Bill Hastings (footballer)
Encyclopedia
William "Bill" Hastings (22 August 1888 – after 1919) was an English professional footballer who scored seven goals in 40 appearances in the Second Division
of the Football League
playing for Birmingham
. He also won the Southern League
title with Brighton & Hove Albion
in the 1909–10 season and with Watford
in 1914–15. His main playing position was at outside left.
Hastings was born in West Hartlepool
, County Durham
, and played for Spennymoor United
and West Hartlepool
before moving south to join Brighton & Hove Albion
in the summer of 1909. He missed only one game as the club won the Southern League
title and the Southern Charity Cup in his first season, and set up Charlie Webb
's goal as Albion beat reigning Football League champions Aston Villa in the 1910 FA Charity Shield
. He moved to Second Division
club Birmingham
in February 1912 for a £100 fee. He never established himself as a first-choice player, and moved back to the Southern League with Watford
in 1914, with whom he again won that league's championship in the last season
before the First World War. After serving in the Royal Flying Corps
, Hastings returned home to play a few games for North Eastern League
club Hartlepools United
. He later became a referee.
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
of the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
playing for Birmingham
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
. He also won the Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
title with Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
in the 1909–10 season and with Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
in 1914–15. His main playing position was at outside left.
Hastings was born in West Hartlepool
West Hartlepool
This article refers to the place; for the Rugby Football Club see West Hartlepool R.F.C.West Hartlepool refers to the western part of the what has since the 1960s been known as the borough of Hartlepool in North East England...
, County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, and played for Spennymoor United
Spennymoor United F.C.
Spennymoor United F.C. was an English association football club based in Spennymoor, County Durham.In 1905, they joined the Northern League and won the league title six times in their history. In the 1936-37 season, they reached the third round of the FA Cup, where they lost to top-flight side West...
and West Hartlepool
West Hartlepool F.C.
West Hartlepool Amateur Football & Athletic Company Limited was an English football club formed in 1881. The club played in amber and black halved shirts, black shorts, and black socks...
before moving south to join Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
in the summer of 1909. He missed only one game as the club won the Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
title and the Southern Charity Cup in his first season, and set up Charlie Webb
Charlie Webb
Charles Graham "Charlie" Webb was an Irish association football player who represented his country once as an amateur and three times as a professional...
's goal as Albion beat reigning Football League champions Aston Villa in the 1910 FA Charity Shield
1910 FA Charity Shield
The 1910 FA Charity Shield was the third Charity Shield, a football match contested by the winners of the previous season's Football League and Southern League competitions. The match was played on 5 September 19010 between 1909–10 Football League winners Aston Villa and 1909–10 Southern League...
. He moved to Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
club Birmingham
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
in February 1912 for a £100 fee. He never established himself as a first-choice player, and moved back to the Southern League with Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
in 1914, with whom he again won that league's championship in the last season
1914–15 Watford F.C. season
Watford Football Club are an association football team from the county of Hertfordshire, England. The 1914–15 season was their nineteenth season of league football, since joining the Southern League as West Hertfordshire for the 1896–97 season...
before the First World War. After serving in the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
, Hastings returned home to play a few games for North Eastern League
North Eastern League
The North Eastern League was a football league for teams in the North East of England.The league was founded in 1906 and was initially successful, with teams defecting from the rival Northern Football Alliance to play...
club Hartlepools United
Hartlepool United F.C.
Hartlepool United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Hartlepool that currently play in League One. The team won promotion to League One in the 2006–07 season...
. He later became a referee.