Billy Tunnicliffe

William Francis Tunnicliffe (5 January 1920 – 1997) was a professional footballer who played outside-left at Port Vale, Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic, Wrexham, Bradford City, and Stafford Rangers. He made 377 league appearances in the Football League, mostly for Wrexham.

For the footballer for Stoke, see Billy Tunnicliffe (footballer, born 1864).

Billy Tunnicliffe
Personal information
Full name William Francis Tunnicliffe[1]
Date of birth (1920-01-05)5 January 1920[1]
Place of birth Stoke-on-Trent, England[1]
Date of death 1997 (aged 76–77)
Height 5 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1.74 m)[2]
Position(s) Outside-left
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1937–1938 Port Vale 3 (0)
1938–1947 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 49 (7)
1947–1953 Wrexham 236 (74)
1953–1955 Bradford City 89 (20)
Stafford Rangers
Total 377+ (101+)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

Tunnicliffe joined Port Vale in January 1937, and made his debut at The Old Recreation Ground in a 2–1 victory over Rotherham United on 6 February.[1] He played one further game in the Third Division North in the 1936–37 season, and featured in one league and one FA Cup game in the 1937–38 campaign.[1] He was given a free transfer to Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic in May 1938.[1] The "Cherries" finished 15th in the Third Division South in 1938–39, before competitive football was put on hold throughout World War II. He returned to Port Vale as a guest in October 1939, and scored ten goals in twenty games of the 1939–40 season, before departing again in April 1940.[1] He also guested for Chester and Reading, before returning to Bournemouth.[1] Under the stewardship of Harry Kinghorn, Bournemouth finished seventh in 1946–47. Tunnicliffe scored seven goals in 49 league games at Dean Court, before switching to Welsh club Wrexham. The "Dragons" finished third in the Third Division North in 1947–48, though were ten points behind champions Lincoln City. They dropped down to ninth place in 1948–49, before finishing just two places and one point ahead of bottom club York City in 1949–50. After manager Les McDowall was replaced by Peter Jackson, Wrexham rose to 14th position in 1950–51, and posted an 18th-place finish in 1951–52. Tunnicliffe scored a hat-trick against Chester City on 26 September 1951.[3] Wrexham made a genuine bid for promotion in the 1952–53 season, but again finished in third place, just three points behind leaders Oldham Athletic. In total, Tunnicliffe made 236 league appearances, scoring 74 goals in his six years at the Racecourse Ground. In 1953 he signed for league rivals Bradford City, where he spent two-and-a-half seasons, scoring 20 goals in 89 league matches. Ivor Powell's "Citizens" finished fifth in 1953–54, before dropping down to 21st position in 1954–55; Tunnicliffe finished as the "Bantams" top-scorer in 1954–55, despite only finding the net seven times during the campaign. He then left both Valley Parade and the Football League to join Cheshire County League side Stafford Rangers.

Career statistics

Source:[4]

Club Season Division League Other Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Port Vale 1936–37 Third Division North 201131
1937–38 Third Division North 202040
Total 403171
Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 1938–39 Third Division South 40640446
1939–40 003131
1946–47 Third Division South 10131131
Total 507102608
Wrexham 1947–48 Third Division North 4221224423
1948–49 Third Division North 4211104311
1949–50 Third Division North 407334310
1950–51 Third Division North 4513204713
1951–52 Third Division North 4213214414
1952–53 Third Division North 25930289
Total 2367413624980
Bradford City 1952–53 Third Division North 000000
1953–54 Third Division North 000000
1954–55 Third Division North 000000
Total 8920729622
Career total 3781013211410112

References
  1. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 294. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0. ASIN 0952915200.
  2. "Billy Tunnicliffe | Player Statistics | Wrexham (Wrexham AFC Archive)". www.wrexhamafcarchive.co.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  3. "Hat-trick Heroes | Wrexham (Wrexham AFC Archive)". www.wrexhamafcarchive.co.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  4. Billy Tunnicliffe at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
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