Billy Gillespie
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Billy Gillespie (6 August 1891 - 2 July, 1981) was a football player for Sheffield United over a twenty year period from 1913 to 1932, scoring over 137 League and Cup goals in 492 games for the South Yorkshire side.
Gillespie was born in Kerrykeel, Donegal, Ireland. He is United's most capped player with 25 for Ireland.
He held the IFA's record for most international goals scored for 78 years with 13 goals. Gillespie's record was eventually equalled by Colin Clarke in 1992 and broken by David Healy in 2004.
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[edit] Club career
Gillespie started his footballing career with Institute F.C.. In 1910, he was about to sign for Linfield when Leeds City manager Frank Scott-Walford persuaded him to turn professional and join the West Yorkshire club.
Sheffield United signed Gillespie from Leeds City in December 1912 for £500 for the maximum wage, then £4 per week.
He was held in such high regard in his home country that when he left United in 1932 to become player-manager of Derry City they changed their strip to red and white stripes in reverence to him and the Blades.
He remained at Derry until 1940, taking on the role of full team manager during that time. A fierce looking inside forward, Billy was team captain of Sheffield United between 1923 and 1930, leading United's FA Cup triumph in 1925.
He had been denied another FA Cup Winner's medal in 1915 when he missed United's victory with a broken leg, received in the first game of the season against Sunderland on 2 September 1914.
[edit] International career
His first cap came in 1913, his two goals giving Ireland their very first victory over England.
In 1914, he was a part of the Ireland side that won the British Home Championship outright after gaining wins over England and Wales and a draw against Scotland at Windsor Park.
Gillespie is one of three players to have scored 7 goals against England.[1]
[edit] Other Information
Ivan Sharpe, a leading columnist of the day, who wrote in the Athletic News about the 1925 FA Cup Final pointed out:
Never has Gillespie's generalship been more marked. No player on view trapped the ball so surely, retained it with such good judgement, and exhibited such power and precision in sending it either to the left or right wing or more delicately down the middle. Sheffield United played wonderfully well but special praise is due to Gillespie, the Man who waves a wand and whose influence has played such a vital part in United's capture of the Cup.
Billy died in Bexley, Kent on 2 July 1981, aged 89.
[edit] Sheffield United career
| Season | Division | League Apps | League Goals | FA Cup Apps | FA Cup Goals | Other Apps | Other Goals | Total Apps | Total Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1911–12 | Division One | 17 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 11 |
| 1912–13 | Division One | 25 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 9 |
| 1913–14 | Division One | 30 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 14 |
| 1914–15 | Division One | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1915–16 | Midland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 10 | 30 | 10 |
| 1916–17 | Midland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 6 | 24 | 6 |
| 1917–18 | Midland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| 1918–19 | Midland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1919–20 | Division One | 29 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 4 |
| 1920–21 | Division One | 33 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 4 |
| 1921–22 | Division One | 31 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 33 | 14 |
| 1922–23 | Division One | 34 | 9 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 45 | 13 |
| 1923–24 | Division One | 38 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 41 | 16 |
| 1924–25 | Division One | 38 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 45 | 9 |
| 1925–26 | Division One | 39 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 13 |
| 1926–27 | Division One | 38 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 41 | 11 |
| 1927–28 | Division One | 34 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 6 |
| 1928–29 | Division One | 30 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 33 | 7 |
| 1929–30 | Division One | 14 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 5 |
| 1930–31 | Division One | 16 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 20 | 5 |
| 1931–32 | Division One | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 448 | 127 | 44 | 9 | 71 | 25 | 563 | 161 |
[edit] External links
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