William Fraser (born 1903, date of death unknown) was an English professional

footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby le ...

who played at inside forward for Northampton Town and Southampton in the 1920s and 1930s.

Football career

Early career

Fraser was born in

Cowpen Cowpen is an area of Blyth, Northumberland, Blyth and former civil parish, now in the parish of Blyth in the county of Northumberland, England. It is just east of the A189 road. The Ward population taken at the united Kingdom Census 2011, ...

, near Blyth, Northumberland and played for Blyth Spartans as a junior. He then had a spell in the Army, with the Royal Tank Corps before starting his professional career with Northampton Town in November 1926. He spent two seasons with Northampton Town in the Third Division South, making 17 league appearances generally on the right wing, scoring four goals as well as providing scoring chances for

centre forward Forwards (also known as attackers) are outfield positions in an association football team who play the furthest up the pitch and are therefore most responsible for scoring goals as well as assisting them. As with any attacking player, the role ...

s Ernie Cockle and Harry Loasby. He signed for Aldershot, then in the Southern League, in May 1929 but before he made any first team appearances he was transferred to Second Division Southampton in June for a fee of £200.

Southampton

He made his "Saints" debut on 14 December 1929, replacing

Oswald Littler Oswald Littler (15 February 1907 – 21 January 1970) was an English professional footballer who played as an inside-forward for various clubs in the 1920s and 1930s. Football career Littler was born in Billinge, near St Helens and playe ...

at inside right in a 1–1 draw at Reading. Fraser made nine appearances in the No. 8 shirt, before being replaced by

Jerry Mackie James"Jerry'" Mackie (1 January 1894 – 5 January 1959) was a Scottish footballer who played at inside forward for English south coast rivals, Portsmouth and then Southampton in the 1920s and 1930s. Football career Mackie was born in Mother ...

in March. In the 1930–31 season, Fraser took over at

from the injured

Willie Haines Wyndham William Pretoria Haines (14 July 1900 – 5 November 1974) was an English footballer who played at centre-forward for south coast rivals, Portsmouth and then Southampton in the 1920s and 1930s. Club career Haines was born at Warminster ...

after the first match of the season and during a run of thirteen games up front scored six goals before

Johnny McIlwaine John Arkison McIlwaine (12 June 1904 – 24 April 1980) was a Scottish association football, footballer who played as a centre half for Portsmouth F.C., Portsmouth, where he captained the team in the 1929 FA Cup Final, before moving to south coas ...

took over. Fraser then reverted to inside right before being replaced by

Laurie Cumming Laurence Stanley Slater Cumming (10 April 1905 – 19 November 1980) was a professional footballer and journalist, born in Derry, Ireland. Cumming played for Alloa Athletic, Huddersfield Town, Oldham Athletic, Southampton, Queen of the South, S ...

for a few matches before Mackie returned in January, although Fraser played the last five games of the season. By the start of the following season Mackie had retired, and Fraser played at inside forward until Christmas before injury forced him to miss most of the rest of the season. During his absence, manager George Kay tried eight players at No. 8, of which only Frank Osborne played more than four games. According to Holley & Chalk, Fraser "''had considerable ability, (but) suffered acutely from nerves in front of crowds''". In July 1932, he was sold to

Fulham Fulham () is an area of the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham in West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, bordering Hammersmith, Kensington and Chelsea. The area faces Wandsworth ...

for a fee of £500 (together with fellow forwards

Arthur Haddleton Arthur Haddleton (6 April 1910 – 5 January 1971) was an English footballer who played as a centre forward for various clubs in the 1930s. Despite showing promise in the early part of his career, he eventually achieved very little, although he ...

and

Bert Jepson Albert Edward Jepson (9 November 1902 – 18 December 1981) was an English footballer who played as an outside right for Southampton and Brighton & Hove Albion in the 1920s and 1930s. Career Huddersfield Town Jepson was born in Glasshoughton, ...

) as the Saints were in serious financial difficulties and needed to raise funds.

Later career

He joined Fulham in July 1932, but was unable to break into the first team with long-serving Jim Hammond hardly missing a match for seven years. In June 1933, Fraser returned to Northampton Town for one last season, before returning to southern England where he joined

Salisbury City Salisbury City Football Club was an English football club based in Salisbury, Wiltshire. They were formed in 1947 and played at The Raymond McEnhill Stadium. Salisbury had gained back-to-back promotions in recent years, first to the Conference S ...

in 1934, becoming a player-coach in 1935. In 1956, he joined Walton & Hersham as manager.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fraser, Bill 1903 births Year of death missing People from Blyth, Northumberland English men's footballers Men's association football forwards English Football League players Northampton Town F.C. players Aldershot F.C. players Southampton F.C. players Fulham F.C. players Hartlepool United F.C. players Salisbury City F.C. (1905) players Year of death unknown Footballers from Northumberland Walton & Hersham F.C. managers