Tremelling Billy Image 2 Preston North End 1936

Description

Newhall, Derbyshire born centre half Billy Tremelling played as a forward at the beginning of his career, but was later played as a centre back. He started his football career with Shirebrook in 1920, playing for  Kirby Colliery in 1921 before joining Mansfield Town the same year, and played for Welbeck Colliery and Retford Town in 1922, and Worksop Town in 1923. Early in 1925 he joined Blackpool, then in the Second Division, making his Football League debut for them in a goalless draw at Manchester United in March 1925. He made one more League appearance in the 1924-25 season, in the very next game (a home victory over Southampton), but missed the final eight games of the season. In 1925-26, he only appeared in three League games, after breaking his leg in a 6-1 defeat at Swansea Town on 25th February 1926.

He made a major impact in 1926-27, with 30 goals in 26 League games. He scored his first goal for Blackpool on 13th November 1926, in a 3-0 victory over Bradford City at Bloomfield Road. He went on to score in the next five games, including a hat-trick in a 6-0 home victory over Clapton Orient on 11th December. He scored another treble in a 4-2 victory at Port Vale on 16th April 1927, the second of Blackpool’s two games in as many days. Tremelling also scored Blackpool’s sole goal in the FA Cup that season, in a 3-1 third-round loss at home to Bolton Wanderers in January 1927.

In 1927-28, Tremelling, under new Blackpool boss Sydney Beaumont, was switched to a defensive position. As such, his goal hauls dried up: he made 22 appearances and scored just four goals that season.Tremelling was returned to the forward line for part of the 1928-29 as new manager Harry Evans struggled to find a partner for Jimmy Hampson. He scored five goals in twelve League appearances.

Back in a defensive role for the 1929-30 campaign, Tremelling helped Blackpool to the Second Division Championship. He made 38 League appearances and scored three goals in the club’s successful season.

Tremelling’s final game for Blackpool was on 6th December 1930, in a 3-1 home defeat by West Ham. He left the club having scored 44 goals in 119 appearances to join arch-rivals Preston North End, themselves still in the Second Division, making his debut the next weekend against Cardiff City and scoring twice in a 7-0 victory. He missed only one match in 1933-34 as Preston won promotion back to the First Division after a nine season absence, and he was an ever present in 1935-36 as Preston, having re-established themselves in the top flight, finished a creditable 7th place.

He scored 12 goals in 230 appearances over his 7 years at Preston, the highlight being his captaining the side in the 1937 FA Cup Final where they were beaten 3-1 by Sunderland in front of 93,000 spectators at Wembley Stadium. However he played only twice more after the Final before his retirement in 1938. After retirement, Tremelling returned to Blackpool as a coach.

He was the younger brother of  goalkeeper Dan Tremelling who also played for Mansfield Town, as well as (mainly) Birmingham City, Bury and England.