William Kirsop

William Stobbs Kirsop (1891 – after 1919) was an English footballer who played as an outside forward in the Scottish League for Kilmarnock and in the English Football League for Barnsley. He also played non-league football for clubs including Rosehill Villa, Wallsend Park Villa, New Hartley Rovers, Gateshead Town and Darlington.[2]

For the Everton inside forward, see Billy Kirsopp.

William Kirsop
Personal information
Full name William Stobbs Kirsop[1]
Date of birth 1891
Place of birth Jarrow, England
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[1]
Position(s) Outside forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Rosehill Villa
Wallsend Park Villa
New Hartley Rovers
1912–1914 Kilmarnock 9 (1)
1913–1914 Gateshead Town
1914–1919 Barnsley 3 (0)
1919–1920 Darlington
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Life and career

Kirsop was born in Jarrow, County Durham, in early 1891, the son of Robert Kirsop, a bricklayer, and his wife Alice.[3] He played local football for Rosehill Villa, Wallsend Park Villa and New Hartley Rovers before signing for Scottish club Kilmarnock in 1912.[4] He made his debut on 17 August in a 2–1 win at home to Partick Thistle in Division One, and scored his first goal for the club a month later in a 2–0 league defeat of Third Lanark. He played nine matches altogether before the turn of the year, but none for the first team thereafter.[5] His play for the reserves in March 1913 prompted the Scottish Referee's correspondent to suggest that "Kirsop, the young English lad, who joined Kilmarnock as a forward, promises to develop into a clever half-back".[6] At the end of the season, Kilmarnock retained Kirsop's league registration but allowed him to return to England where he signed for North-Eastern League club Gateshead Town.[7]

He soon impressed: in October he was selected for the Rest of the League XI to face the North-Eastern League champions Darlington in an exhibition game,[8] and by December he was being linked with a move either back to Kilmarnock or to another Scottish top-flight club, Aberdeen.[7] He scored 11 goals during the 1913–14 season for Gateshead, and then signed for English Second Division club Barnsley.[1] Kirsop made his English Football League debut on 2 September 1914 in a 7–0 defeat away to Derby County, and played twice more that month, but those were his last appearances in league football.[9]

Kirsop, who had worked as a plater's labourer in a shipyard before taking up football professionally,[10] engaged in munitions work during the First World War.[11] Still on Barnsley's books after the war, he was invited back for a match with Sheffield Wednesday in April 1919,[12] but did not turn up.[13] Kirsop was one of many former league players who signed on for the re-formed Darlington club to play in the post-war Victory Leagues and remained with them when the North-Eastern League resumed in 1919–20.[12][14] He played in that season's FA Cup first round replay in which Darlington beat First Division Sheffield Wednesday 2–0 to progress to the last 32 of the competition.[15]

Notes
  • The English National Football Archive list the player's name as William Smeaton Kirsop,[9] but the release issued to the Sheffield press when he signed for Barnsley names him as William Stobbs Kirsop.[1]

References
  1. "Tynesiders for Barnsley". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 9 May 1914. p. 11. Mr. Percy Lewis, secretary-manager of the Barnsley Club, has signed William Stobbs Kirsop, an outside-right, whose transfer was secured from Kilmarnock. Kirsop is 22 years of age, 5 feet 9 inches in height, and 10st. 7lb. in weight. Last season he played with Gateshead, in the North-Eastern League, and scored 11 goals for his club. It is stated that Aston Villa and other first-class clubs were anxious to secure his services. He, along with Thomas Rooney, a half-back, secured, as reported a few days ago, from the Gateshead Club, are the only new players yet signed for Barnsley, who, however, have retained the bulk of their last season's players. Rooney and Kirsop, as old club mates, are likely to do well in the Barnsley team.
  2. Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 149. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  3. "Index entry". FreeBMD. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
    "William S Kirsop in household of Richard Kirsop, Willington, Northumberland, England, United Kingdom". England and Wales Census, 1901. Retrieved 11 January 2019 – via FamilySearch.
    "William Stobbs Kirsop, 1891". England, Northumberland, Parish Registers, 1538–1950. Retrieved 11 January 2019 – via FamilySearch.
  4. "Kilmarnock, 2; Partick Thistle, 1". St Andrews Citizen. 24 August 1912. p. 6. Kilmarnock have greatly strengthened their team bv the signing on of Aitken (Dundee, etc), Duff (St Mirren), and Kirsop (Wallsend).
  5. "Kilmarnock player W.S. Kirsop, games played". Fitbastats. Bobby Sinnet & Thomas Jamieson. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
  6. "Other matches". Scottish Referee. 24 March 2013. p. 4.
  7. "Oldham's bid for Fulham forward. Sunderland's appeal to their supporters. Gateshead player wanted". Evening Telegraph. Dundee. 18 December 1913. p. 5. Aberdeen people are keen on Kirsop, the outside right now performing at Gateshead. Kilmarnock presents a stumbling block to negotiations, even apart from the question as to whether Kirsop is desirous going North. He is on Kilmarnock's list, and the "Killie" folk want Kirsop back again. Their offer will have to be considerably increased if they desire success in their attempt. I will not divulge the amount offered, but I have known a factory labourer get as much in wages.
  8. "North-Eastern League". Yorkshire Post. 10 October 1913. p. 10.
  9. "Kirsop, WS (William)". English National Football Archive. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
  10. "William Stobbs Kirsopp in household of Richard Kirsopp, Wallsend, Northumberland, England, United Kingdom". England and Wales Census, 1911. Retrieved 11 January 2019 – via FamilySearch.
  11. Wanderer (22 July 1915). "Football and the war. "Pro" players' doings. II. The League Division 2". The Sportsman. London. p. 4.
  12. "No title". Leeds Mercury. 16 April 1919. p. 8. In their match with Sheffield Wednesday, at Oakwell on Saturday, Barnsley hope to have the assistance of several of their players who have not figured in the team for two or three seasons. ... Lindon has been playing with Coventry, Kirsop with Darlington Forge, and Marshall with Clyde.
  13. "At Oakwell. Wednesday triumph in fine game". Sports Special ("Green 'Un"). Sheffield. 19 April 1919. p. 2. Much interest was taken the reappearance of some of Barnsley's pre-war players. Lindon, goalkeeper, and Kirsop, outside-right, did not turn up, but Leddingham, Fletcher and Marshall were on view.
  14. The Ranger (27 August 1919). "North-Eastern League. Prospects of the competition". Sunderland Daily Echo. p. 4.
  15. Tweddle, Frank (2000). The Definitive Darlington F.C. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 15. ISBN 978-1-899468-15-7.
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