Big Bill Henderson is remembered by players and spectators alike as being a bit of a character—chuckling to himself as he went to retrieve the ball from behind the goal as it narrowly missed the target. That he had as many as 20 appearances may be more to do with Wilf Birkett’s persistent injuries than with his own ability. He had moved to Dumfries at an early age and joined the local club, Queen of the South, just before the Second World War. He did his best work during the war when a Military Policeman in the Army, playing in Tommy Walker’s touring team in India. He had a good run at Rochdale until losing his place after the Charlton Athletic Cup-tie. He played little football after leaving Southport and after a spell working for the Air Ministry, he became a progress chaser in an aircraft works. Recurrent attacks of malaria from his time in Burma led to the collapse of a lung and he died two weeks after admission to Macclesfield Hospital at the age of 45.

Profile reproduced with Permission from:
The Sandgrounders: The Complete League History of Southport F. C., by Michael Braham and Geoff Wilde (Palatine Books, 1995). ISBN 978-1-874181-14-9