Bill Sheppard (footballer)

William Sheppard (c. 1906 – 27 December 1950) was an English professional footballer. He was capable of playing as both an inside and outside forward.

Bill Sheppard
Personal information
Full name William Sheppard
Date of birth c. 1906
Place of birth Ferryhill, England
Date of death (1962-12-27)27 December 1962
Place of death Solihull, England
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
Ferryhill Athletic
Chilton Colliery Athleic
Crook Town
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1926–1927 Liverpool 0 (0)
1927–1930 Watford 89 (37)
1930–1931 Queens Park Rangers 13 (4)
1931–1933 Coventry City 22 (7)
1933–1934 Walsall 58 (20)
1934 Chester 1 (0)
1934–1935 Walsall 13 (7)
1935–1936 Tunbridge Wells Rangers
Odhams
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Born in Ferryhill, County Durham, Sheppard started his career as an amateur in County Durham, before joining Liverpool in 1926.[1] He signed as a professional for Watford in 1927, who at the time were playing in the Football League Third Division South. In the 1927–28 season—his first at Watford—Sheppard scored 25 goals in all competitions, finishing as the club's top scorer. After 39 goals in 95 Watford games, he joined QPR on a free transfer in 1930, and moved to Coventry City the following year.[2][3]

Sheppard joined Walsall in January 1933, and one of his first games for the club was an FA Cup Third Round tie against Arsenal at Fellows Park, in front of 11,150 spectators.[4] At the time Arsenal were competing for the First Division title, which they eventually won.[5] Walsall were in the Third Division North.[4] Sheppard played the game at inside right. After a goalless first half, Walsall centre-forward Gilbert Alsop scored the opening goal with a header in the second half. Five minutes later Alsop won a penalty kick, which Sheppard converted to double the team's lead. Arsenal were unable to overturn the deficit; Walsall won the match 2–0.[6][7]

He remained at Walsall until the end of the 1933–34 season. He briefly joined Chester, but returned to Walsall in October of that year, before leaving permanently in June 1935. Season 1935–36 saw him at Tunbridge Wells Rangers in the Southern League.

Sheppard died in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, during a Christmas celebration.[2]

References
  1. Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 236. ISBN 1-899468-67-6.
  2. Jones, Trefor (1996). Watford Football Club Illustrated Who's Who. p. 209. ISBN 0-9527458-0-1.
  3. Jones, Trefor (1998). Watford Season by Season. ISBN 0-9527458-1-X.
  4. "History of Walsall FC". Walsall Football Club. Archived from the original on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 7 October 2010.
  5. "Club honours". Arsenal Football Club. Archived from the original on 23 April 2011. Retrieved 7 October 2010.
  6. Glanville, Brian (3 January 2004). "Cup giant-killing is still a bitter pill for Arsenal". The Times. Retrieved 7 October 2010.
  7. "Did you attend our FA Cup giantkilling against Arsenal in 1933?". Walsall Football Club. 2 December 2007. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2010.
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