McMillan Billy Image 1 Belfast Celtic 1935

Description

Carrickfergus, County Antrim born right back Billy McMillan was regarded as the best right back in Irish League football in the years either side of the Second World War. He began his senior football career with Belfast Celtic, joining them in 1932 and he remained with the club until the tragic events that forced them to withdraw from the Irish League in 1949. During his time with Belfast Celtic he was five times an Irish League champion and four times an Irish Cup winner, with numerous other minor trophies gained.

In 1936 he was a member of the Celtic reserve team that reached the Final of the County Antrim Shield, only to lose 1-0 to the senior Celtic team. He subsequently established himself as a regular member of the senior team, playing alongside the likes of Jimmy McAlinden, Jackie Vernon, Charlie Tully, Tom Aherne, Robin Lawler, Jimmy Jones and Johnny Campbell. During the 1930’s and 1940’s this Celtic team dominated Irish football. During the summer of 1949 McMillan also played with Celtic on their tour of North America. Other members of the touring party included Aherne, Lawler, Campbell, guest player Mick O’Flanagan and manager Elisha Scott. These were the last games Belfast Celtic played before the club disbanded. The highlight of the 10 game tour came on 29th May when Celtic beat Scotland 2–0 at Triborough Stadium.

McMillan could consider himself unfortunate to never gain full international recognition from the Irish FA. He did play for Ireland in an 8-4 War-Time “international” defeat by the Combined Services (essentially a Great Britain XI side featuring the cream of available talent such as Matt Busby, Stanley Matthews, Stan Mortenson and Tommy Lawton) at Windsor Park in September 1944. McMillan was also selected at number two for for all three of Ireland’s post-war Victory Internationals through the 1945-46 season although these are considered unofficial.

Full international recognition did not completely elude McMillan, as he was one of four Northern-born players included in the Eire side that toured the Iberian Peninsula in June 1946. The FAI was attempting to affirm their claim that they represented the whole of the island of Ireland as the IFA had done from its inception. The tour was quite a success for the FAI as their team lost out 3-1 to Portugal and recorded a surprise 1-0 win over Spain. He also represented The Irish League on 4 occasions between 1947 and 1948.

He joined Ballymena United after the demise of Celtic in August 1949 but only stayed two seasons before joining Crusaders in 1951, retiring in 1953.  In March 1955 he was appointed as coach at Distillery.