Bill Gray (footballer)

William John Gray (5 March 1882 – 18 November 1916) was a Scottish professional footballer who played at left half for Partick Thistle and Southampton.

Bill Gray
Personal information
Full name William John Gray[1]
Date of birth (1882-03-05)5 March 1882[2]
Place of birth Inverness, Scotland[1]
Date of death 18 November 1916(1916-11-18) (aged 34)[1]
Place of death Somme, France[1]
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Position(s) Left half
Youth career
Inverness Thistle
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1900–1906 Partick Thistle 39 (3)
1906–1907 Southampton 28 (0)
1907–1909 Partick Thistle 47 (4)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Football career

Gray was born in Inverness and began his youth career with local club Inverness Thistle.[3] He started his professional career with Partick Thistle.[4] After five years, he moved to southern England to join Southampton of the Southern League to replace Kelly Houlker who had returned to Blackburn Rovers.

Gray made his "Saints" debut in the opening match of the 1906–07 season and his form meant that he rarely missed a match until an injury sustained in a 5–1 defeat at Reading in March brought his season to a premature end, with James Bowden eventually replacing him.[5]

Apparently unhappy in the south of England, Gray returned to Scotland in the summer of 1907 to resume his career with Partick Thistle.[4]

Personal life

Gray served as a corporal in the Seaforth Highlanders during the First World War and died in France on 18 November 1916.[1] He is buried in Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension.[1][6]

References
  1. "William John Gray | Service Record | Football and the First World War". Football and the First World War. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  2. Chalk, Gary; Holley, Duncan; Bull, David (2013). All the Saints: A Complete Players' Who's Who of Southampton FC. Southampton: Hagiology Publishing. p. 77. ISBN 978-0-9926-8640-6.
  3. "They Died in the Conflict in Season 1916–1917" (PDF). Edinburgh's War. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  4. Holley, Duncan; Chalk, Gary (1992). The Alphabet of the Saints. ACL & Polar Publishing. p. 147. ISBN 0-9514862-3-3.
  5. Chalk, Gary; Holley, Duncan (1987). Saints – A complete record. Breedon Books. pp. 40–41. ISBN 0-907969-22-4.
  6. "GRAY, WILLIAM JOHN". CWGC. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
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