English footballer
William Edmunds (23 January 1898 – 6 November 1964) was an English professional footballer who played as a centre forward in the Football League for Darlington.[1] He also played non-league football in the north-east of England for clubs including Shildon, Spennymoor United and Trimdon Grange.
Life and career
Edmunds was born in Trimdon Grange, County Durham, the third child of James Edmunds, a coal miner, and his wife Sarah.[5] He played North-Eastern League football for clubs including Shildon[6] and Spennymoor United[7] before, at the age of 23, signing for Darlington ahead of their first season in the Football League.[8] A "towering centre forward",[9] Edmunds went straight into the first eleven for the opening match, at home to Halifax Town in the newly formed Third Division North.[8] He scored a late consolation goal in a 5–1 loss in the reverse fixture,[10] but was left out in favour of George Stevens for the next match, a 7–0 defeat of Chesterfield,[11] and dropped into the reserves.
A scoring spree in the North-Eastern League after Christmas[12] earned him a recall to the first team.[13] He duly scored three times as Darlington beat Tranmere Rovers 4–1 at home,[14] and played in the next five matches, scoring twice (against Stalybridge Celtic and Wigan Borough) before returning to the reserves.[15] At the end of the season, he played on the losing side in the Durham Senior Cup final against Sunderland reserves.[16]
At the time of the 1939 Register, Edmunds was working as a mental nurse at Winterton Hospital, Sedgefield.[2] He died in Trimdon Village in 1964 at the age of 66.[3]
References