Billy Spencer
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | William Spencer | ||
| Date of birth | 15 May 1902 | ||
| Place of birth | Nelson, England | ||
| Date of death | 1969 (aged 66–67) | ||
| Playing position | Full-back | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1924 | Hebden Bridge | ||
| 1925–1938 | Stoke City | 338 | (0) |
| 1938 | Crewe Alexandra | 3 | (0) |
| Total | 341 | (0) | |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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William "Billy" Spencer (15 May 1902 – 1969) was an English footballer who played in the Football League for Crewe Alexandra and Stoke City.
Spencer was born in Nelson and played amateur for West Riding League side Hebden Bridge whilst working in a mill. He joined Stoke City in December 1924, turning professional in April 1925. Spencer replaced the long-serving Alec Milne midway through the 1925–26 season slotting into a leaky defence and relegation to the Third Division was unavoidable. Stoke won the Third Division North title in 1926–27 with Spencer forming a formidable partnership with Bob McGrory. Spencer's positional play complemented McGrory's tough-tackling, however despite their on-field empathy it was rumoured that the pair did not get along off it with Spencer easily riled by McGrory's stubbornness. Despite any-off the pitch frictions the partnership lasted for ten seasons although they both missed most of the 1931–32 season due to injury, Spencer suffering a broken leg on the opening day of the season against Chesterfield.
After recovering from his injury he helped Stoke to gain promotion to the First Division in 1932–33. When McGrory became manager in 1935–36 he moved Spencer out to right-back to accommodate the emerging Charlie Scrimshaw and Spencer's form suffered as a result. After losing his place midway through the 1935–36 season to Bill Winstanley, Spencer became a player-coach with the reserves where he spent the next two seasons. He then moved to Crewe Alexandra for £750 in June 1938 when he played just three matches before deciding to retire. In total he played 354 games for Stoke City and without managing to score goal.
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