Woodward Billy Image 1 Chesterfield 1936

Description

West Auckland, County Durham born inside forward Billy Woodward began his football career with Evenwood Colliery in 1927 and played for Chilton Colliery Recreation Athletic in 1928 before spending part of 1929-30 on the books of Newcastle United, without making their first eleven. He played for West Stanley in 1929 and Crook Town in 1930 before joining Spennymoor United in early 1931, joining Third Division (South) Exeter City in the summer. He made his Football League debut against Fulham at St James’ Park in September of that year, but was unable to win a regular place in the team. Released at the end of the 1931-32 season having scored 3 goals in 8 appearances for The Grecians, Woodward joined Bath City.

Later in the 1932-33 season he joined Manchester United, where he didn’t make the first team, before joining Tranmere Rovers in 1933. He had three full seasons at Prenton Park, scoring a hat-trick on his debut in a 5-0 win over Southport in August 1933, and second top scoring with 19 goals to the prolific Bunny Bell in 1935-36, as Tranmere finished third in the Third Division (North), before joining Second Division Chesterfield in the 1936 close season. At Saltergate he scored a hat-trick in a 7-1 win over Bradford City in March 1937 but lost his place in 1937-38, playing infrequently, and joined Stockport County in January 1938 after 13 goals in 30 appearances for The Spireites. However he made only 7 appearances for County as they were relegated from the Second Division come the end of the season, and was released in the summer of 1938.