William Ernest Rawlings was an English footballer.
20 Facts About Bill Rawlings
1.
2.
Bill Rawlings began his career with Southampton in 1918, who were elevated from the Southern League to the Football League in 1919.
3.
Bill Rawlings won himself two England caps in 1922, both of which were from British Home Championship games.
4.
Bill Rawlings signed with Manchester United in March 1928 and moved on to Port Vale in November 1929.
5.
Bill Rawlings picked up a serious ankle injury while with the Valiants.
6.
Bill Rawlings moved on Newport via New Milton the following year before retiring in 1933.
7.
William Ernest Bill Rawlings was born on 3 January 1896 at Clatford Lodge, Upper Clatford near Andover, Hampshire.
8.
Bill Rawlings was the second of four children to William and Jane ; his father was a domestic coachman and later ran The Elephant Inn in Andover.
9.
Bill Rawlings worked as an assistant grocer before becoming a professional footballer.
10.
Bill Rawlings was playing for hometown club Andover when he enlisted to fight in World War I in 1914, aged 18.
11.
Bill Rawlings served with the Wessex Field Ambulance and was awarded the 1914 star.
12.
Bill Rawlings became a licensee in the 1930s, running the Glebe Hotel in Southampton from July 1930.
13.
Bill Rawlings spent 25 years as a civil servant in the Admiralty, based in Wareham.
14.
Bill Rawlings' career started in 1918 with an apprenticeship at Southampton, having impressed playing against their reserve team for his regiment two years previously.
15.
Bill Rawlings turned professional in February 1919 and made his first-team debut against Swansea Town on 1 September.
16.
Bill Rawlings quickly settled into the side, building a formidable attacking partnership with Arthur Dominy.
17.
Bill Rawlings appeared against Wales and Scotland in the 1922 British Home Championship, achieving the rare distinction of being capped for England while playing for a third-tier club.
18.
Bill Rawlings toured Canada with an XI picked by The Football Association in 1927.
19.
Bill Rawlings scored a total of 193 goals in 364 appearances in league and cup competitions during his ten years at The Dell.
20.
Bill Rawlings was a centre-forward with strong heading and shooting skills.