Bill Robertson (English footballer)

William Harold 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
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
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Chelsea 1945–46 – 006060
1946–47 First Division 22000220
1947–48 15000150
Total 37060430
Birmingham City 1948–49 First Division 101020
1949–50 000000
1950–51 Second Division 000000
1951–52 100010
Total 201030
Stoke City 1952–53 First Division 19000190
1953–54 Second Division 32030350
1954–55 41010420
1955–56 36050410
1956–57 42010430
1957–58 18000180
1958–59 31000310
1959–60 19020210
Total 23801202500
Career total 27701902960

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