Leicester Fosse

Signed by George Johnson from Aston Villa where time has shown him to have been some what of a legend at the club. However, his short stint as a Fox didn’t go to plan. He arrived at Fosse very much on his twilight years but his later career he still had plenty to offer. He stayed just seven weeks and failed to score in the six games he played in. He was signed by one of Villa’s local rivals West Bromwich Albion, where he enjoyed better fortunes in front of goal.

Debut v Bristol City (H) 12.9.08

A veteran goalscoring centre-forward who had been capped for England against Wales in 1903, and won both League Championship (1900) and F.A. Cup (1905) medals from his 256 game, 111 goal career with Villa, Billy stayed with Fosse only a matter of some seven weeks when signed to augment their First Division forces.

He was hardly over the hill, though – his twenty goals for West Bromwich Albion over the next two years evidenced that – and the wisdom of Fosse letting him go (at £270, representing £20 profit) has to be questioned in view of their subsequent nosedive to relegation. They had lost only once with Billy in the side, despite his own inability to score for Leicester.

Appearances

Date Competition Opposition Result Start Sub Goals

1 12.09.1908 Division One (old) Bristol City (H) 1 – 1
2 19.09.1908 Division One (old) Preston North End (A) 1 – 0
3 26.09.1908 Division One (old) Middlesbrough (H) 1 – 1
4 03.10.1908 Division One (old) Manchester City (A) 2 – 5
5 10.10.1908 Division One (old) Liverpool (H) 3 – 2
6 24.10.1908 Division One (old) Sheffield United (H) 1 – 1