Willie Finlay
{{short description|Scottish footballer and coach}}
{{for|the Albion Rovers and Rangers player|Willie Findlay}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox football biography
|name = Willie Finlay
|image =
|image_size =
|caption =
|fullname = William Morris Finlay
|birth_date = {{birth date|1926|8|9|df=y}}
|birth_place = Auchterderran, Scotland
|death_date = {{death date and age|2014|9|4|1926|8|9|df=y}}
|death_place = Fife, Scotland
|height =
|position = Centre half
|youthyears1 =
|youthclubs1 =
|years1 =
|clubs1 = Bowhill Rovers
|years2 = 1946–1956
|clubs2 = East Fife
|caps2 = 282
|goals2 = 0
|years3 = 1956–1963
|clubs3= Clyde
|caps3 = 182
|goals3 = 3
|years4 = 1963–1964
|clubs4 = Raith Rovers
|caps4 = 12
|goals4= 0
|totalcaps = 476
|totalgoals = 3
|manageryears1 =
|managerclubs1 = Lochore Welfare
}}
William Morris Finlay (9 August 1926 – 4 September 2014) was a Scottish professional football player and coach.
Career
Born in Auchterderran, Finlay played as a centre half for Bowhill Rovers, East Fife, Clyde and Raith Rovers, making a total of 476 appearances in the Scottish Football League.{{cite web|url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player11/williefinlay.html|title=Profile|accessdate=14 September 2014|publisher=Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Transfer Database}}
With East Fife he won the League Cup three times (1947–48, 1949–50, 1952–53) plus the 1947–48 Scottish Division Two title, two B Division Supplementary Cups and a Scottish Cup runners-up medal in 1949–50; with Clyde he won the Scottish Cup in 1957–58 plus two lower-tier titles (1956–57 and 1961–62).{{cite web|url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/obituaries/obituary-willie-finlay-east-fife-footballer-1-3535016|title=Obituary: Willie Finlay, East Fife footballer|date=9 September 2014|accessdate=14 September 2014|publisher=The Scotsman}} He was among the most highly regarded players of the period never selected to represent Scotland, though at the time there was a strong pool of local talent at various clubs across the country.
After retiring from playing he became manager of Lochore Welfare. He died in 2014, at which time he had been the longest-living member of East Fife's 'golden era' between the 1930s and 1950s.
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Finlay, Willie}}
Category:Scottish men's footballers
Category:Scottish football managers
Category:East Fife F.C. players
Category:Raith Rovers F.C. players
Category:Scottish Football League players
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Scottish Junior Football Association players
Category:Scottish Junior Football Association managers
Category:Footballers from Cardenden
Category:Bowhill Rovers F.C. players
Category:20th-century Scottish sportsmen
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