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.
| 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 | |||
Career
editEarly career
editTownsend 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]
Derby County
editAfter 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]
Later career
editTownsend 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 he 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]
Managerial career
editTownsend 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]
Personal life
editAfter leaving Derby, Townsend became landlord of the Smiths' Arms in Branston.[10]
Death
editTownsend died 21 December 1988, six days short of his 66th birthday in Thornton-Cleveleys.[1]
Honours
editIn 2021, Townsend was posthumously inducted into the Burton Albion Hall of Fame.[10]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h Mortimer, Gerald (2006). Derby County: The Complete Record. nreedonbook. pp. 193, 484. ISBN 1859835171.
- ^ a b c Ripon, Anton (11 November 2018). "Imagine a 76,000-plus crowd to see Derby County play a sixth-round FA Cup match". Derby Evening Telegraph. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- ^ "Aston Villa v Derby County, 02 March 1946". 11v11. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- ^ "Derby County v Aston Villa, 09 March 1946". 11v11. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- ^ a b c "Bill Townsend". 11v11. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- ^ Ripon, Anton (5 August 2018). "When Derby County broke the British transfer record and reached an FA Cup semi-final". Derby Evening Telegraph. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- ^ a b "Derby County v Charlton Athletic, 07 February 1953". 11v11. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- ^ a b "Bill Townsend – Hall of Fame". Burton Albion. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- ^ "From The Archives". Banbury United. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- ^ a b "1950s Legends inducted into Hall of Fame". Burton Albion. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
External links
editBill Townsend at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database