Bill Sheppard (footballer) explained

Bill Sheppard
Fullname:William Sheppard
Birth Date:c. 1906
Birth Place:Ferryhill, England
Death Place:Solihull, England
Position:Forward
Youthclubs2:Chilton Colliery Athleic
Youthclubs3:Crook Town
Years1:1926–1927
Clubs1:Liverpool
Caps1:0
Goals1:0
Years2:1927–1930
Clubs2:Watford
Caps2:89
Goals2:37
Years3:1930–1931
Clubs3:Queens Park Rangers
Caps3:13
Goals3:4
Years4:1931–1933
Clubs4:Coventry City
Caps4:22
Goals4:7
Years5:1933–1934
Clubs5:Walsall
Caps5:58
Goals5:20
Years6:1934
Clubs6:Chester
Caps6:1
Goals6:0
Years7:1934–1935
Clubs7:Walsall
Caps7:13
Goals7:7
Years8:1935–1936
Clubs8:Tunbridge Wells Rangers
Clubs9:Odhams

William Sheppard (c. 1906 – 27 December 1950) was an English professional footballer. He was capable of playing as both an inside and outside forward.

Career

Born in Ferryhill, County Durham, Sheppard started his career as an amateur in County Durham, before joining Liverpool in 1926. He signed as a professional for Watford in 1927, who at the time were playing in the Football League Third Division South. In the 1927–28 season—his first at Watford—Sheppard scored 25 goals in all competitions, finishing as the club's top scorer. After 39 goals in 95 Watford games, he joined QPR on a free transfer in 1930, and moved to Coventry City the following year.

Sheppard joined Walsall in January 1933, and one of his first games for the club was an FA Cup Third Round tie against Arsenal at Fellows Park, in front of 11,150 spectators. At the time Arsenal were competing for the First Division title, which they eventually won. Walsall were in the Third Division North. Sheppard played the game at inside right. After a goalless first half, Walsall centre-forward Gilbert Alsop scored the opening goal with a header in the second half. Five minutes later Alsop won a penalty kick, which Sheppard converted to double the team's lead. Arsenal were unable to overturn the deficit; Walsall won the match 2–0.

He remained at Walsall until the end of the 1933–34 season. He briefly joined Chester, but returned to Walsall in October of that year, before leaving permanently in June 1935. Season 1935–36 saw him at Tunbridge Wells Rangers in the Southern League.

Sheppard died in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, during a Christmas celebration.