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.

For other people named Ian Gillespie, see Ian Gillespie (disambiguation).

Ian Gillespie
Personal information
Full name Ian Colin Gillespie[1]
Date of birth (1913-05-06)6 May 1913[1]
Place of birth Plymouth, England[1]
Date of death 5 March 1988(1988-03-05) (aged 74)[2]
Place of death Ipswich, England[2]
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
  1. "Colchester United – Player profile". Coludata.co.uk. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  2. "Pride of Anglia – Ipswich Town Football Club – Ian Gillespie". Pride of Anglia – Ipswich Town Football Club. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  3. "Ian Gillespie – Crystal Palace FC Supporters' Website – The Holemsdale Online". The Holmesdale Online. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  4. Purkiss, Mike; Sands, Nigel. Crystal Palace: A Complete Record 1905–1989. The Breedon Books Publishing Company. pp. 172–85. ISBN 0907969542.
  5. "IPSWICH TOWN:1946/47-2011/12". Post War English & Scottish Football League A – Z Player's Transfer Database. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  6. "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.
  7. "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.
  8. "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.
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