Chivers William Image 1 Stockport County 1913

Description

Atherton, Lancashire born wing half William Chivers began his football career with Lowton St Mary’s and played for Hindley Central in 1911 from where he was signed by Second Division Stockport County in October 1912, making his Football League debut the same month at right half in a defeat at Leeds City. He didn’t play again for The Hatters’ first team until just before the New Year when he played 5 of their next 6 matches at centre forward, but he reverted to left half when he came back into the side in March 1913, scoring his only career goal in a 3-3 draw with Hull City and playing 15 matches in total during the campaign. He only featured in 7 more matches for Stockport during the autumn of 1913, all but one playing at right half, before joining non league Eccles Borough in late 1913, and the following summer he moved to Southern League club Merthyr Town before the onset of the First World War forced the suspension of peacetime football in May 1915.

After the War he perhaps resumed with Merthyr Town before joining Newport County in June 1920, but he spent 1920-21 on the books at Somerton Park without appearing for their first team. After a significant gap in his career he returned to Football League action in August 1927 joining Swindon Town, and played once for The Robins in a defeat at Coventry City the following month. He then joined Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic in November and played once for The Cherries, in a 4-3 win over Bristol Rovers early the next month. After a trial with Wigan Borough in 1928 he joined Irish League club Bangor in 1929, where he played out his career.

NB the photograph was taken on the pitch at St Andrews before the match with Birmingham on 3rd September  1913.