0 - 1 v Scarborough Athletic (H) 22/03/2025 Billy 'Salty' Halsall
Real Name: William Halsall
Normal Position: Goalkeeper
Born: 02/05/1897 (Birkdale, Southport)
Died: 23/01/1968 (Spring Valley, New York, USA)
Heritage Number: 406
Debut Match*: 27/12/1919 v Manchester United (Central League)
Last Match*: 11/10/1930 v Barrow (Football League)
* Qualifying Games
A first-team regular throughout the 1920s, he was one of the safest and most consistent ‘keepers in the Northern Section during this period. Known as ‘Salty’—a name that arose when he and his brothers went sea-bathing—he was an ever-present in 1922–23 and 1923–24, accumulating 103 consecutive League appearances. Surprisingly, he had played at either outside-left or centre-forward for his regiment during World War I. He possessed fine anticipation and his judgement was rarely at fault when rushing fearlessly out of his goal. Having displaced the experienced Frank Drabble early in 1921–22, he remained a one-club man, declining offers to join several First Division sides. His greatest performance came in his 350th first-team game—an F.A. Cup-tie at Bradford—when his skill and daring captivated the Park Avenue crowd. He made a record pre-war 334 League appearances, totalling almost 500 in all games, until forced to give up football through back injury. He later worked on the railways and was the guard when the last passenger train left the old Lord Street station in January 1952. After retiring, he settled in the United States where he lived with his daughter until his death at 70.
Profile reproduced with Permission from:
The Sandgrounders: The Complete League History of Southport F. C., by Michael Braham and Geoff Wilde (Palatine Books, 1995). ISBN 978-1-874181-14-9
Southport Playing Stats
First Team
| Heritage Qualifying | League Only | Cup Only | Other Only | All | ||||||||||||||||
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| 1921/1922 | 36 | (0) | 36 | 0 | 32 | (0) | 32 | 0 | 4 | (0) | 4 | 0 | 0 | (0) | 0 | 0 | 36 | (0) | 36 | 0 |
| 1922/1923 | 40 | (0) | 40 | 0 | 38 | (0) | 38 | 0 | 3 | (0) | 3 | 0 | 0 | (0) | 0 | 0 | 41 | (0) | 41 | 0 |
| 1923/1924 | 46 | (0) | 46 | 0 | 42 | (0) | 42 | 0 | 8 | (0) | 8 | 0 | 0 | (0) | 0 | 0 | 50 | (0) | 50 | 0 |
| 1924/1925 | 42 | (0) | 42 | 0 | 39 | (0) | 39 | 0 | 6 | (0) | 6 | 0 | 0 | (0) | 0 | 0 | 45 | (0) | 45 | 0 |
| 1925/1926 | 34 | (0) | 34 | 0 | 31 | (0) | 31 | 0 | 5 | (0) | 5 | 0 | 0 | (0) | 0 | 0 | 36 | (0) | 36 | 0 |
| 1926/1927 | 44 | (0) | 44 | 0 | 39 | (0) | 39 | 0 | 7 | (0) | 7 | 0 | 0 | (0) | 0 | 0 | 46 | (0) | 46 | 0 |
| 1927/1928 | 44 | (0) | 44 | 0 | 40 | (0) | 40 | 0 | 8 | (0) | 8 | 0 | 0 | (0) | 0 | 0 | 48 | (0) | 48 | 0 |
| 1928/1929 | 38 | (0) | 38 | 0 | 36 | (0) | 36 | 0 | 5 | (0) | 5 | 0 | 0 | (0) | 0 | 0 | 41 | (0) | 41 | 0 |
| 1929/1930 | 29 | (0) | 29 | 0 | 27 | (0) | 27 | 0 | 2 | (0) | 2 | 0 | 0 | (0) | 0 | 0 | 29 | (0) | 29 | 0 |
| 1930/1931 | 10 | (0) | 10 | 0 | 10 | (0) | 10 | 0 | 1 | (0) | 1 | 0 | 0 | (0) | 0 | 0 | 11 | (0) | 11 | 0 |
| 1919/1920 | 18 | (0) | 18 | 0 | 18 | (0) | 18 | 0 | 3 | (0) | 3 | 0 | 1 | (0) | 1 | 0 | 22 | (0) | 22 | 0 |
| 1920/1921 | 36 | (0) | 36 | 0 | 35 | (0) | 35 | 0 | 4 | (0) | 4 | 0 | 0 | (0) | 0 | 0 | 39 | (0) | 39 | 0 |
| Total | 417 | (0) | 417 | 0 | 387 | (0) | 387 | 0 | 56 | (0) | 56 | 0 | 1 | (0) | 1 | 0 | 444 | (0) | 444 | 0 |
