William Crawford (rugby player)
| Full name | William Ernest Crawford | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 17 November 1891 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Belfast, Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 12 January 1959 (aged 67) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Position(s) | Full back | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Points) |
| 19xx-19xx 19xx-19xx 192x-192x 192x-192x 192x-192x 1926-1928 |
Malone Cliftonville Cardiff Lansdowne Bohemians Athlone Town |
() | |
| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Points) |
| 1920-1927 192x-192x |
Ireland Barbarians |
30 ? |
(18) (?) |
William Ernest Crawford (17 November 1891 – 12 January 1959) also known as Ernie Crawford was an Ireland rugby union international during the 1920s. He was also a noted soccer player and was included in the Ireland squad for the 1924 Olympic Football Tournament.
While living in Belfast, Crawford played rugby union for Malone and soccer for Cliftonville. After moving to Dublin, he maintained his interest in both codes. He was club captain at Lansdowne for the 1921-22 and 1922-23 seasons, taking over from Noel Purcell. At the same time he also played soccer for Bohemians and became something of a cult hero at the club when, after a Metropolitan Cup game against Shamrock Rovers, he removed his jersey and challenged Bob Fullam to a fight! This episode is still recalled by Bohemians fans in the chant:
"Ernie Crawford, he's our friend,
He's our friend, he's our friend
Ernie Crawford, he's our friend
He hates Rovers"
Due to his rugby union commitments and the presence of fellow full backs, Jack McCarthy and Bertie Kerr, Crawford was never a first choice in the Bohemians senior team, but he did play regularly for their second team in the Leinster Senior League. During the 1926–27 and 1927–28 seasons Crawford would also assist Athlone Town on a number of occasions, especially when they visited Dublin.
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