Ian Gillespie (footballer)
Ian Colin Gillespie (6 May 1913 – 5 March 1988) was an English footballer who played in the Football League as a forward for Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town. He was also signed to Norwich City.
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Ian Colin Gillespie[1] | ||
Date of birth | [1] | 6 May 1913||
Place of birth | Plymouth, England[1] | ||
Date of death | 5 March 1988 74)[2] | (aged||
Place of death | Ipswich, England[2] | ||
Playing position(s) | Forward | ||
Youth career | |||
Frost's Athletic | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
Norwich City | |||
Harwich & Parkeston | |||
1937–1946 | Crystal Palace | 21 | (4) |
1945–1946 | Ipswich Town (guest) | ||
1946–1947 | Ipswich Town | 6 | (1) |
1947 | Colchester United | 4 | (1) |
Leiston | |||
Total | 31 | (6) | |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only |
Career
Born in Plymouth, Gillespie began his career playing for Frost's Athletic, a youth club associated with Norwich City. He signed for Norwich in 1933, prior to signing for Harwich & Parkeston in the non-leagues.[1][2] From there, he signed for Crystal Palace in February 1937. He featured 27 times and scored five goals for Palace,[3] including four goals in 21 league appearances.[2] He also made over 80 wartime appearances for Palace.[4]
During World War II, Gillespie made guest appearances at a number of clubs, including Ipswich Town, where he played 29 first-team games during the war years, scoring four goals. He signed for Ipswich permanently in April 1946, going on to make six Football League appearances, scoring once[5] before moving to Southern League neighbours Colchester United in May 1947.[2]
Gillespie made his U's debut on 17 May in a 2–0 away defeat to Bedford Town.[6] He scored his first, and only, league goal in the reverse fixture one-week later, on this occasion a 4–0 victory at Layer Road.[7] His final game came on 11 September 1947, a 3–0 Southern League Cup victory over rivals Chelmsford City, a game in which he also scored.[8]
After leaving Colchester, Gillespie would later play for Leiston.[1] He died in Ipswich on 5 March 1988.[2]
References
- "Colchester United – Player profile". Coludata.co.uk. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
- "Pride of Anglia – Ipswich Town Football Club – Ian Gillespie". Pride of Anglia – Ipswich Town Football Club. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
- "Ian Gillespie – Crystal Palace FC Supporters' Website – The Holemsdale Online". The Holmesdale Online. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
- Purkiss, Mike; Sands, Nigel. Crystal Palace: A Complete Record 1905–1989. The Breedon Books Publishing Company. pp. 172–85. ISBN 0907969542.
- "IPSWICH TOWN:1946/47-2011/12". Post War English & Scottish Football League A – Z Player's Transfer Database. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
- "Colchester United – Match details – Bedford Town 2–0 Colchester Utd". Coludata.co.uk. Archived from the original on 4 May 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
- "Colchester United – Match details – Colchester Utd 4–0 Bedford Town". Coludata.co.uk. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
- "Colchester United – Match details – Colchester Utd 3–0 Chelmsford City". Coludata.co.uk. Archived from the original on 7 July 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2013.