Billy Whitehurst

Billy Whitehurst
Personal information
Full name William Whitehurst[1]
Date of birth (1959-06-10) 10 June 1959[1]
Place of birth Thurnscoe, West Riding of Yorkshire, England[1]
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Playing position Striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1977–1978 Retford Town
1978–1980 Bridlington Trinity
1980 Mexborough Town
1980–1985 Hull City 193 (47)
1985–1986 Newcastle United 28 (7)
1986–1988 Oxford United 40 (4)
1988 Reading 17 (8)
1988 Sunderland 17 (3)
1988–1990 Hull City 36 (5)
1990–1991 Sheffield United 22 (2)
1990 → Stoke City (loan) 3 (0)
1991–1992 Doncaster Rovers 22 (1)
1992 → Crewe Alexandra (loan) 10 (0)
1992 St George-Budapest 11 (4)
1992 Hatfield Main
1992 Kettering Town 4 (0)
1992 Goole Town
1992 Stafford Rangers 2 (0)
1992 Mossley 2 (0)
1993 Glentoran 6 (4)
1993 South China 4 (1)
1993–1994 Voicelink
1994–1995 Frickley Athletic

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.


William "Billy" Whitehurst (born 10 June 1959)[2] is an English retired professional footballer active during the 1980s and 1990s. Whitehurst's robust style of play attracted much notoriety and he is considered by many to have been the hardest player to have played the game.[3]

Career

Whitehurst was born in Thurnscoe, West Riding of Yorkshire and started his career playing for a number of semi-professional teams in South Yorkshire, Retford Town, Bridlington Trinity and Mexborough Town, whilst also working for the local council as a bricklayer.[3] He eventually made the move into the professional ranks with Hull City in 1980 signing for a £2,000 fee.[3] He initially struggled with the demands of the professional game but eventually sealed his place as one of the most popular players to have ever played for the club.[3] He helped the Tigers win promotion in 1982–83 and 1984–85 with Whitehurst scoring a career best of 24 goals.

His upturn in form had not gone un-noticed and he joined Newcastle United in 1985 as their then record signing for £232,000. Despite playing in a side containing Peter Beardsley and Paul Gascoigne, the move did not work out and Whitehurst failed to score in his first 11 appearances for the club. A spat with his own supporters signalled the end of his career on Tyneside and after playing only 28 league games he was transferred to Oxford United in 1986. However the move there was similarly short-lived, and Whitehurst left after a clash with assistant manager Ray Graydon.

He then joined Reading in February 1988 scoring eight goals in 19 matches for the Royals he left for Sunderland scoring three in 18 matches before making a return to Hull City. Whitehurst spent a year and a half back at Boothferry Park before joining Sheffield United. Whitehurst helped the Blades gain promotion in 1989–90 and spent a short time out on loan at Stoke City in 1990–91 where he played in five matches.[1] Whitehurst ended his professional career at Doncaster Rovers during which time he also played on loan for Crewe Alexandra.

However, Whitehurst's hard man persona and colourful off field antics ensured he always caused a reaction and cemented his place as something of a cult figure within the game. Whitehurst ended his playing days abroad, playing in Northern Ireland, Australia and in Hong Kong with South China (1992–93) before a long-standing knee injury caused his retirement in 1993.

After football

Since leaving the game Whitehurst has trained greyhounds, ran several public houses in his native South Yorkshire and worked in the building trade and in the stores at BP Saltend and Drax Power Station. In 2008, he was found guilty of benefit fraud and given a suspended prison sentence.[4]

Career statistics

Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other[A] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Hull City 1980–81 Third Division 261000000261
1981–82 Fourth Division 366522031469
1982–83 Fourth Division 363202131435
1983–84 Third Division 37102120504611
1984–85 Third Division 40201033214624
1985–86 Second Division 1871032332512
Total 1934711312616623262
Newcastle United 1985–86 First Division 207100000287
1986–87 First Division 80002000100
Total 287102000387
Oxford United 1986–87 First Division 202100012224
1987–88 First Division 202105010272
Total 404205022496
Reading 1987–88 Second Division 156000000156
1988–89 Third Division 2200200042
Total 178002000198
Sunderland 1988–89 Second Division 173000010183
Total 173000010183
Hull City 1988–89 Second Division 215320000247
1989–90 Second Division 150100000160
Total 365420000407
Sheffield United 1989–90 Second Division 142000000142
1990–91 First Division 8000001090
Total 222000010232
Stoke City (loan) 1990–91 Third Division 3020000050
Total 3020000050
Doncaster Rovers 1990–91 Fourth Division 131000000131
1991–92 Fourth Division 90212200133
Total 221212200264
Crewe Alexandra 1991–92 Fourth Division 100000010110
Total 100000010110
Career Total 3887722623821845499
A. ^ The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals in the Football League Group Cup, Football League Trophy, Full Members Cup.

Honours

Hull City
Sheffield United

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Lowe, Simon (2000). Stoke City The Modern Era – A Complete Record. Desert Island Books. ISBN 1-874287-39-2.
  2. ↑ Peterson, Mike (2005). A Century of City. Harefield: Yore Publications. p. 156. ISBN 0-9547830-7-7.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "The Harder They Come: Big Billy Whitehurst". The Daisy Cutter. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  4. ↑ "Footballer on a pounds 12k fraud rap". The Mirror. Retrieved 18 April 2013.

External links

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