Billy Birrell
{{short description|Scottish footballer and manager}}
{{distinguish|Willie Birrell}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Billy Birrell
| fullname = William Birrell{{Cite book |last=Joyce |first=Michael |title=Football League Players' Records 1888–1939 |date=16 October 2012 |publisher=Tony Brown |isbn=9781905891610 |edition=3rd Revised |page=28}}
| birth_date = 13 March 1897
| birth_place = Cellardyke, Scotland
| death_date = {{death date and age|1968|11|29|1897|3|13|df=y}}{{Cite web |title=Billy Birrell {{!}} Chelsea Manager |url=http://stamford-bridge.com/manager.php?id=626&surname=birrell&firstname=billy |access-date=7 October 2019 |website=Stamford-Bridge.com The History of Chelsea FC}}
| death_place =
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=9}}{{Cite news |last=Vulcan |date=22 August 1921 |title=First Division prospects. Middlesbrough |page=5 |work=Athletic News |location=Manchester}}
| position = Forward
| years1 = 1914–1915
| clubs1 = Inverkeithing United
| caps1 =
| goals1 =
| years2 = 1915–1921
| clubs2 = Raith Rovers
| caps2 = 77
| goals2 = 19
| years3 = {{0|0000}}–1920
| clubs3 = → Kirkcaldy United (guest)
| caps3 =
| goals3 =
| years4 = 1921–1927
| clubs4 = Middlesbrough
| caps4 = 225
| goals4 = 59
| years5 = 1927–1930
| clubs5 = Raith Rovers
| caps5 = 51
| goals5 = 22
| manageryears1 = 1927–1930
| managerclubs1 = Raith Rovers (player-manager)
| manageryears2 = 1930–1935
| managerclubs2 = Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic
| manageryears3 = 1935–1939
| managerclubs3 = Queens Park Rangers
| manageryears4 = 1939–1952
| managerclubs4 = Chelsea
}}
William Birrell (13 March 1897 – 29 November 1968) was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a forward.
Career
Birrell made over 220 appearances as a forward in the Football League for Middlesbrough. He also made over 120 appearances in the Scottish League for Raith Rovers.{{Cite book |last=Litster |first=John |title=Record of Pre-War Scottish League Players |publisher=PM Publications |location=Norwich}} He began his career in management while a player at Raith Rovers and after his retirement, he managed Football League clubs Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic and Queens Park Rangers.{{Cite web |title=Birrell Billy Middlesbrough 1926 |url=http://vintagefootballers.com/product/birrell-billy-image-3-mboro-1926/ |access-date=26 December 2018 |website=Vintage Footballers |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=Billy Birrell |url=https://www.chelseafc.com/en/billy-birrell |access-date=26 December 2018 |website=Official Site {{!}} Chelsea Football Club}}
On 19 April 1939, he was appointed the new Chelsea manager. The Second World War forced the Football League to be abandoned less than half a year following Birrell's appointment.{{Cite web |title=Chelsea in the Second World War |url=https://www.chelseafc.com/en/chelsea-in-the-second-world-war |access-date=9 December 2022 |website=www.chelseafc.com |language=en-gb}} During wartime, he led Chelsea to two consecutive Football League War Cup South Final at Wembley, winning the cup in 1945.
In wartime, Birrell developed the idea of a youth team for Chelsea, and on 25 May 1940, the Chelsea Junior team, a team which included future England manager Ron Greenwood, played their first match against Queens Park Rangers.{{Cite web |title=Long Read: Future Blues – a history of the founding of Chelsea Juniors |url=https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/article/long-read--future-blues---a-history-of-the-founding-of-chelsea-j |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220804205842/https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/article/long-read--future-blues---a-history-of-the-founding-of-chelsea-j |archive-date=4 August 2022 |access-date=8 July 2023 |website=www.chelseafc.com |language=en-gb}} Birrell's plan was fully implemented after the war, with the sponsorship of The Tudor Rose Boys' Club, allowing them to run four teams in the Harrow and Wembley League.{{Cite web |title=Birrell's Babes – a history of the founding of Chelsea Juniors – part two |url=https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/article/birrell-s-babes---a-history-of-the-founding-of-chelsea-juniors-- |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220715094517/https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/article/birrell-s-babes---a-history-of-the-founding-of-chelsea-juniors-- |archive-date=15 July 2022 |access-date=8 July 2023 |website=www.chelseafc.com |language=en-gb}}
Personal life
Birrell's brother Bob was also a footballer.
