William Thomas Sperrin (9 April 1922 – 21 June 2000) was an English football inside forward and coach. He made 100 appearances as a player for Brentford and was later a member of the coaching staff at Hillingdon Borough for 12 years.

Billy Sperrin
Personal information
Full name William Thomas Sperrin[1]
Date of birth (1922-04-09)9 April 1922
Place of birth Wood Green, England
Date of death 21 June 2000(2000-06-21) (aged 78)[1]
Place of death Sawbridgeworth, England
Height 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)[2]
Position(s) Inside forward
Youth career
Tottenham Hotspur
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Tottenham Hotspur 27 (6)
Clapton Orient (guest)
Fulham (guest)
Millwall (guest)
Bradford Park Avenue (guest)
Brighton & Hove Albion (guest) 2
1943–1944Chelsea (guest) 3 (1)
Finchley
0000–1949 Guildford City
1949–1956 Brentford 90 (27)
Tunbridge Wells United
Hillingdon Borough
North Greenford United
Managerial career
Hillingdon Borough (assistant)
Hillingdon Borough (caretaker)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

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Early years

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An inside forward, Sperrin began his career as an amateur at Second Division club Tottenham Hotspur and also represented Middlesex Schools.[2] His career was interrupted by the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, but he managed to make 27 wartime appearances for the club, scoring six goals.[3] He also played as a guest for Clapton Orient, Fulham, Millwall, Bradford Park Avenue, Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea during the war.[2] After the war, Sperrin dropped into non-league football and had a short spell at Athenian League club Finchley and then spent a season with Southern League club Guildford City.[2]

Brentford

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Sperrin joined Second Division club Brentford in September 1949 and made his debut in a 1–1 draw with Sheffield Wednesday at Griffin Park on 1 October 1949.[2][4] He gradually broke into the team and scored 11 goals in 35 appearances during the 1951–52 season.[4] Sperrin's appearances subsequently tailed off and he made just 23 appearances between August 1952 and his final appearance in September 1956.[4] In 1956, he was jointly awarded a testimonial with George Bristow, Ken Horne and Reg Newton against an International Managers XI.[2] Sperrin made 100 appearances and scored 30 goals during his seven years at Griffin Park.[2]

Non-league football

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Sperrin dropped back into non-league football in 1956, linking up with fellow Brentford departee Reg Newton at Kent League First Division club Tunbridge Wells United.[2] He ended his career with a 14-year spell at Southern League club Hillingdon Borough and finally North Greenford United.[2]

Coaching career

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After his retirement as a player, Sperrin went on to serve Yiewsley (later named Hillingdon Borough) for 12 years in the trainer, coach, assistant manager and caretaker manager roles.[2] As assistant manager, he had the honour of leading the team out for the 1971 FA Trophy final at Wembley Stadium, as player-manager Jim Langley had included himself in the starting lineup.[3]

Personal life

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Sperrin's brother James was also a footballer and the brothers' early careers mirrored each other, with both on the books at Tottenham Hotspur and later signing for Finchley.[3] Sperrin's son Martyn was also a footballer.[3]

Honours

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Hillingdon Borough

Career statistics

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Brentford 1949–50[4] Second Division 14 3 1 0 15 3
1950–51[4] 26 11 1 0 27 11
1951–52[4] 31 9 4 2 35 11
1952–53[4] 12 3 3 0 15 3
1953–54[4] 2 0 1 1 3 1
1954–55[4] Third Division South 3 1 0 0 3 1
1955–56[4] 2 0 0 0 2 0
Career total 90 27 10 3 100 30

References

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  1. ^ a b "Billy Sperrin". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Yore Publications. p. 152. ISBN 978-0955294914.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Football Statistics :: Football History :: 11v11". www.11v11.com. Archived from the original on 1 December 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. pp. 380–383. ISBN 0951526200.