McNaughton Bill Image 1 Hull City 1934

Description

Poplar, London born centre forward Bill McNaughton began his football career with Barking Town from where he signed for Third Division (South) club Millwall in May 1925, spending 1925-26 on the books at The Den without making a first team appearance. He joined Southern League club Peterborough & Fletton United in 1926 from where he was signed by Third Division (South) club Northampton Town in May 1928, making his Football League debut at Luton Town that September, one of 3 appearances he made in his debut season. He remained on the fringes at The County Ground during 1929-30 before a move to Gateshead in August 1930, where with a regular place he displayed his knack in front of goal.

He top scored with 27 and 22 goals respectively in both of his seasons at Redheugh Park, and in September 1931 achieved the feat of scoring 4 goals in successive matches within 4 days when he 8 of Gateshead’s 10 goals against Barrow and York City. Such feats led to his being signed by Hull City in June 1932 after 49 goals in 69 matches for Gateshead, and it was at Boothferry Park that he really lit the blue touch paper, scoring 41 goals in their 1932-33 campaign to fire The Tigers to the Third Division (North) Championship, a total that included 4 goals against Barnsley and hat-tricks against Southport and Mansfield Town.

He was an ever present in their 1933-34 campaign scoring 16 goals but his rate of scoring dropped away after New Year and he lost his place in the new season before a transfer to Stockport County in October 1934 after 59 goals in 92 matches for Hull City, where he was a regular goalscorer over two seasons and scored 5 in a match against Mansfield Town in December 1935. He then joined North Eastern League club Walker Celtic in the summer of 1936 after 35 goals in 57 matches for The Hatters, also playing for The City of Durham in 1937 before his eventual retirement.