Yenson Billy Image 4 West Ham United 1908

Kingston Bagpuize, Berkshire born centre forward Philip “Billy” Yenson played junior football for Ferndale and Stanley before joining Southern League West Ham United in May 1900, making his debut at Watford in October 1901, making 25 appearances for The Irons at centre half before joining Second Division Bolton Wanderers in May 1903. At Bolton he made his Football League debut at centre half against Bristol City at the end of October 1903, but from his second appearance on Christmas Day, scoring in a 5-1 victory over Barnsley, he played at centre forward. He scored twice in six FA Cup ties as Bolton reached the 1904 FA Cup Final, where they were beaten 1-0 by Manchester City at The Crystal Palace.

The following season he lost his place in the side in November and only played twice more as Bolton won promotion to the top flight, finishing as Second Division runners up but in May 1905 he returned to London to join Southern League Queen’s Park Rangers after 10 goals in 34 appearances for The Trotters. Reverting mainly once again to centre half, he became club captain at Rangers and led them to the Southern League Championship in 1907-08, scoring 4 goal in 94 appearances in his three seasons at Loftus Road. He then returned to West Ham United in May 1908, making another 32 appearances for The Irons during a single season at Upton Park.

In the close season of 1909 he joined Croydon Common, with whom he played for six seasons until the First World War forced the suspension of peacetime football, winning the Second Division of the Southern League in 1913-14 with The Commoners before an injury early in the 1914-15 season ended his Commoners career after 13 goals in 151 appearances.