Career statistics
= Player =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|+Appearances and goals by club, season and competition ! rowspan="2" |Club ! rowspan="2" |Season ! colspan="3" |League ! colspan="2" |National Cup ! colspan="2" |Total |
| Division
!Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals |
|---|
| rowspan="5" |Raith Rovers
| rowspan="4" |Scottish Division One |13 |5 | colspan="2" |— |13 |5 |
| 1916–17
|1 |0 | colspan="2" |— |1 |0 |
| 1919–20
|35 |7 |6 |2 |41 |9 |
| 1920–21
|28 |7 |1 |0 |29 |7 |
| colspan="2" |Total
!77 !19 !7 !2 !84 !21 |
| rowspan="9" |Middlesbrough
|1920–21{{Cite web |title=Billy Birrell |url=https://www.11v11.com/players/billy-birrell-43647/ |access-date=26 December 2018 |website=11v11.com}} | rowspan="4" |First Division |14 |2 | colspan="2" |— |14 |2 |
| 1921–22
|35 |9 |1 |0 |36 |9 |
| 1922–23
|38 |9 |3 |1 |41 |10 |
| 1923–24
|21 |2 |0 |0 |21 |2 |
| 1924–25
| rowspan="3" |Second Division |27 |3 |1 |0 |28 |3 |
| 1925–26
|42 |18 |2 |1 |44 |19 |
| 1926–27
|41 |16 |3 |2 |44 |18 |
| 1927–28
|First Division |7 |1 |0 |0 |7 |1 |
| colspan="2" |Total
!225 !59 !10 !4 !235 !63 |
| rowspan="4" |Raith Rovers
|Scottish Division One |15 |4 |3 |1 |18 |5 |
| 1929–30
| rowspan="2" |Scottish Division Two |20 |12 |2 |1 |22 |13 |
| 1930–31
|16 |6 |0 |0 |16 |6 |
| colspan="2" |Total
!128 !41 !12 !14 !140 !55 |
| colspan="3" |Career total
!353 !100 !22 !18 !375 !118 |
= Manager =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" | ||||
| rowspan="2" |Team
! rowspan="2" |From ! rowspan="2" |To ! colspan="5" |Record ! rowspan="2" |Ref | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % |
| align="left" |Raith Rovers (player-manager)
|1927 |1930 {{WDL|123|45|24|54}} | ||||
| align="left" |Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic
|August 1930 |May 1935 {{WDL|220|67|56|97}} | ||||
| align="left" |Queens Park Rangers
|May 1935 |April 1939 {{WDL|184|85|42|57}} | ||||
| align="left" |Chelsea
|April 1939 |April 1952 {{WDL|285|96|74|115}} | ||||
| colspan="3" |Total
{{WDLtot|812|293|196|323}} !— |
Honours
= As a player =
Middlesbrough
= As a manager =
Chelsea
- Football League South War Cup: 1943–44, 1944–45
References
- {{Cite book |last=Matthews, Tony |title=Who's Who of Chelsea |publisher=Mainstream Publishing |year=2005 |isbn=1-84596-010-6}}
- {{Cite book |last=Mears, Brian |title=Chelsea: A 100-year History |publisher=Mainstream Sport |year=2004 |isbn=1-84018-823-5}}
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerbase manager|id=171}}
- [https://www.chelseafc.com/en/about-chelsea/history/former-managers/billy-birrell Billy Birrell] at chelseafc.com
{{Raith Rovers F.C. managers}}
{{A.F.C. Bournemouth managers}}
{{Chelsea F.C. managers}}
{{Queens Park Rangers F.C. managers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Birrell, Billy}}
Category:Scottish men's footballers
Category:Scottish football managers
Category:Raith Rovers F.C. players
Category:Middlesbrough F.C. players
Category:Queens Park Rangers F.C. managers
Category:Chelsea F.C. managers
Category:Raith Rovers F.C. managers
Category:Scottish Football League managers
Category:Men's association football inside forwards
Category:Men's association football outside forwards
Category:English Football League players
Category:English Football League managers
Category:Inverkeithing United F.C. players
Category:Kirkcaldy United F.C. players
Category:20th-century Scottish sportsmen
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