Willie Reid (footballer, born 1903)

William Walkinshaw Reid (3 November 1903 – 1967) was a footballer from Northern Ireland who played as a centre half.

For other people with the same name, see William Reid.

Willie Reid
Personal information
Full name William Walkinshaw Reid
Date of birth 3 November 1903
Place of birth Belfast, Ireland[1]
Date of death 1967 (aged 63–64)
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[1]
Position(s) Centre half
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
– Ulster Rangers
– Bloomfield Olympic
– Queen's Island
1923–1926 Glentoran
1926–1927 Philadelphia Field Club 27 (0)
1927–1930 Bethlehem Steel 86 (5)
1929 New York Hungaria (loan) 1 (0)
1930 Willowfield
1930–1937 Heart of Midlothian 134 (2)
1937–1938 Hibernian 8 (0)
1938 Dundalk 14 (1)
1939 Distillery
International career
1926 Irish League XI 1 (0)
1930 Ireland (IFA) 1 (0)
Managerial career
1946 Ballymena United
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

Club

Reid played for several clubs, most significantly Glentoran where he won the Irish League in the 1924–25 season and played in two Irish Cup finals,[1] Bethlehem Steel in the United States[2][3] (following a short initial spell in the country with Philadelphia Field Club)[4][5][6] where he won the American Soccer League in 1926–27 and the Eastern Soccer League in 1928–29 and 1929, and Heart of Midlothian in Scotland where he spent seven seasons and eventually captained the team.[7][8][1]

International

While with Glentoran, Reid was selected for the Irish League XI in 1926,[1] and while with Hearts he was capped once for Ireland in October 1930, a 5–1 defeat against England,[9][10] becoming the first serving player from the Edinburgh club to feature for a national team other than Scotland.[1]

Personal life

Reid had four older brothers who played football at a high level:[1][11] Jimmy played for the Irish League XI,[12][13] Davy did likewise and spent seven years with Everton,[14] and Max[15] and Jack[16] had six years as midfield teammates at New Brighton. All were born in Ayrshire before the family moved to Belfast in 1900,[1] and under eligibility rules of the time they could not play for Ireland due to their birthplace despite having lived there since they were small children; by contrast, Willie was born in Ulster so was eligible, although he was the only sibling who actually played in Scotland and was based there when he gained his Ireland cap.[10]

References
  1. Willie Reid, Northern Ireland's Footballing Greats, 8 October 2007
  2. Willie Reid, SoccerStats.us
  3. Bethlehem Steel Soccer Team Biographies | William "Bill" Reid, Bethlehem Steel Soccer Club
  4. Steel Soccer Team Ready For Phillies, The Globe-Times, 24 December 1926, via Bethlehem Steel Soccer Club
  5. Soccer Team Buys Philadelphia Star, The Globe-Times, 12 January 1927, via Bethlehem Steel Soccer Club
  6. M. Reid [sic], Stats Crew
  7. (Hearts player) William Reid, London Hearts Supporters Club
  8. John Litster (October 2012). "A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players". Scottish Football Historian magazine. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  9. Willie Reid, National Football Teams
  10. Home International Championship 1930-31 (43rd) Match | England 5 Ireland 1, England Football Online
  11. Residents of a house 137 in Hyndford Street (Pottinger (part of), Down) (1911 census), National Archives of Ireland
  12. Jefferson: Robert William (Bob), Leeds United F.C. History
  13. English League v Irish League 4-0 (Inter League: 16 October 1911), Play Up Liverpool
  14. "David Reid". The Liverpool Post and Mercury. 24 February 1928. Retrieved 31 August 2020 – via Everton Independent Research Data.
  15. Reid Max Image 2 New Brighton 1925, Vintage Footballers
  16. Reid Jack Image 2 New Brighton 1925, Vintage Footballers
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