as a wartime guest player. [1] He signed a professional deal in 1942 [1] and became a regular member of the Derby side during the war. [2]
After World War II ended, Townsend made his Derby senior debut on 2 March 1946, in a FA Cup quarter final tie against Aston Villa in front of 74,588 fans at Villa Park. [3] [2] Towsend would play in the 2nd leg a week later which ended in a 1–1 draw at the Baseball Ground. [4] However Vic Woodley was not eligible to play in the games against Villa would play in the semi-final and the 1946 FA Cup final, so Townsend missed out on a winners medal. [2]
As league football returned the following season, Townsend would start as third choice keeper behind Woodley and Alick Grant. [5] In 1947–48, Woodley and Grant would both leave Derby and Townsend had three seasons where he came first choice goalkeeper. [5] Injuries however hit Townsend's time at Derby County and he missed Derby's 1947–48 FA Cup semi final loss against Manchester United. [6] Terry Webster and Harry Brown took over goalkeeping duties and when Ray Middleton joined in 1951, Townsend went two years and nine months without making a first team appearance. [5] Townsend would play four games in 1953, with his last game for Derby being in a 1–1 draw against Charlton Athletic on 7 February 1953. [7] Townsend left Derby in July 1953, [7] he played 93 times for Derby, 79 times in the Football League. [1]
Townsend would join Staffordshire club Burton Albion in July 1953, [1] he played in Burton's 0–0 FA Cup third draw against Halifax Town where made a string of impressive saves despite injuring a shoulder in the game. [8] In June 1957, Townsend would join Banbury Spencer. [1] He played for Banbury for two seasons. [9]
Townsend would return to Burton Albion in September 1959, as player-manager, Townsend would retire as a player in 1960 and he made 204 appearances in his two spells as a player. [8] Townsend would remain as manager of Burton until October 1962. [1]
After leaving Derby, Townsend became landlord of the Smiths' Arms in Branston. [10]
Townsend died 21 December 1988, six days short of his 66th birthday in Thornton-Cleveleys. [1]
In 2021, Townsend was posthumously inducted into the Burton Albion Hall of Fame. [10]
Bill Townsend at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | William Townsend | ||
Date of birth | 27 December 1922 | ||
Place of birth | Bedworth, England | ||
Date of death | 21 December 1988 | (aged 65)||
Place of death | Thornton-Cleveleys, England | ||
Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
Youth career | |||
Nuneaton Borough | |||
1939–1942 | Derby County | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | ( Gls) |
1942–1953 | Derby County | 79 | (0) |
1953–1957 | Burton Albion | ||
1957–1959 | Banbury Spencer | ||
1959–1960 | Burton Albion | ||
Managerial career | |||
1959–1960 | Burton Albion (player-manager) | ||
1960–1962 | Burton Albion | ||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
William "Bill" Townsend (27 December 1922 – 21 December 1988) [1] was an English football player and manager. A goalkeeper he played for Nuneaton Borough, before moving to Derby County as a wartime guest, then becoming a professional player, he would then end his career at Burton Albion and Banbury Spencer. He would later return to Burton Albion as a player and later manager.
Townsend started his footballing career as a teenager at home town Nuneaton Borough before joining Derby County in 1939 as a wartime guest player. [1] He signed a professional deal in 1942 [1] and became a regular member of the Derby side during the war. [2]
After World War II ended, Townsend made his Derby senior debut on 2 March 1946, in a FA Cup quarter final tie against Aston Villa in front of 74,588 fans at Villa Park. [3] [2] Towsend would play in the 2nd leg a week later which ended in a 1–1 draw at the Baseball Ground. [4] However Vic Woodley was not eligible to play in the games against Villa would play in the semi-final and the 1946 FA Cup final, so Townsend missed out on a winners medal. [2]
As league football returned the following season, Townsend would start as third choice keeper behind Woodley and Alick Grant. [5] In 1947–48, Woodley and Grant would both leave Derby and Townsend had three seasons where he came first choice goalkeeper. [5] Injuries however hit Townsend's time at Derby County and he missed Derby's 1947–48 FA Cup semi final loss against Manchester United. [6] Terry Webster and Harry Brown took over goalkeeping duties and when Ray Middleton joined in 1951, Townsend went two years and nine months without making a first team appearance. [5] Townsend would play four games in 1953, with his last game for Derby being in a 1–1 draw against Charlton Athletic on 7 February 1953. [7] Townsend left Derby in July 1953, [7] he played 93 times for Derby, 79 times in the Football League. [1]
Townsend would join Staffordshire club Burton Albion in July 1953, [1] he played in Burton's 0–0 FA Cup third draw against Halifax Town where made a string of impressive saves despite injuring a shoulder in the game. [8] In June 1957, Townsend would join Banbury Spencer. [1] He played for Banbury for two seasons. [9]
Townsend would return to Burton Albion in September 1959, as player-manager, Townsend would retire as a player in 1960 and he made 204 appearances in his two spells as a player. [8] Townsend would remain as manager of Burton until October 1962. [1]
After leaving Derby, Townsend became landlord of the Smiths' Arms in Branston. [10]
Townsend died 21 December 1988, six days short of his 66th birthday in Thornton-Cleveleys. [1]
In 2021, Townsend was posthumously inducted into the Burton Albion Hall of Fame. [10]
Bill Townsend at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database