Billy Leech Explained

Billy Leech
Fullname:William Leech
Birth Date:15 July 1875
Birth Place:Newcastle-under-Lyme, England
Death Place:Leicester, England
Position:Left-half
Youthclubs1:Newcastle White Star
Youthclubs2:Newcastle Swifts
Years1:1898–1899
Caps1:4
Goals1:2
Years2:1899–1900
Caps2:26
Goals2:1
Years3:1900–1902
Clubs3:Stoke
Caps3:46
Goals3:2
Years4:1903–1906
Caps4:137
Goals4:7
Years5:1906–1910
Caps5:84
Goals5:3
Totalcaps:297
Totalgoals:15

William Leech (15 July 1875 – 24 November 1934) was an English footballer who played for Burslem Port Vale, Leicester Fosse, Plymouth Argyle, Stoke and Tottenham Hotspur.[1] He made over 300 competitive appearances in a career lasting over 11 years. A left-half, his greatest achievement was to help Leicester to win promotion out of the Second Division in 1906–07.

Career

Leech played for local sides Newcastle White Star and Newcastle Swifts before joining London side Tottenham Hotspur.[2] He left "Spurs" in June 1899 to join Burslem Port Vale back in his native Staffordshire.[3] He made his Vale debut in a 2–0 loss to Leicester Fosse at Filbert Street on 30 September. He became a regular first-team player the following month.[3] He made 26 Second Division and four FA Cup appearances in the 1899–1900 campaign, scoring once in a 4–0 win over Chesterfield at Saltergate (Howard Harvey claimed the other three).[3]

After one season at Burslem Port Vale, Leech joined local rivals Stoke in the First Division. He took over the centre-half position from the injured Edward Parsons.[1] He played in 36 matches for the "Potters" in 1900–01, scoring twice against Derby County and West Bromwich Albion.[1] His run in the first-team was ended in February 1902 after breaking his leg against Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup. He was allowed to leave the club.[1]

It took him more than a year to recover from his injury, and in July 1903, he signed for Southern League side Plymouth Argyle. He spent three seasons with the "Pilgrims", making between 49 and 52 appearances each season. He scored seven goals in 151 league and cup games at Home Park. The club's handbook at the time described him as "No comment needed! The one and only Leech. A pocket champion, admired on the stand side and elsewhere in the Three Towns. 'Nuf sed'."[2] He then returned to the Football League with Leicester Fosse, becoming a first-team regular in the 1906–07 and 1907–08 campaigns, as the "Foxes" won promotion out of the Second Division in 1908. He then became an assistant trainer at the club until his retirement in 1911.[4]

Career statistics

Source:

ClubSeasonDivisionLeagueFA CupTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Burslem Port Vale1899–1900Second Division26140301
Stoke1900–01First Division33220352
1901–02First Division13020150
Total46240502
Plymouth Argyle1903–04Southern League43270502
1904–05Southern League45240492
1905–06Southern League49330523
Total13771401517
Leicester Fosse1906–07Second Division36200362
1907–08Second Division38120401
1908–09First Division701080
1909–10Second Division200020
1910–11Second Division100010
Total84330873
Career total2931325031813

Honours

Leicester City

Notes and References

  1. Book: Matthews, Tony. The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. 1994. Lion Press. 0-9524151-0-0.
  2. Web site: profile. greensonscreen.co.uk. 7 November 2012.
  3. Book: Kent, Jeff. Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. 171. 1996. 0-9529152-0-0.
  4. Web site: Billy Leech Leicester City career stats – FoxesTalk. FoxesTalk. 28 March 2018.