Billy Gillespie facts for kids
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 6 August 1891 | ||
| Place of birth | Kerrykeel, Ireland, United Kingdom | ||
| Date of death | 2 July 1981 (aged 89) | ||
| Place of death | Bexley, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||
| Playing position | Forward | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1907–1910 | Institute | ||
| 1910–1912 | Leeds City | 24 | (10) |
| 1912–1933 | Sheffield United | 448 | (127) |
| Total | 472 | (137) | |
| National team | |||
| 1913–1930 | Ireland | 25 | (13) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1932–1940 | Derry City | ||
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William Ballintrae Gillespie (born 6 August 1891 – died 2 July 1981) was a famous Irish football player. He was known as a great striker. Billy played for Sheffield United for nearly 20 years. During his time there, he scored over 137 goals in 492 games.
Gillespie was born in Kerrykeel, County Donegal, Ireland. He started his football journey with an Irish team called Institute in 1907. After a short time with Linfield, he moved to England. There, he played for Leeds City before joining Sheffield United in 1912. He stayed with Sheffield United until he stopped playing. Billy also played 25 games for the Ireland national team. Later, in 1932, he became the manager of Derry City. He managed them until 1940.
Contents
Billy Gillespie: A Football Star
Starting Out in Football
Billy Gillespie began his football career with his local team, Institute, in 1907. In 1910, he had a try-out with another Irish team, Linfield. He was about to sign with them. But then, the manager of Leeds City convinced him to become a professional player and join his club in England instead.
Billy made his first appearance in the Football League. However, he mostly played for the reserve team. He wanted to play more first-team games.
Becoming a Star at Sheffield United
Sheffield United bought Billy Gillespie from Leeds City in December 1912. They paid £500 for him. His first game for Sheffield United was on Boxing Day in 1911. He even scored a goal in a 2–2 draw against Newcastle United. From then on, Billy played regularly for the team, known as the "Blades."
In 1915, Billy missed out on winning an FA Cup medal. He broke his leg in the first game of the season. This meant he couldn't play when United won the cup that year. After World War I ended, Billy returned to Sheffield United. He continued to play in the first team. He started playing in a slightly different role, as an inside forward.
Billy kept playing regularly and became the club captain in 1923. Over the next five seasons, he helped United reach two FA Cup semi-finals. Finally, he won an FA Cup winner's medal in the 1925 final. He continued to play for three more years. Then, during the 1930–31 season, he started coaching the younger players. He stopped playing football at the end of that season.
Playing for His Country
Billy Gillespie's first game for the Ireland national team was in 1913. He scored two goals in that game, helping Ireland beat England for the very first time! He was part of the Ireland team that won the 1914 British Home Championship outright in 1914. They beat England and Wales and drew with Scotland.
Billy scored seven goals against England during his career. This matched a record set by other famous players. He played for the Ireland team run by the Irish Football Association (IFA). This association now runs the Northern Ireland national football team. Billy held the IFA record for most international goals for 78 years, with 13 goals. His record was later matched by Colin Clarke in 1992 and broken by David Healy in 2004.
Life After Playing
In 1932, Billy Gillespie was offered the job of manager for Derry City. He stayed there until 1940. The club respected him so much that they even changed their team colours. They switched to red and white stripes, just like Sheffield United's colours, to honour his playing career.
After World War II, Billy continued to help Sheffield United. He worked as a scout for his old team. He would watch games and write reports on players until the 1970s.
Personal Life and Legacy
Billy Gillespie was born in Kerrykeel, County Donegal. His father was a police officer there. Billy was married to Rosie and they had two children, Billy and Peter.
During World War I, Billy served as a gunner. He lost most of his hair during this time. In World War II, he returned to Sheffield. He worked at a factory that made weapons for the war.
Billy moved to the south of England after he retired. He passed away peacefully in his sleep in Bexley, Kent, on 2 July 1981. He was 89 years old. In September 2013, a special plaque was put up in his hometown of Kerrykeel. It was placed at Rab's Park, the local sports field. This plaque honours Billy's amazing achievements and his connection to the town.
Honours and Achievements
As a Player
Sheffield United
- FA Cup: 1924–25 (Winner)
As a Manager
Derry City
- City Cup: 1934–35, 1936–37 (Winner)
