Billy Oswald Explained

Billy Oswald
Fullname:William Oswald
Birth Date:3 August 1900
Birth Place:Dundee, Scotland
Death Place:Providence, Rhode Island, United States
Position:Forward
Years1:19??–1922
Clubs1:Dundee Celtic
Years2:1922
Clubs2:Dundee Hibs (trialist)
Caps2:1
Goals2:2
Years3:1922–1923
Clubs3:Gillingham
Caps3:13
Goals3:3
Years4:1923–1924
Clubs4:St Johnstone
Years5:1924–1926
Clubs5:Dundee United
Caps5:49
Goals5:15
Years6:1926–1928
Caps6:14
Goals6:2
Years7:1928–1930
Clubs7:Providence
Caps7:78
Goals7:22
Years8:1931
Clubs8:Fall River
Caps8:11
Goals8:1
Years9:1931
Caps9:1
Goals9:0

William Oswald (3 August 1900 – 24 May 1969) was a Scottish footballer who played professionally in Scotland, England and the United States. He played as a forward.

Life and career

Oswald was born in Dundee, Scotland, in 1900.[1] He played football for Dundee Celtic, and had trials with English club Gillingham and with Dundee Hibs, during which he scored twice in a 4–1 win against Armadale at the end of the 1921–22 Scottish Division Two season.[2] He chose to turn professional with Gillingham, and contributed 3 goals from 13 appearances in the 1922–23 Third Division South before returning to Scotland.[1]

He spent the 1923–24 season with St Johnstone, mainly in the reserves, and then joined Dundee United in August 1924, initially on a month's trial.[3] He top-scored with 12 goals, 10 in the league, as Dundee United won the 1924–25 Division Two title,[4] but was less prolific in the First Division,[2] and returned to England at the end of the season with another Third Division South club, Brighton & Hove Albion. He stayed with Albion for two seasons, but was unable to displace either Jack Nightingale or his former Dundee United teammate Tommy Simpson from the starting eleven, and scored twice from just 14 appearances.[5]

In 1928, Oswald joined Providence of the American Soccer League. He briefly played for Fall River and the New York Yankees in 1931.[6] He remained in the United States, settling in Providence, Rhode Island, where he became a naturalized citizen in 1944[7] and died in May 1969.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Joyce, Michael . Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939 . SoccerData . Nottingham . 2004 . 200 . 978-1-899468-67-6.
  2. Web site: Willie Oswald Player Profile . Arab Archive . 7 October 2018.
  3. News: Miscellaneous . Falkirk Herald . 27 August 1924 . 4 . Dundee United, still desirous of strengthening their side, have taken, on a month's trial, Donald Slade, the old Dundee and Ayr United forward, and Willie Oswald, reserve inside-left with St Johnstone last season..
  4. Web site: Season Overview: Season 1924–25 . Arab Archive . 3 December 2020. Select season required via dropdown menu.
  5. Book: Tim . Carder . Roger . Harris . Albion A–Z: A Who's Who of Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. . Goldstone Books . Hove . 1997 . 190 . 978-0-9521337-1-1.
  6. Book: Jose, Colin . American Soccer League, 1921–1931 . The Scarecrow Press . 1998 . 427 . 0-8108-3429-4 .
  7. Web site: Roll 12, Petitions for naturalization, O'Keefe, Benjamin Brendan – Plezia, Hilary Thomas . Rhode Island, District Court Naturalization Indexes, 1906–1991 . FamilySearch . registration .