Bill Townsend (footballer) explained

Bill Townsend
Fullname:William Townsend
Birth Date:27 December 1922
Birth Place:Bedworth, England
Death Place:Thornton-Cleveleys, England
Position:Goalkeeper
Youthclubs1:Nuneaton Borough
Youthyears2:1939–1942
Youthclubs2:Derby County
Years1:1942–1953
Clubs1:Derby County
Caps1:79
Goals1:0
Years2:1953–1957
Clubs2:Burton Albion
Years3:1957–1959
Clubs3:Banbury Spencer
Years4:1959–1960
Clubs4:Burton Albion
Manageryears1:1959–1960
Managerclubs1:Burton Albion (player-manager)
Manageryears2:1960–1962
Managerclubs2:Burton Albion

William "Bill" Townsend (27 December 1922 – 21 December 1988)[1] was an English football player and manager. A goalkeeper he played for Nuneaton Borough, before moving to Derby County as a wartime guest, then becoming a professional player, he would then end his career at Burton Albion and Banbury Spencer. He would later return to Burton Albion as a player and later manager.

Career

Early career

Townsend started his footballing career as a teenager at home town Nuneaton Borough before joining Derby County in 1939 as a wartime guest player.[1] He signed a professional deal in 1942[1] and became a regular member of the Derby side during the war.[2]

Derby County

After World War II ended, Townsend made his Derby senior debut on 2 March 1946, in a FA Cup quarter final tie against Aston Villa in front of 74,588 fans at Villa Park.[3] [2] Towsend would play in the 2nd leg a week later which ended in a 1–1 draw at the Baseball Ground.[4] However Vic Woodley was not eligible to play in the games against Villa would play in the semi-final and the 1946 FA Cup final, so Townsend missed out on a winners medal.[2]

As league football returned the following season, Townsend would start as third choice keeper behind Woodley and Alick Grant.[5] In 1947–48, Woodley and Grant would both leave Derby and Townsend had three seasons where he came first choice goalkeeper.[5] Injuries however hit Townsend's time at Derby County and he missed Derby's 1947–48 FA Cup semi final loss against Manchester United.[6] Terry Webster and Harry Brown took over goalkeeping duties and when Ray Middleton joined in 1951, Townsend went two years and nine months without making a first team appearance.[5] Townsend would play four games in 1953, with his last game for Derby being in a 1–1 draw against Charlton Athletic on 7 February 1953.[7] Townsend left Derby in July 1953,[7] he played 93 times for Derby, 79 times in the Football League.[1]

Later career

Townsend would join Staffordshire club Burton Albion in July 1953,[1] he played in Burton's 0–0 FA Cup third draw against Halifax Town where made a string of impressive saves despite injuring a shoulder in the game.[8] In June 1957, Townsend would join Banbury Spencer.[1] He played for Banbury for two seasons.[9]

Managerial career

Townsend would return to Burton Albion in September 1959, as player-manager, Townsend would retire as a player in 1960 and he made 204 appearances in his two spells as a player.[8] Townsend would remain as manager of Burton until October 1962.[1]

Personal life

After leaving Derby, Townsend became landlord of the Smiths' Arms in Branston.[10]

Death

Townsend died 21 December 1988, six days short of his 66th birthday in Thornton-Cleveleys.[1]

Honours

In 2021, Townsend was posthumously inducted into the Burton Albion Hall of Fame.[10]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Mortimer, Gerald . 2006 . Derby County: The Complete Record . nreedonbook . 193, 484 . 1859835171.
  2. News: Ripon . Anton . Imagine a 76,000-plus crowd to see Derby County play a sixth-round FA Cup match . Derby Evening Telegraph. 11 November 2018 . 11 January 2024.
  3. Web site: Aston Villa v Derby County, 02 March 1946 . 11v11 . 11 January 2024.
  4. Web site: Derby County v Aston Villa, 09 March 1946 . 11v11 . 11 January 2024.
  5. Web site: Bill Townsend . 11v11 . 11 January 2024.
  6. News: Ripon . Anton . When Derby County broke the British transfer record and reached an FA Cup semi-final . Derby Evening Telegraph. 5 August 2018 . 11 January 2024.
  7. Web site: Derby County v Charlton Athletic, 07 February 1953 . 11v11 . 11 January 2024.
  8. Web site: Bill Townsend – Hall of Fame . Burton Albion . 11 January 2024.
  9. Web site: From The Archives . Banbury United . 11 January 2024.
  10. Web site: 1950s Legends inducted into Hall of Fame . Burton Albion . 11 January 2024.