Billy Leighton Explained

Billy Leighton
Fullname:William Alexander Leighton[1]
Birth Date:1914 12, df=y
Birth Place:Walker, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England
Position:Forward
Height:5 ft 9+1/2 in[2]
Youthclubs1:Meldon Villa
Youthclubs2:Walker Park
Years1:1932–1938
Clubs1:Newcastle United
Caps1:39
Goals1:8
Years2:1938–1939
Clubs2:Southend United
Caps2:16
Goals2:2
Clubs3:EKCO Sports
Years4:1945–1946
Clubs4:Colchester United (guest)
Caps4:3
Goals4:0
Totalcaps:58
Totalgoals:10

William Alexander Leighton (8 December 1914 – 1981) was an English footballer who played in the Football League as a forward for Newcastle United and Southend United.

Career

Born in Walker, Newcastle upon Tyne, Leighton joined Newcastle United from local amateur football.[1] After signing in February 1932 from Walker Park, he made his Football League debut on 4 February 1933 in a First Division 2–0 win over Chelsea.[3] He scored his first goal for the club on 21 March 1934 in a 1–1 away draw with Manchester City.[4]

Leighton made a total of 39 appearances in the First and Second Divisions for Newcastle between 1932 and 1938. He was widely seen as a second-choice player, and after making his final appearance in a 1–0 defeat against Barnsley at St James' Park on 1 September 1937,[5] Leighton moved to Southend United in search of first-team football.[6]

Leighton made 16 league appearances for Southend, scoring twice, but was unable to secure a regular starting position due to the Second World War as all leagues were suspended.[7] He also had a brief spell with Southend-based team EKCO Sports.[1]

Towards the end of the war, with Leighton stationed at Colchester Garrison, he signed briefly with Colchester United who played in the Southern League which had restarted for the 1945–46 season.[1] He made his debut for the U's on 29 December 1945 in a 1–0 defeat to Cheltenham Town at Whaddon Road. He made three Southern League appearances for Colchester[8] and made his final appearance for the club in a Southern League Cup victory against Guildford City on 19 January 1946.[9]

Billy Leighton died in 1981.[1]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Colchester United – Player profile . https://archive.today/20130707024836/http://coludata.co.uk/player.asp?pid=85 . dead . 7 July 2013 . Coludata.co.uk . 7 May 2013 .
  2. News: Newcastle United. Prospects of promotion not much improved . Sunday Dispatch Football Guide . London . 23 August 1936 . vi . Newspapers.com.
  3. Web site: Newcastle United v Chelsea, 04 February 1933 – 11v11 match report . 11v11.com . 7 May 2013 .
  4. Web site: Manchester City v Newcastle United, 21 March 1934 – 11v11 match report . 11v11.com . 7 May 2013 .
  5. Web site: Newcastle United v Barnsley, 1 September 1937 – 11v11 match report . 11v11.com . 7 May 2013 .
  6. Web site: Billy Leighton . 11v11.com . 7 May 2013 .
  7. Web site: SUFCdb – Player Detail – Billy Leighton . SUFCdb . 7 May 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150929200641/http://sufcdb.co.uk/index.php?option=com_indplay&Itemid=61&pno=270 . 29 September 2015 . dead .
  8. Web site: Colchester United – Appearances . Coludata.co.uk . 7 May 2013 . https://archive.today/20130504230650/http://coludata.co.uk/appearances.asp?sid=5&cid=2&tid=All&act=all . 4 May 2013 . dead .
  9. Web site: Colchester United – Match details – Colchester Utd 3–1 Guildford City . Coludata.co.uk . 7 May 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120914060354/http://www.coludata.co.uk/matchdetails.asp?mid=145 . 14 September 2012 .

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