Bill Robertson (English footballer)

William Harold "Bill" Robertson (25 March 1923 – 15 March 2003) is 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.

Not to be confused with Bill Robertson (Scottish footballer), Chelsea goalkeeper of the 1940s and 1950s.

Bill Robertson

Personal information
Full name	William Harold Robertson[1]
Date of birth	(1923-03-25)25 March 1923[1]
Place of birth	Crowthorne, England[1]
Date of death	15 March 2003(2003-03-15) (aged 79)
Place of death	Hanworth, England
Playing position(s)	Goalkeeper
Youth career
–	Crowthorne BC
–	Camberley ATC
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
–	RAF Lossiemouth
1945–1948	Chelsea	37	(0)
1948–1952	Birmingham City	2	(0)
1952–1960	Stoke City	238	(0)
Total		277	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

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 a three-and-a-half 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
			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		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		0	0	0	0	0	0
	1950–51	Second Division	0	0	0	0	0	0
	1951–52		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

1. Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
2. "Bill Robertson". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 29 May 2009.
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)

External links

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