Player Details

Billy 'Salty' Halsall

Real Name: William Halsall
Normal Position: Goalkeeper
Born: 02/05/1897 (Birkdale, Southport)
Died: 23/01/1968 (Spring Valley, New York, USA)

Heritage Number: 405
Debut Match*: 27/12/1919 v Manchester United (Central League)
Last Match*: 11/10/1930 v Barrow (Football League)
* Qualifying Games

A first-team regular throughout the 1920s, he was one of the safest and most consistent ‘keepers in the Northern Section during this period. Known as ‘Salty’—a name that arose when he and his brothers went sea-bathing—he was an ever-present in 1922–23 and 1923–24, accumulating 103 consecutive League appearances. Surprisingly, he had played at either outside-left or centre-forward for his regiment during World War I. He possessed fine anticipation and his judgement was rarely at fault when rushing fearlessly out of his goal. Having displaced the experienced Frank Drabble early in 1921–22, he remained a one-club man, declining offers to join several First Division sides. His greatest performance came in his 350th first-team game—an F.A. Cup-tie at Bradford—when his skill and daring captivated the Park Avenue crowd. He made a record pre-war 334 League appearances, totalling almost 500 in all games, until forced to give up football through back injury. He later worked on the railways and was the guard when the last passenger train left the old Lord Street station in January 1952. After retiring, he settled in the United States where he lived with his daughter until his death at 70.

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

Season: 1920/1921 [Back to Player Stats]
The player made an appearance in the following games:

Date	Home Club	Away Club	Score	Competition	Round	Match Date	Heritage Qualifying	Void
28/08/1920	Oldham Athletic Reserves	Southport	1 - 0	Central League		28/08/1920	Yes	No
30/08/1920	Bury Reserves	Southport	0 - 1	Central League		30/08/1920	Yes	No
04/09/1920	Southport	Oldham Athletic Reserves	0 - 2	Central League		04/09/1920	Yes	No
07/09/1920	Southport	Bury Reserves	1 - 1	Central League		07/09/1920	Yes	No
11/09/1920	Manchester City Reserves	Southport	5 - 1	Central League		11/09/1920	Yes	No
14/09/1920	Southport	Huddersfield Town Reserves	1 - 3	Central League		14/09/1920	Yes	No
18/09/1920	Southport	Manchester City Reserves	2 - 2	Central League		18/09/1920	Yes	No
02/10/1920	Southport	Rochdale	5 - 0	Central League		02/10/1920	Yes	No
09/10/1920	Bolton Wanderers Reserves	Southport	2 - 1	Central League		09/10/1920	Yes	No
16/10/1920	Southport	Bolton Wanderers Reserves	0 - 1	Central League		16/10/1920	Yes	No
23/10/1920	Southport	Blackpool Reserves	1 - 1	Central League		23/10/1920	Yes	No
30/10/1920	Southport	Blackpool Reserves	0 - 5	Central League		30/10/1920	Yes	No
06/11/1920	Southport	Blackburn Rovers Reserves	3 - 1	Central League		06/11/1920	Yes	No
13/11/1920	Southport	Nelson	3 - 1	Lancashire Junior Cup	2	13/11/1920	No	No
20/11/1920	Tranmere Rovers	Southport	1 - 0	FA Cup	Qualifying 4	20/11/1920	Yes	No
27/11/1920	Huddersfield Town Reserves	Southport	2 - 0	Central League		27/11/1920	Yes	No
02/12/1920	Blackburn Rovers Reserves	Southport	6 - 1	Central League		02/12/1920	Yes	No
04/12/1920	Southport	Stockport County Reserves	6 - 0	Central League		04/12/1920	Yes	No
11/12/1920	Southport	Leyland	4 - 1	Lancashire Junior Cup	3	11/12/1920	No	No
13/12/1920	Stockport County Reserves	Southport	1 - 4	Central League		13/12/1920	Yes	No
18/12/1920	Southport	Bradford City Reserves	1 - 2	Central League		18/12/1920	Yes	No
25/12/1920	Southport	Everton Reserves	0 - 5	Central League		25/12/1920	Yes	No
27/12/1920	Everton Reserves	Southport	3 - 1	Central League		27/12/1920	Yes	No
01/01/1921	Bradford City Reserves	Southport	4 - 1	Central League		01/01/1921	Yes	No
08/01/1921	Southport	Manchester United Reserves	1 - 3	Central League		08/01/1921	Yes	No
15/01/1921	Chorley	Southport	4 - 1	Lancashire Junior Cup	Semi Final	15/01/1921	No	No
26/02/1921	Southport	Liverpool Reserves	1 - 2	Central League		26/02/1921	Yes	No
05/03/1921	Liverpool Reserves	Southport	1 - 2	Central League		05/03/1921	Yes	No
12/03/1921	Southport	Port Vale Reserves	2 - 0	Central League		12/03/1921	Yes	No
19/03/1921	Port Vale Reserves	Southport	1 - 4	Central League		19/03/1921	Yes	No
25/03/1921	Southport	Nelson	1 - 0	Central League		25/03/1921	Yes	No
26/03/1921	Nelson	Southport	5 - 1	Central League		26/03/1921	Yes	No
28/03/1921	Crewe Alexandra	Southport	4 - 2	Central League		28/03/1921	Yes	No
09/04/1921	Stalybridge Celtic	Southport	5 - 4	Central League		09/04/1921	Yes	No
16/04/1921	Southport	Stalybridge Celtic	3 - 1	Central League		16/04/1921	Yes	No
23/04/1921	Burnley Reserves	Southport	2 - 3	Central League		23/04/1921	Yes	No
30/04/1921	Southport	Burnley Reserves	1 - 2	Central League		30/04/1921	Yes	No
02/05/1921	Preston North End Reserves	Southport	3 - 4	Central League		02/05/1921	Yes	No
07/05/1921	Southport	Preston North End Reserves	2 - 2	Central League		07/05/1921	Yes	No