Billy Elson

For other people named William Elson, see William Elson (disambiguation).

Billy Elson

Personal information
Full name	William Elson
Date of birth	1865
Place of birth	Burslem, England
Date of death	1937 (aged 71–72)
Position	Half-back
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1886–1894	Burslem Port Vale	97	(6)
	West Manchester
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

William Elson (1865 – 1937) was an English footballer. He played 240 games and scored 15 goals for Burslem Port Vale; however, 114 of these games were friendlies.

Career

Elson most likely joined Burslem Port Vale in the summer of 1886. After a slow start, he became a regular from January 1888 and was in the side that shared the North Staffordshire Charity Challenge Cup in 1891. He played 16 Second Division games in 1892–93, in what was the club's first season in the English Football League. He played 26 league games in the 1893–94 season. He scored his first Football League goal at the Athletic Ground on 4 December, in a 6–1 victory over Grimsby Town. Five days later, after a match at Crewe Alexandra he was physically attacked. At that point, he challenged the crowd to "come on" one by one. On 13 January, he claimed another goal in a 5–3 defeat at Burton Swifts. He transferred to West Manchester in the summer of 1894.

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Burslem Port Vale	1886–87	–	0	0	2	0	9	1	11	1
	1887–88	–	0	0	1	0	19	1	20	1
	1888–89	Combination	19	0	0	0	20	1	39	1
	1889–90	–	0	0	1	0	39	4	40	4
	1890–91	Midland League	20	2	2	1	24	0	46	3
	1891–92	Midland League	16	2	0	0	20	0	36	2
	1892–93	Second Division	16	0	1	0	2	1	19	1
	1893–94	Second Division	26	2	1	0	2	0	29	2
	Total		97	6	8	1	135	8	240	15

Honours

Port Vale

• North Staffordshire Charity Challenge Cup: 1891 (shared)