Billy Kingdon

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Seasons

Age*

Division

Appearances

Starts

Substitute

Unused

Goals

From

Played Under

Billy Smith led Management Committee |
Jimmy McMullan |

First Squad Appearance

Debut Appearance

First Goal

Saturday, 11 September 1926

Final Appearance

Saturday, 25 April 1936

Blackburn Rovers (h), Division One

Final Squad Appearance

Saturday, 25 April 1936

Billy Kingdon

Player #320 for Aston Villa, William Issacher Garfield Kingdon, known as Billy Kingdon and nicknamed Gypo, played as a midfielder for the club in the position then known as a half back.

Billy played for Villa between 1926-27 and 1935-36 making 240 appearances and scoring 5 goals.

Billy was born in Barbourne, Worcester on 25 June 1907 and he made his debut appearance for Villa on the 4 September 1926 aged 19.

Villa had signed Billy from Kidderminster Harriers in August 1925 and he signed professional forms with the club in March 1926.

Billy had played junior football for Kepex of Worcester before joining the Harriers.

After making his Villa debut in the home draw with Burnley, Billy became an instant first team regular for the next four seasons.

However Billy was to rarely feature in the 1930-31 and 1931-32 seasons making only 4 starts across the period before being a more regular feature in the first team in 1932-33.

For the following two seasons Billy remained a first team regular to the end of his Villa career in 1935-36 after 9 seasons with the club.

Billy’s time with Villa wasn’t a period of trophy winning success however he did help the club to 2 FA Cup Semi Finals (in 1929, when Villa lost to Portsmouth at Highbury and in 1934 with Villa losing to eventual winners Manchester City at Leeds Road, Huddersfield).

Billy also helped the club to 5 top five finishes including finishing runners up in the First Divisin twice in 1930-31 and 1932-33, and securing third place in 1928-29 when Kingdon had his most productive season, playing a total of 44 times.

Sadly though, Billy was amongst the team who were relegated for the first time in Villa’s history - in the 1935-36 season.

In doing so Villa became the last of the founder members of the Football League to have lost their ever present top flight status.

Following confirmation of the relegation, Billy played his final game for Villa on 25 April 1936 after which he moved on to Southampton in June 1936.

Billy had played under the Billy Smith led Management Committee and Villa’s first manager proper, Jimmy McMullan.

Billy passed away in Weymouth on 18th March 1977 aged 69, a great servant of the club through good times and bad.