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Fullame: William Crone
aka: Billy Crone, Towser Crone
Born: c1892
Died: […]
Birthplace: Dublin
Signed: 18 Nov 1913 (from Belfast Celtic)
Left: Oct 1916 (to Distillery)
Position: Inside-Forward
Debut: Celtic 1-0 Hamilton Accies, League, 22 Nov 1913
Internationals: Irish League
International Caps: 1
International Goals: 0
Biog
Dublin-born Billy Crone was signed by Celtic in November 1913 from Belfast Celtic. He had once played for the Irish League XI v the Scottish League XI in a 2-1 defeat in Belfast at Windsor Park on 5 November 1913, just prior to signing for Celtic.
Used as cover for the immense talents of Patsy Gallacher and Jimmy McMenemy, Billy Crone was a clever inside forward, with one report tagging him as a “smart partner”.
He made his debut in the 1-0 home league win over Hamilton on 22nd November 1913, a successful league title winning season for Celtic.
It was always going to be difficult for anyone to force their way into such a talented side as the Celtic of this era but the gifted Billy Crone was certainly an able deputy with a good eye for goal however he struggled to make his mark in his first season.
His best form was in a 5-1 win over Queen’s Park in Dec 1914, with Billy Crone scoring a hat-trick, but the great Jimmy McMenemy was soon back in place of Billy Crone. Notably, his only other goals that season were two goals in a 6-2 win over Morton, so on paper you could argue his best form seemed to be against weaker sides.
Notably Billy Crone played in a few of the Celtic sides that went 62 games undefeated, but only in three of those matches with one goal scored. Must add that it was war time, and so no easy period.
He netted nine times in 17 Celtic appearances before returning to Ireland in October 1916 to play for Distillery.
He signed off with Celtic with a goal in his last match, a 2-0 victory over Falkirk. His goal had a bit of note to it, as a week later Celtic played the first of two games in the one day, with the Bhoys scoring 6 against Raith Rovers to total 104 goals in 34 matches. The main talking point was that this heavy victory over Raith Rovers ended up taking Celtic’s goal tally over the line to overtake Falkirk’s 103 goals in 34 matches record set in season 1907–1908.
So Billy Crone got to play in two bits of Celtic history making (i.e. 62 games unbeaten run & record goal tally).
Billy Crone also played for Belfast Celtic, Distillery and Glentoran.
Playing Career
| APPEARANCES | LEAGUE | SCOTTISH CUP | LEAGUE CUP | EUROPE | TOTAL |
| 1913-14 | 8 | 0 | – | – | 8 |
| Goals: | 2 | 0 | – | – | 2 |
| 1914-15 | 5 | 0 | – | – | 5 |
| Goals: | 5 | 0 | – | – | 5 |
| 1915-16 | 4 | 0 | – | – | 4 |
| Goals: | 2 | 0 | – | – | 2 |
| Total |
17 |
0 |
– |
– |
17 |
| Goals: |
9 |
0 |
– |
– |
9 |
Honours with Celtic
Pictures
Links
From the Irish Independant 1913.
Irish League v Scottish League 1-2 (Inter League: November 5, 1913)
November 5, 1913
International: Inter League, at Windsor Park (Celtic Park, Belfast).
Irish League – Scottish League 1-2 (0-0).
Attendance: 6,000; gate receipts: £230.
Referee: Mr. L. Bullimer (Northamptonshire)
Irish League (2-3-5): Walter Scott (Shelbourne), Bill McConnell (Bohemians), Dunne (Shelbourne), Sammy Napier (Glentoran), Johnny Scraggs (Glentoran), Leddy (Shelbourne), Smith (Distillery), Crone (Belfast Celtic), Harry Hamilton (Linfield), McNeill (Linfield), Marshall McEwan (Linfield).
Scottish League (2-3-5): James Brownlie (Third Lanark), Joe Dodds (Celtic), Alex McNair (Celtic), Jacky Wright (Greenock Morton), Robert Mercer (Hearts), Peter Nellies (Hearts), Andrew McAtee (Celtic), Patrick “Patsy” Gallacher (Celtic), James Reid (Airdrieonians), Andrew Cunningham (Kilmarnock), Robert McNeill (Hamilton Academical).
The goals: 0-1 Reid (65 min.), 1-1 McNeill (66 min.), 1-2 Reid (70 min.).
Substitution: David Rollo for Scraggs (45 min.).