William Simpson (1878–1962) 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 lea ...

who made 143 appearances in

the Football League The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, it is the oldest football league in the world, and was the top-level football league in England from ...

playing for

Sunderland Sunderland () is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It is a port at the mouth of the River Wear on the North Sea, approximately south-east of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is the most p ...

and Lincoln City. He played as a left back or centre half.

Life and career

Simpson was born in

, which was then in

County Durham County Durham, officially simply Durham, is a ceremonial county in North East England.UK General Acts 1997 c. 23Lieutenancies Act 1997 Schedule 1(3). From legislation.gov.uk, retrieved 6 April 2022. The county borders Northumberland and Tyne an ...

, and played football for

Wearside League The Wearside Football League is a non-league football competition based in northern England. It consists of three divisions which sits at steps 7 to 9 of the National League System (levels 11 to 13 of the Football pyramid) and is a feeder to the ...

club Selbourne before beginning his professional career with

Sunderland A.F.C. Sunderland Association Football Club is a professional football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England. The team compete in the Premier League, the top tier of the English football league system. Formed in 1879, the club has won si ...

He played only three times in the

First Division 1st Division or First Division may refer to: Military Airborne divisions *1st Parachute Division (Germany) *1st Airborne Division (United Kingdom) * 1st Airmobile Division (Ukraine) * 1st Guards Airborne Division Armoured divisions *1st Armoure ...

, all in the 1898–99 season, and scored once, the winning goal five minutes from time as Sunderland won 2–1 at Bury. He remained with the club until 1902, when he moved to Second Division club Lincoln City. He spent six seasons with Lincoln, making 151 appearances in senior competition, without scoring. Simpson died in 1962.

References

1878 births 1962 deaths Footballers from Sunderland English men's footballers Men's association football forwards Sunderland A.F.C. players Lincoln City F.C. players English Football League players Date of birth missing Date of death missing Place of death missing {{England-footy-defender-1870s-stub