Bill Robertson (English footballer)

Bill Robertson
Personal information
Full name	William Harold Robertson
Date of birth	25 March 1923
Place of birth	Crowthorne, England
Date of death	15 March 2003 (aged 79)
Place of death	Hanworth, England
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Youth career
–	Crowthorne BC
–	Camberley ATC
Senior career*
Years	Team
–	RAF Lossiemouth
1945–1948	Chelsea
1948–1952	Birmingham City
1952–1960	Stoke City
Total
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

William Harold Robertson (25 March 1923 – 15 March 2003) was an English former professional footballer who played in the Football League for Chelsea, Birmingham City and Stoke City.^[1]^[2] He played as a goalkeeper.

Career

Robertson was born in Crowthorne, Berkshire. In youth football he played as a centre forward, only switching to goalkeeping while in the Royal Air Force stationed at Lossiemouth during the Second World War. He signed for Chelsea in October 1945,^[3] and played 43 times in all competitions for the first team^[4] before moving to Birmingham City in December 1948. This move failed to improve matters, as Robertson found himself behind Gil Merrick in the pecking order and played just three times in 3+1⁄2 years.^[3]

He became new Stoke City manager Frank Taylor's first signing in the summer of 1952 as he saw him as a replacement for the ageing Dennis Herod.^[1] He had an awful first season with the club breaking his leg against Manchester City on 20 December 1952 after 19 matches during which time he had conceded 38 goals and the 1952–53 season ended with relegation to the Second Division.^[1] He recovered from his injury and became first choice 'keeper under Taylor as Stoke failed to gain a return to the top-flight, narrowly missed out in 1954–55, 1956–57 and 1958–59 finishing 5th three times.^[1] Stoke had an awful 1959–60 campaign which saw Taylor sacked by the board and new manager Tony Waddington signed Everton's Jimmy O'Neill and Robertson decided to retire.^[1]

After retirement from football he kept a newsagents' in Bucknell, Shropshire, before returning to the south of England in 1963.^[3] He moved to Hanworth, Middlesex, where he again kept a newsagents' shop until his retirement.^[1]

Career statistics

Source:^[5]

Club	Season	Division	League		FA Cup		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Chelsea	1945–46	–	0	0	6	0	6	0
	1946–47	First Division	22	0	0	0	22	0
	1947–48	First Division	15	0	0	0	15	0
	Total		37	0	6	0	43	0
Birmingham City	1948–49	First Division	1	0	1	0	2	0
	1949–50	First Division	0	0	0	0	0	0
	1950–51	Second Division	0	0	0	0	0	0
	1951–52	Second Division	1	0	0	0	1	0
	Total		2	0	1	0	3	0
Stoke City	1952–53	First Division	19	0	0	0	19	0
	1953–54	Second Division	32	0	3	0	35	0
	1954–55		41	0	1	0	42	0
	1955–56		36	0	5	0	41	0
	1956–57		42	0	1	0	43	0
	1957–58		18	0	0	0	18	0
	1958–59		31	0	0	0	31	0
	1959–60		19	0	2	0	21	0
	Total		238	0	12	0	250	0
Career total			277	0	19	0	296	0

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
^ "Bill Robertson". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 29 May 2009.
^ ^a ^b ^c Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 120. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
^ "Bill H Robertson". Chelsea F.C. Retrieved 29 May 2009.
^ Bill Robertson at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)

External links

Bill Robertson at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database

[The_Encyclopaedia_of_Stoke_City-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.

[NB-2] "Bill Robertson". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 29 May 2009.

[Matthews120-3] Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 120. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.

[4] "Bill H Robertson". Chelsea F.C. Retrieved 29 May 2009.

[5] Bill Robertson at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)

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