Billy Walsh

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William "Billy" Walsh (May 31, 1921 - July, 2006) was an Irish footballer who played as a defender for Manchester City F.C. and Ireland.

Walsh was born in Dublin in 1921, but was raised in Gorton, Manchester. As a teenage amateur he signed for Manchester City in 1936, following an unsuccessful period as an amateur at Manchester United, and turned professional two years later.^[1] As with many players of his era, Walsh was denied several years of playing in his prime by the advent of World War II. He did not serve in the armed forces, but worked as a miner during the war. Walsh holds the record for the most wartime appearances for Manchester City, playing 242 times in wartime competitions.^[2] In total, Walsh made 118 competitive appearances for Manchester City between 1938 and 1950. After leaving the club, Walsh entered football management, managing Chelmsford and Grimsby.

Walsh represented the Republic of Ireland at international level, and in 1949 was part of the Irish team which inflicted England's first defeat on home soil for more than 60 years. Due to a technical loophole he also later played for Northern Ireland. Following the end of his football career, he moved to New Zealand, where he came out of retirement, and represented the New Zealand national team. As he also represented England at schoolboy level in his youth, Walsh achieved the unusual feat of representing four different nations.

Walsh retired to Australia, and died in July 2006 in Noosa, Queensland at the age of 85. His ashes were returned to Manchester and laid to rest at the City of Manchester Stadium.

Preceded by Bill Shankly

Grimsby Town manager 1954-1955

Succeeded by Allenby Chilton

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