Billy Gerrish

William Webber Walter Gerrish (28 December 1884 – 8 August 1916), sometimes known as Willie Gerrish, was an English professional footballer who played as an inside forward in the Football League for Aston Villa and Preston North End.[1][5]

Billy Gerrish
Personal information
Full name William Webber Walter Gerrish[1]
Date of birth 28 December 1884[2]
Place of birth Bristol, England
Date of death 8 August 1916(1916-08-08) (aged 31)[3]
Place of death Somme, France[3]
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[4]
Position(s) Inside forward
Youth career
Eastville Board School
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
0000–1905 Freemantle
1905–1909 Bristol Rovers 49 (11)
1909–1912 Aston Villa 55 (17)
1912 Preston North End 3 (0)
1912–1913 Chesterfield Town 8 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Personal life

Gerrish's brother Howard was also a footballer.[4] In February 1915, six months into the First World War, Gerrish enlisted in the Football Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment.[6] He was severely wounded in both legs by a shell blast at Delville Wood on 8 August 1916 and died later that day.[6] Gerrish has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.[3]

Career statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Bristol Rovers 1905–06[7] Southern League First Division 1 0 0 0 — 1 0
1906–07[7] Southern League First Division 5 2 0 0 — 5 2
1907–08[7] Southern League First Division 14 1 0 0 — 14 1
1908–09[7] Southern League First Division 29 8 0 0 — 29 8
Total 49 11 0 0 — 49 11
Aston Villa 1909–10[8] First Division 36 14 3 1 — 39 15
1910–11[8] First Division 14 3 0 0 — 14 3
1911–12[8] First Division 5 0 0 0 — 5 0
Total 55 17 3 1 — 58 18
Chesterfield Town 1912–13[9] Midland League 8 0 0 0 0 0 8 0
Career total 63 17 3 1 0 0 66 18

Honours

Aston Villa

References
  1. Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 109. ISBN 978-1905891610.
  2. "Southern League Players Index 1899–1920". Bristol Rovers Memorabilia. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  3. "Casualty Details". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  4. "We Will Remember Them". www.bristolrovers.co.uk. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  5. "Gerrish, William Webber Walter (Billy)". Aston Villa Player Database. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
  6. "Club Remembers its Somme Casualties". Archived from the original on 10 September 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  7. "Rovers results, appearances and goalscorers 1899 to 2022". The Bristol Rovers History Group. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  8. "William Webber Walter Gerrish". 11v11.com. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
  9. "Line-ups – 1912–13". Sky is Blue – Chesterfield FC history & statistics. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
  10. Riddoch, Andrew; Kemp, David (2010). When the Whistle Blows: The Story of the Footballers' Battalion in the Great War. Sparkford, Yeovil, Somerset: Haynes Publishing. p. 138. ISBN 978-0857330772.


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