Billy Walker (English footballer)

William Henry " Billy" Walker ( born October 29, 1897 in Wednesbury, Sandwell, † November 28, 1964 in Sheffield ) was an English football player and coach. As a player, he was active for Aston Villa. In his coaching career he was responsible for, inter alia, Sheffield Wednesday and Nottingham Forest.

Career as a player

Billy Walker spent his entire playing career at Aston Villa, scoring in 478 league games 214 goals. He is still the best scorer in the all-time best list of the association. In 1920 he won with his team the FA Cup with a 1-0 victory over Huddersfield Town.

Between 1920 and 1932 he played 18 international matches for the English national football team, scoring nine goals.

Career as a coach

From 1933 to 1937 he coached Sheffield Wednesday. His biggest success in his first coaching position was winning the FA Cup in 1935, a 4-2 win against West Bromwich Albion.

After a stopover at unterklassigen club Chelmsford City in 1939, he took over as coach at Nottingham Forest. His new club played since relegation from the Football League First Division in 1924/25 in the second division. Also under new coach Billy Walker failed to return to the First Division, but the club was relegated in season 1948/49, in the third division from. In the season 1950/51 but managed already to return to the Second Division and seven years later promotion to the Football League First Division in 1957/58. The joy over the return to the first English league after 32 years in 1959 further increased by winning the FA Cup. Nottingham Forest beat in the final in front of 100,000 spectators at Wembley Luton Town 2-1. A year later, he finished his coaching career.

Billy Walker died on November 28, 1964 at the age of 67 years in Sheffield.

Achievements

• FA Cup Winners: 1920 ( as a player with Aston Villa)
• FA Cup Winners: 1935 ( as a coach with Sheffield Wednesday )
• FA Cup Winners: 1959 ( as a coach with Nottingham Forest )