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{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Wilf Billington
|name = Wilf Billington
| image =
|image =
| image_size =
|image_size =
| caption =
|caption =
| full_name = Wilfred Francis Billington<ref name = "BH"/>
|full_name = Wilfred Francis Billington<ref name = "BH"/>
| birth_date = {{birth date|1930|1|28|df=y}}
|birth_date = {{birth date|1930|1|28|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Blackburn]], England
|birth_place = [[Blackburn]], England
| death_date = {{death date and age|2023|10|1|1930|1|28|df=y}}
|death_date = {{death date and age|2023|10|1|1930|1|28|df=y}}
| death_place = Australia
|death_place = Australia
| height =
|height =
| position = [[Goalkeeper (association football)|Goalkeeper]]
|position = [[Goalkeeper (association football)|Goalkeeper]]
| youthyears1 =
|youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = [[Rochdale A.F.C.|Rochdale]]
|youthclubs1 = [[Rochdale A.F.C.|Rochdale]]
| years1 = 1948–1954
|years1 = 1948–1954
| clubs1 = [[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]]
|clubs1 = [[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]]
| caps1 = 0
|caps1 = 0
| goals1 = 0
|goals1 = 0
| years2 = 1954–1958
|years2 = 1954–1958
| clubs2 = [[Workington A.F.C.|Workington Reds]]
|clubs2 = [[Workington A.F.C.|Workington]]
| caps2 = 55
|caps2 = 53
| goals2 = 0
|goals2 = 0
| years3 = 1958–1959
|years3 = 1958–1959
| clubs3 = [[Oxford United F.C.|Headington United]]
|clubs3 = [[Oxford United F.C.|Headington United]]
| caps3 =
|caps3 =
| goals3 =
|goals3 =
| years4 =
|years4 =
| clubs4 = [[Balgownie Rangers FC|Balgownie Rangers]]
|clubs4 = [[Balgownie Rangers FC|Balgownie Rangers]]
| caps4 =
|caps4 =
| goals4 =
|goals4 =
| years5 =
|years5 =
| clubs5 = [[South Coast United SC|South Coast United]]
|clubs5 = [[South Coast United SC|South Coast United]]
| caps5 =
|caps5 =
| goals5 =
|goals5 =
| years6 =
|years6 =
| clubs6 = [[Melbourne Hellas]]
|clubs6 = [[Melbourne Hellas]]
| caps6 =
|caps6 =
| goals6 =
|goals6 =
| totalcaps = 55+
|totalcaps = 53+
| totalgoals = 0+
|totalgoals = 0+
}}
}}

'''Wilfred Francis Billington''' (28 January 1930 – 1 October 2023) was an English professional [[association football|footballer]] who played as a [[Goalkeeper (association football)|goalkeeper]] in England and Australia. He began his career with [[Rochdale A.F.C.|Rochdale]], later playing for [[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]], [[Workington A.F.C.|Workington Reds]], and [[Oxford United F.C.|Headington United]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=19 December 2023 |title=Sports Personality of the Year 2023: Remembering the stars we have lost |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/sports-personality/67726877 |access-date=2023-12-22}}</ref><ref name="BH">{{Hugman|1570|accessdate=28 October 2023}}</ref><ref>{{ENFA}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Anson |first=John |date=22 July 2010 |title=Ex-Blackburn Rovers keeper Wilf saves memories of Jack |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/8286769.ex-blackburn-rovers-keeper-wilf-saves-memories-jack/ |access-date=2023-12-22 |website=Lancashire Telegraph}}</ref>
'''Wilfred Francis Billington''' (28 January 1930 – 1 October 2023) was an English professional [[association football|footballer]] who played as a [[Goalkeeper (association football)|goalkeeper]] in England and Australia. He began his career with [[Rochdale A.F.C.|Rochdale]], later playing for [[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]], [[Workington A.F.C.|Workington Reds]], and [[Oxford United F.C.|Headington United]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=19 December 2023 |title=Sports Personality of the Year 2023: Remembering the stars we have lost |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/sports-personality/67726877 |access-date=2023-12-22}}</ref><ref name="BH">{{Hugman|1570|accessdate=28 October 2023}}</ref><ref>{{ENFA}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Anson |first=John |date=22 July 2010 |title=Ex-Blackburn Rovers keeper Wilf saves memories of Jack |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/8286769.ex-blackburn-rovers-keeper-wilf-saves-memories-jack/ |access-date=2023-12-22 |website=Lancashire Telegraph}}</ref>


Revision as of 09:37, 23 December 2023

Wilf Billington
Personal information
Full name Wilfred Francis Billington[1]
Date of birth (1930-01-28)28 January 1930
Place of birth Blackburn, England
Date of death 1 October 2023(2023-10-01) (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 53 (0)
1958–1959 Headington United
Balgownie Rangers
South Coast United
Melbourne Hellas
Total 53+ (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

  1. ^ a b "Wilf Billington". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  2. ^ "Sports Personality of the Year 2023: Remembering the stars we have lost". BBC Sport. 19 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  3. ^ Wilf Billington at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  4. ^ a b c Anson, John (22 July 2010). "Ex-Blackburn Rovers keeper Wilf saves memories of Jack". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ Bowler, Dave (1996). Shanks: The Authorised Biography of Bill Shankly. London: Orion. p. 175. ISBN 0-75280-246-1.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h "Reds mourn fifties 'keeper". Workington AFC. 10 October 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  8. ^ Murphy, Phil (5 April 1983). "News from Illawarra". Australian Soccer Weekly. Retrieved 23 December 2023 – via Internet Archive.
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