Americans aren't all that new to soccer, perhaps the first in the British game was our own Billy Andrews...
Club Honours: (with Distillery) Irish Cup Winner 1904/05; City Cup Winner 1904/05; (with Glentoran) Irish League Champion 1911/12, Runner-Up 1907/08, 1910/11; City Cup Winner 1910/11, 1911/12, Runner-Up 1907/08; Co. Antrim Shield Winner 1910/11, Runner-Up 1906/07; Charity Cup Winner 1906/07; 'New' Irish Cup* Runner-Up 1911/12.
Summary: 3/0. Won 1, Drew 0, Lost 2.
Name:
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William Andrews
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Born:
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c.1886. Kansas City (USA)
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Height:
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5.08 ft
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Weight:
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11.02 st
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Position:
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Right-Half / Inside-Right
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Representative Honours:
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Ireland: 3 Full Caps (1908-13); Irish League: 6 Caps / 3 Goals (1907-11).
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* The "New Irish Cup" was awarded by the short-lived "New Irish FA". The trophy was later re-named as the Gold Cup.
Club Career:
Club
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Seasons
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Signed
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League
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FA Cup
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Other
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Stranmillis
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Distillery
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04/05-05/06
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1904
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Glentoran
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06/07-07/08
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1906
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53(0)/23
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*
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Oldham Athletic
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08/09
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May-08
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9(0)/ 3
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||
Stockport County
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08/09-09/10
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Feb-09
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13(0)/ 0
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||
Glentoran
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10/11-11/12
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Jun-10
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59(0)/ 9
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*
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Grimsby Town
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12/13-14/15
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Aug-12
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105(0)/ 2
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3(0)/0
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6(0)/0
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Distillery
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15/16
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1915
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Belfast United
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16/17-18/19
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1916
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Darlington
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1919
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(North-Eastern League)
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Leadgate Park
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20/21
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1920
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(North-Eastern League)
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Belfast Bohemians
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21/22-22/23
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Jan-22
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239/(0)/37
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3(0)/0
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6(0)/0
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* All domestic games.
Biography:
Reputed to be the first North American to have played in the Football League, Kansas-born Billy Andrews began his football career in Belfast where he had moved as a child. A centre-forward "schemer and excellent dribbler" with a "good command of the ball", he played his first Irish League football with Distillery. Although in-and-out of the Whites first eleven he claimed Irish Cup and City Cup winner's medals before moving to Glentoran where his game improved immensely.
At the Oval, Andrews' goalscoring prowess saw him put four past Cliftonville Olympic in a 10-0 first round win in the Co. Antrim Shield. Glentoran went on to reach the final, losing out 2-0 to Linfield. This defeat was balanced however as Andrews scored in the Glens' 2-0 Charity Cup victory over the Blues that same season. After another year with Glentoran in which he found the net 13 times, Andrews won his first Ireland cap, courtesy of the five year continuous residence rule, and Inter-League honours.
Andrews moved to Oldham Athletic for a year, and then to Stockport County where he made little impact. After two years away he returned to Glentoran in 1910, winning his second Irish League medal, and also lifting the City Cup twice. It was during this period that he began to play in the half-back line, but he still managed a respectable nine goals in two seasons, and also found his way back into the Irish League team.
In 1912 Andrews was on the move again, back to England with Grimsby Town for three seasons and 114 appearances. Whilst with Grimsby he picked up two further Irish caps, including one at left-half in a famous 2-1 victory over England when he was called up as a late replacement. Andrews was back in the Irish League during the war years, returning to Distillery for one season before joining Belfast United. After the war Andrews returned to England to play for Darlington.
With his playing days behind him, Andrews settled back in Belfast.
At the Oval, Andrews' goalscoring prowess saw him put four past Cliftonville Olympic in a 10-0 first round win in the Co. Antrim Shield. Glentoran went on to reach the final, losing out 2-0 to Linfield. This defeat was balanced however as Andrews scored in the Glens' 2-0 Charity Cup victory over the Blues that same season. After another year with Glentoran in which he found the net 13 times, Andrews won his first Ireland cap, courtesy of the five year continuous residence rule, and Inter-League honours.
Andrews moved to Oldham Athletic for a year, and then to Stockport County where he made little impact. After two years away he returned to Glentoran in 1910, winning his second Irish League medal, and also lifting the City Cup twice. It was during this period that he began to play in the half-back line, but he still managed a respectable nine goals in two seasons, and also found his way back into the Irish League team.
In 1912 Andrews was on the move again, back to England with Grimsby Town for three seasons and 114 appearances. Whilst with Grimsby he picked up two further Irish caps, including one at left-half in a famous 2-1 victory over England when he was called up as a late replacement. Andrews was back in the Irish League during the war years, returning to Distillery for one season before joining Belfast United. After the war Andrews returned to England to play for Darlington.
With his playing days behind him, Andrews settled back in Belfast.
Northern Ireland Full Cap Details:
1
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14-03-1908
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Scotland
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H
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L
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0-5
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BC
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(c.22 years)
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2
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15-02-1913
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England
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H
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W
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2-1
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BC
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3
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15-03-1913
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Scotland
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H
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L
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1-2
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BC
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(c. 29 years)
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Irish League Match Details:
1
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12-10-1907
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Football League
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A
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L
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3-6
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1 goal
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2
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08-10-1910
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Football League
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H
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L
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2-6
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1 goal
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3
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31-10-1910
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Scottish league
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H
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L
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1-3
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1 goal
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4
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20-03-1911
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Southern League
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A
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L
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0-4
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5
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16-10-1911
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Football League
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A
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L
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0-4
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6
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30-10-1911
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Scottish League
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A
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L
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0-3
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Summary: 6/3. Won 0, Drew 0, Lost 6.
Additional details by George Glass.
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