William Stevenson (goalkeeper)

William Stevenson (born c. 1906; date of death unknown) was a Scottish footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

William Stevenson
Personal information
Date of birth c. 1906[1]
Place of birth Glasgow, Scotland
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Strathclyde
1926–1927 Arthurlie 51 (0)
1927Beith (loan)
1927–1928 Providence Clamdiggers 14 (0)
1928–1929 Third Lanark 35 (0)
1929–1938 Clyde 232 (0)
1938–1940 Dunfermline Athletic 33 (0)
Total 364 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He began his senior career at Arthurlie,[2] being loaned to Beith within Scotland then allowed to pursue an opportunity in the United States, where he spent a season with Providence Clamdiggers[3] – they finished in mid-table in both parts of the 1927–28 American Soccer League season. He then returned across the Atlantic Ocean, spending one year with Third Lanark[2] before settling at Clyde,[4] where he was the regular goalkeeper from 1929 until 1936 when he was displaced by Jock Brown.[2] The closest Stevenson came to a trophy during his time at Shawfield was a defeat to Rangers in the 1933 Glasgow Cup final,[5] coming six months after losing the semi-final of the 1932–33 Scottish Cup to Motherwell.[6] In 1938 he transferred to lower division Dunfermline Athletic,[7] spending one standard season in Fife and one more under unofficial conditions after the outbreak of World War II before retiring.[2]

At representative level, Stevenson was selected once for the Glasgow FA's annual challenge match against Sheffield in 1932,[8] and was a member of the Scottish Football Association's tour of North America in the summer of 1935,[9] playing in every match (he was the only goalkeeper in the party) and conceding only 10 goals in 13 fixtures as the tourists returned home with a 100% record – the SFA does not regard any of these matches as full internationals,[10] although two are counted as such by the United States Soccer Federation.[11][12] He had earlier represented his country at Junior level while with Strathclyde at the start of his career.[13]

References

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  1. ^ Duchess of Richmond, Liverpool, UK and Ireland, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960, 1 June 1935, via Ancestry (subscription required)
  2. ^ a b c d John Litster (October 2012). "A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players". Scottish Football Historian magazine. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. ^ William Stevenson, ScocerStats.us
  4. ^ Stevenson William Image 3 Clyde 1935, Vintage Footballers
  5. ^ Glasgow Cup Final | Easy Victory for Rangers, The Glasgow Herald, 16 October 1933
  6. ^ Motherwell Reach Scottish Cup Final | Inter-city Rivals To Meet Again At Hampden, The Glasgow Herald, 20 March 1933
  7. ^ Peter Wilson 1938-39, Dunfermline Athletic FC. Retrieved 13 June 2021
  8. ^ Football | Glasgow Easily Defeats Sheffield, The Glasgow Herald, 3 November 1932
  9. ^ "Scottish Football Association Tour, 1935". Canadian Soccer History. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  10. ^ Scotland Unofficial Matches 1929-1935, RSSSF, 2 Feb 2021
  11. ^ Barrie Courtney (23 April 2015). "USA - Details of International Matches 1885-1969". RSSSF. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  12. ^ (Scotland player, including unofficial matches) William Stevenson, London Hearts Supporters Club
  13. ^ Junior Scotland 1889 to 2019: The Players and Matches, Scottish Football Historical Archive. Retrieved 13 June 2021