Billy Leech
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | William Leech | ||
| Date of birth | 15 July 1875 | ||
| Place of birth | Newcastle-under-Lyme, England | ||
| Date of death | 24 November 1934 (aged 59) | ||
| Place of death | Leicester, England | ||
| Playing position | Left-half | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Newcastle White Star | |||
| Newcastle Swifts | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| Tottenham Hotspur | ? | (?) | |
| 1899–1900 | Burslem Port Vale | 26 | (1) |
| 1900–1902 | Stoke | 46 | (2) |
| 1903–1906 | Plymouth Argyle | 137 | (7) |
| 1906–1910 | Leicester Fosse | 84 | (3) |
| Total | 293+ | (13+) | |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. | |||
William Leech (15 July 1875 – 24 November 1934) was an English footballer who played for Burslem Port Vale, Leicester Fosse, Plymouth Argyle, Stoke and Tottenham Hotspur. He made over 300 competitive appearances in a career lasting over 11 years. A left-half, his greatest achievement was to help Leicester to win promotion out of the Second Division in 1906–07.
Leech played for local sides Newcastle White Star and Newcastle Swifts before joining London side Tottenham Hotspur. He left "Spurs" in June 1899 to join Burslem Port Vale back in his native Staffordshire. He made his Vale debut in a 2–0 loss to Leicester Fosse at Filbert Street on 30 September, and became a regular first team player from the following month. He made 26 Second Division and four FA Cup appearances in the 1899–1900 campaign, scoring once in a 4–0 win over Chesterfield at Saltergate (Howard Harvey claimed the other three).
After one season at Burslem Port Vale, Leech joined local rivals Stoke in the First Division, and he took over the centre half position from the injured Edward Parsons. He played in 36 matches for the "Potters" in 1900–01, scoring twice against Derby County and West Bromwich Albion. His run in the first team was ended in February 1902 after breaking his leg against Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup, and he was allowed to leave the club.
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