Billy Fitchford

William Henry Fitchford (14 May 1896 – 13 April 1966) was an English footballer and cricketer. An inside-left, he scored 14 goals in 98 league and cup games in nine years at Port Vale from 1914 to 1923, and later spent time with Glossop, Congleton Town, Stoke and Northern Nomads. He played Minor Counties Championship cricket for Staffordshire from 1922 to 1928.[2]

Billy Fitchford
Fitchford in a Port Vale squad photo in 1920
Personal information
Full name William Henry Fitchford[1]
Date of birth 14 May 1896
Place of birth Wolstanton, Staffordshire, England[1]
Date of death 13 April 1966(1966-04-13) (aged 69)[1]
Place of death Melbourne, Australia[1]
Position(s) Inside-left
Youth career
Porthill St. Andrew's
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1914–1923 Port Vale 89 (13)
1923 Glossop
1923 Congleton Town
1923 Stoke 0 (0)
Northern Nomads
Total 89+ (13+)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

Fitchford was an amateur with a good footballing brain playing for Porthill St. Andrew's when he was signed to Port Vale in March 1914.[1] After serving as a Lieutenant in the First World War he finally made his debut for the club on 23 November 1918, being the only scorer for Vale in a 4–1 defeat to Burnley at Turf Moor.[1] He struggled to be given permission to miss work from his banking job to play in matches so was not played as often as he could have been.[1] He played 19 Second Division games in the 1919–20 season, claiming goals against Nottingham Forest and Birmingham at The Old Recreation Ground.[1] He also managed to score the only goal of the Staffordshire Senior Cup final against Birmingham on 15 May 1920.[1] He featured in 25 matches in the 1920–21 campaign, scoring goals against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Bury, and Barnsley.[1] He scored three goals in six league games in the 1921–22 season, getting on the scoresheet against Hull City, Leicester City, and Blackpool.[1] He also was a part of the side that shared the North Staffordshire Infirmary Cup in 1922.[1] He made 19 league appearances and played one FA Cup game in the 1922–23 season, without scoring a goal.[1] He was released at the end of the season, and went on to play for Glossop, Congleton Town, Stoke and Northern Nomads.[1]

Career statistics

Source:[3]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Other Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Port Vale1919–20Central League71000071
1919–20Second Division1922000212
1920–21Second Division2530000253
1921–22Second Division63000063
1922–23Second Division2001000210
Total 7793000809
Stoke1923–24Second Division00000000

Honours

Port Vale

References
  1. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 102. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  2. "Player profile: William Fitchford". CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 June 2011.
  3. Billy Fitchford at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
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