Billy Houliston
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | William Houliston | ||
| Date of birth | 4 April 1921 | ||
| Place of birth | Maxwelltown, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland | ||
| Date of death | 10 February 1999 (aged 77) | ||
| Playing position | Centre forward | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1945–1952 | Queen of the South | 120 | (60) |
| 1952–1953 | Berwick Rangers | ||
| 1953 | Third Lanark | 1 | (0) |
| National team | |||
| 1948–1949 | Scotland | 3 | (2) |
| 1948–1949 | Scottish Football League XI | 4 | (3) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
|||
William "Billy" Houliston (4 April 1921 – 10 February 1999) was a Scottish footballer who played for Crichton, Queen of the South, Berwick Rangers, Third Lanark and the Scotland national team.
He was born in Maxwelltown, at Westpark Cottages, where he lived for a short while before his family moved to a house at the Crichton in Dumfries. Houliston played for Brownhall Primary School in the Dumfries and District Primary School League at centre half. Houliston played for the League in cup matches against other areas. Houliton's secondary school was Dumfries High School where he played only occasionally. On leaving school Houliston stopped playing completely.
Aged 17 working as a nurse at the Crichton Royal Hospital Houliston started playing again. It was playing for the Crichton team that Houliston moved from defence to attack playing at either inside or centre forward.
In 1941 Billy Houliston was called up for national service. Houliston joined RAF Coastal Command as a wireless operator. In his 4 years service Houliston was attached to 16 different stations where he represented each at football. Playing in the Arbroath area the local side offered to sign him. On leave back in Dumfries Houliston declined the offer when taking the offer of a trial game for Queen of the South reserves.
After an unremarkable debut against Falkirk 'A' Houliston scored in the 4-1 victory over Celtic reserves. Like many that he was to score his goal was eye-catching. Chasing a long ball upfield Houliston beat Kelly in the Celtic defence. Houliston then drew the Celtic keeper out and chipped the ball over the goalie's outstretched leg and ran around him. With the keeper stranded putting the ball into the net was a formality. Houliston was offered a contract.
A month later Houliston made his first team debut a month later, 13 October 1945 away to Morton.
Nicknamed "Basher" from his 'afraid of no one' style, Houliston was the idol of Palmerston Park in the late 1940s. His all action style made him a handful for defences everywhere.
...
Wikipedia