Billy Whelan (Scottish footballer)

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For the Manchester United player, see Billy Whelan.

Billy Whelan
Personal information
Full name William Whelan[1]
Date of birth (1906-02-20)20 February 1906[1]
Place of birth Airdrie, Scotland
Date of death 1982 (aged 76)
Place of death North Dorset, England
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[2]
Position(s) Full back, wing half
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Gartsherrie Athletic
Coatbridge
1927–1932 Sunderland 19 (0)
1932–1933 Southend United 8 (0)
1933–1935 Darlington 10 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

William Whelan (20 February 1906 – 1982) was a Scottish footballer who played as a full back or wing half. He played for junior clubs in Scotland and for Sunderland, Southend United and Darlington in the English Football League.

Life and career[edit]

Whelan was born in Airdrie.[1] He played football for junior club Gartsherrie Athletic. When his employment took him to England in 1927, a trial was arranged for him with First Division club Sunderland, and his performance in a match for their "A" team in April earned him a contract for the coming season.[3]

He made his first-team debut on 7 September 1927, replacing the unavailable Arthur Andrews at left half in a 4–2 win at home to Birmingham. The Derby Daily Telegraph wrote that although "his promotion has been rather quick, his play suggests that he will be making his name when he has matured a little. He knows how to pass a ball, but must quicken in recovery."[4][5] He played again two weeks later, in a 3–2 defeat at home to Burnley, this time at right half. The same column noted that Burnley's attack flourished on their right side, while they made little impact against Whelan, a player of "fine physique [who] makes grand use of the ball".[6] He had a run in the first team of five matches in three weeks in March 1928,[7] but was unable to establish himself as a regular.

He played only once the following season,[8] and three times in 1929–30,[9] which included appearances at left back; the Portsmouth Evening News suggested that he would be a more than adequate substitute in that position for Ernie England, as he "always has better length in his kicking, and tackles well, though is not so good in front of goal as England."[10] He also assisted the reserve team to their fourth consecutive North-Eastern League title.[11] He was one of numerous retained players initially reluctant to re-sign on reduced terms, but soon did so.[12] In 1930–31, Whelan was a regular at full back for the reserves in the North-Eastern League, and played eight First Division matches, including the last five of the season.[13] The Sunderland Echo's "Argus" described his performance against Chelsea as that of a "plodder" who would do better if he played the ball along the ground rather than lofting his forward passes,[14] and that in the next match as "much below the standard of the rest of the side".[15] Nevertheless, he was again retained for another season,[16] though he played no more first-team football.

Listed for transfer in April 1932, he signed for Third Division South club Southend United within days; "Argus" wrote that as "one of those die-hard types of a footballer, Whelan ought to do well in Third Division football", and that some fans thought he had "not been fully appreciated" at Sunderland.[17] Whelan made only eight appearances for Southend – when tried as a stand-in for left-back Dave Robinson, he was apparently not a success[18] – and having failed to agree terms for the coming season, left the club on a free transfer. Whelan's five years' service to Sunderland had entitled him to a benefit, and an agreement was reached that in lieu of such benefit they would pay any transfer fee due to Southend should he choose to leave.[19] Although he had offers from Second Division clubs in the south of England, he opted to return to the north east, nearer to his wife's Sunderland roots, where he signed for Darlington of the Third Division North.[20] He sustained an injury in August that kept him out for several months,[21] had a run of games at the end of the season and was retained for 1934–35.[22] He began the new campaign as part of a resolute defence against York City,[23] but left the club at the end of that season having made just ten league appearances.[1]

In 1949, Whelan was reported as living within a few miles of Yeovil, Somerset, in the south-west of England.[24] He died in 1982, aged 76, in North Dorset.[25]

Notes[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 277. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  2. ^ Veitch, Colin (11 August 1933). "Darlington hope to land more players". Evening Chronicle. Newcastle upon Tyne. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ The Traveller (1 May 1927). "Dumbarton cup sensation. Sunderland's latest capture". Sunday Post. Dundee. p. 16 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. ^ "1927–28: Football League Division 1 – Match 4". The StatCat. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  5. ^ "Odds and ends. Had a chance". Derby Daily Telegraph. 17 September 1927. p. 4 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "Odds and ends. A smart wing half". Derby Daily Telegraph. 1 October 1927. p. 4 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ "1927–28: Football League Division 1 – Match 29". The StatCat. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  8. ^ "1928–29: Football League Division 1". The StatCat. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  9. ^ "1929–30: Football League Division 1". The StatCat. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  10. ^ "Sunderland team to meet Pompey". Evening News. Portsmouth. 16 January 1930. p. 4 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ "Sunderland "A"". Football Club History Database. Richard Rundle. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  12. ^ "Sunderland's retained. Considerable reductions in wages". Northern Daily Mail. West Hartlepool. 2 May 1930. p. 11 – via British Newspaper Archive.
    "Clunas stays at Roker". Northern Daily Mail. West Hartlepool. 8 May 1930. p. 9 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. ^ "Reserve backs called up for duty at Roker". Sunderland Echo. 20 February 1931. p. 16 – via British Newspaper Archive.
    "1930–31: Football League Division 1". The StatCat. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  14. ^ Argus (20 April 1931). "Sunderland's strength and weakness". Sunderland Echo. p. 9 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. ^ Argus (27 April 1931). "Sunderland's success a triumph of youth". Sunderland Echo. p. 9 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  16. ^ "Re-signed by Sunderland". Northern Daily Mail. West Hartlepool. 23 April 1931. p. 9 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  17. ^ Argus (25 April 1932). "Southend sign Whelan". Sunderland Echo. p. 10 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  18. ^ "Derby County's cup opponents serious team problem". Derby Evening Telegraph. 24 January 1933. p. 7 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  19. ^ Pivot (26 April 1932). "Sports Notes. Whelan leaves Roker". Northern Daily Mail. West Hartlepool. p. 7 – via British Newspaper Archive.
    Argus (9 June 1933). "Sporting news of the day reviewed". Sunderland Echo. p. 12 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  20. ^ "Billy Whelan signs for Darlington to-day". Sunderland Echo. 23 June 1933. p. 14 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  21. ^ Argus (15 December 1933). "Sports Review. Darlington injured". Sunderland Echo. p. 14 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  22. ^ M.C. (4 May 1934). "Sports Review. Darlington retained". Northern Daily Mail. West Hartlepool. p. 9 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  23. ^ "Eight new men in the team. York City fail to impress at Darlington". Yorkshire Post. 27 August 1934. p. 14 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  24. ^ Argus (27 August 1934). "World of Sport. Big demand for cup-tie tickets". Sunderland Echo. p. 7 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  25. ^ "England & Wales deaths 1837–2007 Transcription". William Whelan. District: North Dorset. County: Dorset. Volume: 23. Page: 0522. Retrieved 11 December 2014 – via Findmypast.
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