William Thomas (footballer, born 1885)

William Thomas (born 1885) was an English footballer who played for Port Vale, Everton, Leeds City, Barnsley, and Huddersfield Town.

William Thomas
Personal information
Full name William Thomas[1]
Date of birth 1885[1]
Place of birth Liverpool, England[1]
Position(s) Inside-right
Youth career
Newcastle Swifts
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1903–1906 Port Vale 11 (1)
1906–1907 Everton 0 (0)
1907–1908 Leeds City 9 (2)
1908–1909 Barnsley 1 (0)
Huddersfield Town
Total 21+ (3+)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

Thomas played for Newcastle Swifts before joining Port Vale in June 1903.[1] His debut came in an 8–1 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield on 8 April 1905, and he claimed his first goal in the Football League 13 days later in a 3–2 win over Gainsborough Trinity at the Athletic Ground.[1] These were his only two appearances of the 1904–05 season.[1] He played nine Second Division appearances in the 1905–06 season, before he moved on to Everton, Leeds City, Barnsley and Huddersfield Town.[1]

Career statistics

Source:[2]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Burslem Port Vale 1904–05 Second Division 210021
1905–06 Second Division 9010100
Total 11110121
Everton 1906–07 First Division 000000
Leeds City 1907–08 Second Division 9210102
Barnsley 1908–09 Second Division 300030

Later life and death

William (Billy) Thomas quit professional football around 1910 to become an Assistant Steward on the Canadian Pacific Steamship line's RMS Empress of Ireland, plying the route from Liverpool to Quebec City, Canada. He was also a member of the ship Football team, serving as a team captain. Mon May 29, 1914, William Thomas was still working on board the Empress of Ireland when the ship tragically sank in the St. Lawrence river, near Pointe-au-Père, Quebec, after a collision with a Norwegian collier in a fog. He did not survive. His body was later recovered by divers and was buried in the Canadian Pacific Empress of Ireland lot in Pointe-au-Père. His name appears on the marker stone.

References
  1. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 289. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  2. William Thomas at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
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