Billy Eardley

Billy Eardley
Personal information
Full nameWilliam George Eardley[1]
Date of birth1871[1]
Place of birthStoke-upon-Trent, England[1]
Playing positionForward
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1894–1895Burslem Port Vale8(3)
1895Newcastle Swifts
1895–1896Burslem Port Vale9(4)
1896–1897Stoke10(1)
Total27(8)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

William George "Billy" Eardley (born 1871; date of death unknown) was an English footballer who played in the Football League for Burslem Port Vale and Stoke.[1] A pacey, quality player he was also prone to sulking.

Playing career

Eardley joined Burslem Port Vale in May 1894.[2] In the 1894–95 season he only played nine games, but did score three goals.[2] Two of his goals came against Newcastle United at St James' Park in a 2–1 win on 12 April.[2] His other goal came eight days later, in an end-of-season 4–0 win over Crewe Alexandra at the Athletic Ground.[2] He switched to Newcastle Swifts in the summer of 1895, but returned to Vale in September of that year.[2] He still failed to become a first team regular, and claimed four goals in ten games in the 1895–96 season.[2] The goals came in two braces against Darwen on the 5th and 19 October.[2]

In August 1896, he moved on to Stoke. At Stoke, Eardley played ten matches under Horace Austerberry during the 1896–97 season, scoring once in a 2–1 victory against Preston North End at the Victoria Ground on 9 November 1896, and was released in January 1897.[1]

Career statistics

Club Season Division League FA Cup Senior Cup Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Burslem Port Vale 1894–95 Second Division 83001093
1895–96 941000104
Stoke 1896–97 First Division 1010000101
Career Total 2781010298

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 91. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.