Peake Billy Image 2 Bury 1921

Description

Bolton, Lancashire born inside right and later right half/centre half Billy Peake had started his football career with Northern Nomads in 1907 joining Eccles Borough in 1908, from where he moved to First Division club `Sheffield United the following year, making his Football League debut at Bolton Wanderers in January 1910. He played three seasons at Bramall Lane scoring 6 goals in 27 appearances for The Blades before a move to Second Division club Bury in the summer of 1912. He became a first team regular at Gigg Lane and scored hat-tricks in matches against Bristol City and Barnsley in the latter months of 1913,  playing both sides of the First World War which severely interrupted his career,

Peake served in The Royal Garrison Artillery and was wounded during the conflict, also playing Army football and as a wartime guest for Tottenham Hotspur before returning to Gigg Lane after the conflict. He played his last game for Bury in March 1922 having scored 41 goals in 181 games, before moving to non league Newcross in 1922. He subsequently played for Cheshire League club Macclesfield in 1923, where he scored 4 goals in 40 matches during 1923-24 and finally joined Manchester North End in 1924 before his eventual retirement.