Billy Birrell should not be confused with Willie Birrell.
| Billy Birrell | |
| Fullname: | William Birrell[1] |
| Birth Date: | 13 March 1897 |
| Birth Place: | Cellardyke, Scotland |
| Death Date: | [2] |
| Height: | [3] |
| Position: | Forward |
| Years1: | 1914–1915 |
| Clubs1: | Inverkeithing United |
| Years2: | 1915–1921 |
| Clubs2: | Raith Rovers |
| Caps2: | 77 |
| Goals2: | 19 |
| Years3: | –1920 |
| Clubs3: | → Kirkcaldy United (guest) |
| Years4: | 1921–1927 |
| Clubs4: | Middlesbrough |
| Caps4: | 225 |
| Goals4: | 59 |
| Years5: | 1927–1930 |
| Clubs5: | Raith Rovers |
| Caps5: | 51 |
| Goals5: | 22 |
| Manageryears1: | 1927–1930 |
| Managerclubs1: | Raith Rovers (player-manager) |
| Manageryears2: | 1930–1935 |
| Managerclubs2: | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic |
| Manageryears3: | 1935–1939 |
| Managerclubs3: | Queens Park Rangers |
| Manageryears4: | 1939–1952 |
| Managerclubs4: | Chelsea |
William Birrell (13 March 1897 – 29 November 1968) was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a forward.
Birrell made over 220 appearances as a forward in the Football League for Middlesbrough. He also made over 120 appearances in the Scottish League for Raith Rovers.[4] He began his career in management while a player at Raith Rovers and after his retirement, he managed Football League clubs Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic and Queens Park Rangers.[5] [6]
On 19 April 1939, he was appointed the new Chelsea manager. The Second World War forced the Football League to be abandoned less than half a year following Birrell's appointment.[7] During wartime, he led Chelsea to two consecutive Football League War Cup South Final at Wembley, winning the cup in 1945.
In wartime, Birrell developed the idea of a youth team for Chelsea, and on 25 May 1940, the Chelsea Junior team, a team which included future England manager Ron Greenwood, played their first match against Queens Park Rangers.[8] Birrell's plan was fully implemented after the war, with the sponsorship of The Tudor Rose Boys' Club, allowing them to run four teams in the Harrow and Wembley League.[9]
Birrell's brother Bob was also a footballer.
| Season | League | National Cup | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Raith Rovers | 1915–16 | Scottish Division One | 13 | 5 | — | 13 | 5 | ||
| 1916–17 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| 1919–20 | 35 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 41 | 9 | |||
| 1920–21 | 28 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 29 | 7 | |||
| Total | 77 | 19 | 7 | 2 | 84 | 21 | |||
| Middlesbrough | 1920–21[10] | First Division | 14 | 2 | — | 14 | 2 | ||
| 1921–22 | 35 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 9 | |||
| 1922–23 | 38 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 41 | 10 | |||
| 1923–24 | 21 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 2 | |||
| 1924–25 | Second Division | 27 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 3 | ||
| 1925–26 | 42 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 44 | 19 | |||
| 1926–27 | 41 | 16 | 3 | 2 | 44 | 18 | |||
| 1927–28 | First Division | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | ||
| Total | 225 | 59 | 10 | 4 | 235 | 63 | |||
| Raith Rovers | 1926–27 | Scottish Division One | 15 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 18 | 5 | |
| 1929–30 | Scottish Division Two | 20 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 22 | 13 | ||
| 1930–31 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 6 | |||
| Total | 128 | 41 | 12 | 14 | 140 | 55 | |||
| Career total | 353 | 100 | 22 | 18 | 375 | 118 | |||
| Team | From | To | Record | Ref | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
| Raith Rovers (player-manager) | 1927 | 1930 | [11] | |||||
| Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | August 1930 | May 1935 | ||||||
| Queens Park Rangers | May 1935 | April 1939 | ||||||
| Chelsea | April 1939 | April 1952 | ||||||
| Total | — | |||||||
Middlesbrough
Chelsea