| Bill Caton | |
| Fullname: | William Clifford Caton |
| Birth Date: | 11 September 1924 |
| Birth Place: | Kidsgrove, Stoke-on-Trent, England |
| Death Place: | Cross Heath, Newcastle-under-Lyme, England |
| Position: | Inside forward |
| Years1: | 1947–1949 |
| Clubs1: | Stoke City |
| Caps1: | 22 |
| Goals1: | 2 |
| Years2: | 1949–1952 |
| Caps2: | 61 |
| Goals2: | 15 |
| Years3: | 1952–1953 |
| Caps3: | 7 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Years4: | 1953–1954 |
| Years5: | 1954–1955 |
| Caps5: | 39 |
| Goals5: | 9 |
| Years6: | 1955–1957 |
| Caps6: | 56 |
| Goals6: | 24 |
| Years7: | 1957–1958 |
| Clubs7: | Mossley |
| Caps7: | 4 |
| Goals7: | 0 |
| Totalcaps: | 189 |
| Totalgoals: | 50 |
William Clifford Caton (11 September 1924 – 16 August 2011) was an English footballer who played in the Football League for Carlisle United, Chesterfield, Crewe Alexandra and Stoke City.[1]
Caton joined the Second Field Regiment Royal Artillery during World War II and was captured and incarcerated by the Nazis in Italy.[1] He managed to escape the prison camp by hiding in a vehicle and jumping out of it once it had left the camp.[1]
After leaving the Army in 1947 Caton started playing football for his local side Stoke City however he was never a favourite with manager Bob McGrory being used mostly as a reserve team player and left for Bill Shankly's Carlisle United in 1949.[1] He later went on to play for Chesterfield, Worcester City, Crewe Alexandra, Gresley Rovers and Mossley.[1] Caton was able to throw the ball a long way similar to that of Rory Delap.[2] He died on 16 August 2011 at the age of 86.[3]
Source:
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Stoke City | 1947–48 | First Division | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | |
| 1948–49 | First Division | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | ||
| 1949–50 | First Division | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | ||
| Total | 22 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 2 | |||
| Carlisle United | 1949–50 | Third Division North | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | |
| 1950–51 | Third Division North | 31 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 33 | 7 | ||
| 1951–52 | Third Division North | 27 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 7 | ||
| Total | 61 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 64 | 15 | |||
| Chesterfield | 1952–53 | Third Division North | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| Crewe Alexandra | 1954–55 | Third Division North | 39 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 9 | |
| Career total | 129 | 26 | 7 | 0 | 136 | 26 | |||