Willie Donnelly (footballer)

William Donnelly (1872–1934)[a] was an Irish footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Vale of Clyde, Hibernian,[1] Clyde, Celtic,[2] Belfast Celtic and Liverpool during the 1890s and early 1900s.[3]

Willie Donnelly
Personal information
Date of birth 1872
Place of birth Magherafelt, Ireland
Date of death 1934 (aged 61–62)
Place of death Goalkeeper
Youth career
St Mungo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Vale of Clyde
1893–1895 Hibernian 21 (0)
1895–1896 Clyde 17 (0)
1896–1898 Liverpool 6 (0)
1898–1900 Clyde 20 (0)
1900–1901 Celtic 3 (0)
1901–1902 Belfast Celtic
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Born in Magherafelt and raised in Scotland, he played for a number of Scottish teams and gained a reputation as an expert in stopping penalties[4] before signing for Liverpool from Clyde in May 1896.[5] He was the club's second-choice goalkeeper behind Harry Storer during the 1896–97 Football League season and had a run in the side after Storer was injured,[4] becoming the second Irishman to play for Liverpool.[5]

Returning to Clyde in 1898,[5] Donnelly had joined Celtic by the 1900–01 Scottish Football League season and was a back-up option again, this time to Dan McArthur.[6] He left Scotland for Belfast Celtic in mid-1901.[7]

Notes

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  1. ^ Some sources give Donnelly's death as August 1948, others as December 1934

References

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  1. ^ (Hibernian player) Donnelly, Willie, FitbaStats
  2. ^ (Celtic player) Donnelly, William, FitbaStats
  3. ^ John Litster (October 2012). "A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players". Scottish Football Historian magazine. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  4. ^ a b "LFC History profile - Willie Donnelly". lfchistory.net.
  5. ^ a b c Falkiner, Keith (2012). Emerald Anfield. ISBN 9781444743869.
  6. ^ Craig, Jim; Woods, Pat (2013). Celtic: Pride and Passion. Random House. ISBN 9781780577630.
  7. ^ "Sign On For Ireland". Dundee Evening Telegraph. 2 July 1901. W. Donnelly, who kept goal for Glasgow Celtic last season [..] has signed for Belfast Celtic [..] The securing of Donnelly is a good stroke on the part of the Belfast club