William 'Bill' Perkins (born Wellingborough

Wellingborough

Wellingborough is a market town and borough in Northamptonshire, England, situated some from the county town of Northampton. The town is situated on the north side of the River Nene, most of the older town is sited on the flanks of the hills above the river's current flood plain...

, 26 January 1876) was a football goalkeeper who notably played for Liverpool

Liverpool F.C.

Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...

 in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Life and playing career

Perkins played for Kettering

Kettering Town F.C.

Kettering Town Football Club are a football club originating in Kettering, Northamptonshire but currently based in the nearby village of Irthlingborough. The club play in the Conference National after winning the Conference North in 2007–08...

 and Luton Town

Luton Town F.C.

Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...

 before being signed by Liverpool on 25 March 1899, making his senior debut on 3 April 1899 in a Football League Division One match against Newcastle

Newcastle United F.C.

Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...

 at Anfield

Anfield

Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...

, a game that the Reds won 3-2.

Perkins became the Reds number 1 when he took over from Matt McQueen

Matt McQueen

Matthew 'Matt' McQueen was a Scottish football player who became a director and manager of Liverpool F.C.- Life and playing career :...

, who had often played in outfield positions. Harry Storer

Harry Storer, Sr.

Harry Storer was an English football goalkeeper who played for Arsenal and Liverpool, and a cricketer who played first class cricket for Derbyshire in 1895.- Life and playing career :...

 started the first 11 games during the 1899-00 season but Perkins took over and remained first choice until 1903 when he shared the duties with Peter Platt. Perkins was an ever present between the sticks when Liverpool won their first ever Football League First Division

Football League First Division

The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....

 title in 1900–01.

After leaving Liverpool he joined Northampton Town

Northampton Town F.C.

Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season...

 of 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...

.