Billy Edwards (footballer, born 1895)

William Frank Edwards (24 October 1895 – 4 June 1952) was a Welsh professional footballer who played in the Football League for Newport County and West Ham United as an outside right.[1][6][7] He later represented Herefordshire at bowls and won the National Triples title in 1950.[5][8]

Billy Edwards
Edwards while with Newport County in 1922.
Personal information
Full name William Frank Edwards[1]
Date of birth 24 October 1895[2]
Place of birth Builth, Wales[3]
Date of death 4 June 1952(1952-06-04) (aged 56)[4]
Place of death Hereford, England[5]
Position(s) Outside right
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
0000–1912 Knighton Town
1912–1913 Shrewsbury Town
1913–1914 Brentford
1914 Watford
1914–1915 Llanelli
1916–1917Watford (guest) 28 (14)
1917Fulham (guest) 6 (2)
1917Queens Park Rangers (guest) 1 (0)
1917–1918Brentford (guest) 10 (1)
1919–1920 Fulham 0 (0)
1920–1923 Newport County 79 (12)
1923–1926 West Ham United 37 (3)
1926–1927 Newport County 0 (0)
1927–1932 Hereford United 43 (24)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Personal life

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Prior to his service in the First World War, Edwards worked as a motor driver.[9] In July 1915, nearly a year after the outbreak of the First World War, Edwards enlisted in the Royal Flying Corps as an air mechanic 1st class.[10] He was later promoted to the rank of leading aircraftman.[10] After retiring from football, Edwards became a publican in Hereford and along with his brother, he served as a director of Hereford United.[5]

Career statistics

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
West Ham United 1922–23[4] Second Division 1 0 0 0 1 0
1923–24[4] First Division 25 3 2 0 27 3
1924–25[4] 7 0 0 0 7 0
1925–26[4] 4 0 0 0 4 0
Total 37 3 2 0 39 3
Hereford United 1927–28[11] Birmingham Combination 15 12 0 0 2[a] 1 17 13
1928–29[11] Birmingham & District League 16 10 2 1 2[a] 1 20 12
1929–30[11] 6 2 0 0 1[a] 0 7 2
1930–31[11] 5 0 4 0 0 0 9 0
1931–32[11] 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Total 43 24 6 1 5 2 54 27
Career Total 80 27 8 1 5 2 93 30
  1. ^ a b c Appearances in Birmingham Senior Cup

References

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  1. ^ a b Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 91. ISBN 978-1905891610.
  2. ^ "William F Edwards's life in 1939". www.findmypast.co.uk. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  3. ^ "Find My Past". www.findmypast.co.uk. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d e "William Edwards". www.westhamstats.info. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
  5. ^ a b c "Obituary". Kington Times. 7 June 1952. p. 2.
  6. ^ "Edwards Billy West Ham United 1924". Vintage Footballers. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
  7. ^ "Seasons – 1910/11 to 1919/20" (PDF). Watford Football Club archive 1881–2017. pp. 8–9. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  8. ^ "Hereford win Triples". Nottingham Journal. 23 August 1950. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ Billy Edwards on Lives of the First World War
  10. ^ a b "Find My Past". www.findmypast.co.uk. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  11. ^ a b c d e "Edwards, Billy". The Unofficial Hereford United Online Archive. Archived from the original on 10 August 2014. Retrieved 5 October 2017.