Billy Ivison

William Ivison (5 June 1920^[4] – 12 March 2000) was an English professional association football and rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s and 1950s. He played club level association football (soccer), for Gillingham F.C.,^[5] and representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain, England and Cumberland and at club level for Workington Town, as a loose forward, i.e. number 13, during the era of contested scrums.^[2]

Billy Ivison

Personal information
Full name	William Ivison
Born	5 June 1920^[1] Hensingham, England
Died	12 March 2000(2000-03-12) (aged 79)^[1] Hensingham, England
Playing information
Weight	13 st 7 lb (86 kg)
Position	Loose forward
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1945–59 Workington Town 385 63 8 0 205 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1947–57 Cumberland 13 3 0 0 9 1949–52 England 4 0 0 0 0 1952 Great Britain 1 0 0 0 0
Source: ^[2]^[3]
Association football career Senior career* Years Team Apps (Gls) 1945 Gillingham 1 *Club domestic league appearances and goals

Background

Billy Ivison was born in Hensingham, Cumberland, England, and he died aged 79 in Hensingham, Cumbria, England.

Playing career

International honours

Billy Ivison won caps for England while at Workington Town in 1949 against Wales, and Other Nationalities, in 1951 against Other Nationalities, in 1952 against Other Nationalities,.^[3]

Billy Ivison represented Great Britain while at Workington Town in 1952 against France (non-Test matches).^[6]

Along with William "Billy" Banks, Edward "Ted" Cahill, Gordon Haynes, Keith Holliday, Robert "Bob" Kelly, John McKeown, George Parsons and Edward "Ted" Slevin, Billy Ivison's only Great Britain appearances came against France prior to 1957, these matches were not considered as Test matches by the Rugby Football League, and consequently caps were not awarded.^[6]

County honours

Billy Ivison represented Cumberland while at Workington Town. Billy Ivison played loose forward, and scored a try in Cumberland's 5–4 victory over Australia in the 1948–49 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France match at the Recreation Ground, Whitehaven on Wednesday 13 October 1948, in front of a crowd of 8,818.^[7]

Challenge Cup Final appearances

Billy Ivison played loose forward and won the Lance Todd Trophy in Workington Town's 18–12 victory over Featherstone Rovers in the 1952 Challenge Cup Final during the 1951–52 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 19 April 1952, in front of a crowd of 72,093, and played loose forward in the 12–21 defeat by Barrow in the 1955 Challenge Cup Final during the 1954–55 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 30 April 1955, in front of a crowd of 66,513.

Honoured in Workington

Ivison Lane in Workington is named after Billy Ivison.^[8]

References

1. Hadfield, Dave (16 March 2000). "Obituary: Bill Ivison". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 22 January 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
2. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.^{[permanent dead link]}
3. . englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 30 March 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
4. "Birth details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
5. Brown, Tony (2003). The Definitive Gillingham F.C.: A Complete Record. Soccerdata. p. 55. ISBN 1-899468-20-X.
6. Edgar, Harry (2007). Rugby League Journal Annual 2008 [Page-110]. Rugby League Journal Publishing. ISBN 0-9548355-3-0
7. . totalrl.com. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 14 January 2010. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
8. . timesandstar.co.uk. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.

External links

• (archived by web.archive.org)
• (archived by web.archive.org)
• (archived by web.archive.org)
• 30 April 1955 Photograph of Workington Town (William Ivison is in the centre of middle row wearing a scrum cap)