Wilf Billington: Difference between revisions
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Billington moved south after his release by Workington manager [[Joe Harvey]], transferring to [[Headington United]], which later became Oxford United, for the 1858–1959 season.<ref name="auto" /> He decided to emigrate to Australia after a two-year offer to move there,<ref name="auto" /> and played for the [[Balgownie Rangers FC|Balgownie Rangers]], [[South Coast United SC|South Coast United]] and [[Melbourne Hellas]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=10 October 2023 |title=Reds mourn fifties 'keeper |url=https://www.workingtonafc.com/reds-mourn-fifties-keeper/ |access-date=2023-12-23 |website=Workington AFC}}</ref> |
Billington moved south after his release by Workington manager [[Joe Harvey]], transferring to [[Headington United]], which later became Oxford United, for the 1858–1959 season.<ref name="auto" /> He decided to emigrate to Australia after a two-year offer to move there,<ref name="auto" /> and played for the [[Balgownie Rangers FC|Balgownie Rangers]], [[South Coast United SC|South Coast United]] and [[Melbourne Hellas]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=10 October 2023 |title=Reds mourn fifties 'keeper |url=https://www.workingtonafc.com/reds-mourn-fifties-keeper/ |access-date=2023-12-23 |website=Workington AFC}}</ref> |
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== Personal life == |
== Personal life == |
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After retiring from football in 1965, Billington lived in [[Wollongong]] and worked in a steelworks, first as a fitter and then as a salesman.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |date=11 October 2023 |title=Workington Reds goalie Wilf Billington dies aged 93 |url=https://cumbriacrack.com/2023/10/11/workington-reds-goalie-wilf-billington-dies-aged-93/ |access-date=2023-12-23 |website=Cumbria Crack}}</ref> He later worked for a politician.<ref name="auto" /> His son also played as a goalkeeper.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Murphy |first=Phil |date=1983 |title=News from Illawarra |work=Australian Soccer Weekly |url=https://archive.org/details/australian-soccer-weekly-1983/Australian%20Soccer%20Weekly%2C%20Vol.%2004%2C%20No.%200125%2C%20Tuesday%20April%205th%201983/page/2/mode/2up?q=%22wilf+Billington%22 |access-date=2023-12-23}}</ref> Wilf Billington died at the age of 93.<ref name="auto" /> |
After retiring from football in 1965, Billington lived in [[Wollongong]] and worked in a steelworks, first as a fitter and then as a salesman.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |date=11 October 2023 |title=Workington Reds goalie Wilf Billington dies aged 93 |url=https://cumbriacrack.com/2023/10/11/workington-reds-goalie-wilf-billington-dies-aged-93/ |access-date=2023-12-23 |website=Cumbria Crack}}</ref> He later worked for a politician.<ref name="auto" /> His son also played as a goalkeeper.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Murphy |first=Phil |date=5 April 1983 |title=News from Illawarra |work=Australian Soccer Weekly |url=https://archive.org/details/australian-soccer-weekly-1983/Australian%20Soccer%20Weekly%2C%20Vol.%2004%2C%20No.%200125%2C%20Tuesday%20April%205th%201983/page/2/mode/2up?q=%22wilf+Billington%22 |access-date=2023-12-23}}</ref> Wilf Billington died at the age of 93.<ref name="auto" /> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 09:27, 23 December 2023
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Wilfred Francis Billington[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 28 January 1930 | ||
| Place of birth | Blackburn, England | ||
| Date of death | 1 October 2023 (aged 93) | ||
| Place of death | Australia | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Rochdale | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1948–1954 | Blackburn Rovers | 0 | (0) |
| 1954–1958 | Workington Reds | 55 | (0) |
| 1958–1959 | Headington United | ||
| Balgownie Rangers | |||
| South Coast United | |||
| Melbourne Hellas | |||
| Total | 55+ | (0+) | |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Wilfred Francis Billington (28 January 1930 – 1 October 2023) was an English professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper in England and Australia. He began his career with Rochdale, later playing for Blackburn Rovers, Workington Reds, and Headington United.[2][1][3][4]
Early life and education
Born in Blackburn, Billington attended St Alban's School.[4] His schoolmates included Jack Walker, who went on to help the Blackburn Rovers win the Premier League in 1995.[4]
At age 55, he obtained an honours degree from Wollongong University in Australia.[5]
Professional career
After a brief stint at Rochdale, Billington joined the Blackburn Rovers, his hometown club.[5] He was with Blackburn for six years, playing regularly for the reserve team in the Central League.[5]
In the summer of 1954, Billington was signed by Workington Reds manager Bill Shankly as the cover goalkeeper for Malcolm Newlands, who went on to become the club's best-ever keeper.[6][5][7] After Newlands was injured, Billington played the opening match of the 1954–1955 season at Darlington, which the Reds won 2–1.[7] He made a total of 19 appearances during his first season, and 24 during his second.[7] Over the course of his five-year Workington Reds career, he made a total of 55 League and Cup appearances, and kept 16 clean sheets.[7][7] He also had 75 appearances for the Workington Reserves playing in the North Eastern League.[7] In his final match for the Reds in 1958, he let in 6 goals, for a 6–3 defeat at Mansfield Town.[7]
Billington moved south after his release by Workington manager Joe Harvey, transferring to Headington United, which later became Oxford United, for the 1858–1959 season.[5] He decided to emigrate to Australia after a two-year offer to move there,[5] and played for the Balgownie Rangers, South Coast United and Melbourne Hellas.[7]
Personal life
After retiring from football in 1965, Billington lived in Wollongong and worked in a steelworks, first as a fitter and then as a salesman.[5] He later worked for a politician.[5] His son also played as a goalkeeper.[8] Wilf Billington died at the age of 93.[5]
References
- ^ a b "Wilf Billington". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
- ^ "Sports Personality of the Year 2023: Remembering the stars we have lost". BBC Sport. 19 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Wilf Billington at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
- ^ a b c Anson, John (22 July 2010). "Ex-Blackburn Rovers keeper Wilf saves memories of Jack". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Workington Reds goalie Wilf Billington dies aged 93". Cumbria Crack. 11 October 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
- ^ Bowler, Dave (1996). Shanks: The Authorised Biography of Bill Shankly. London: Orion. p. 175. ISBN 0-75280-246-1.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Reds mourn fifties 'keeper". Workington AFC. 10 October 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
- ^ Murphy, Phil (5 April 1983). "News from Illawarra". Australian Soccer Weekly. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
External links
- 1930 births
- 2023 deaths
- English men's footballers
- Rochdale A.F.C. players
- Blackburn Rovers F.C. players
- Workington A.F.C. players
- Oxford United F.C. players
- Balgownie Rangers FC players
- South Coast United SC players
- English Football League players
- Men's association football goalkeepers
- English expatriate footballers
- English expatriate sportspeople in Australia
- Expatriate soccer players in Australia
- Footballers from Blackburn