Billy Luke
Personal information
Full name William Luke[1]
Date of birth (1890-12-17)17 December 1890
Place of birth Acklington, England
Date of death January 1992(1992-01-00) (aged 101)[2]
Position(s) Outside right
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Trimdon Grange
1911–1912 Bedlington United
1912–1913 Preston North End 8 (2)
1913–1915 Hartlepools United 30 (9)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

William Luke MM (17 December 1890 – January 1992) was an English professional footballer who played in the Football League for Preston North End as an outside right.[1][3]

Personal life

On 28 October 1915, over a year since the outbreak of the First World War, Luke enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery.[2] He was deployed to the Western Front during the Battle of the Somme and participated in the battle's closing action on the Ancre in November 1916.[2] Luke's unit moved to trench lines east of Arras in April 1917 and he was seriously wounded in the leg on 9 April, which led to his discharge from the army in August 1918.[2] In the aftermath of his wounding, Luke was recommended for the Military Medal and the award was gazetted on 18 July 1917.[2] At the time of his death in January 1992, Luke was the oldest-living former professional footballer in Britain.[2]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Preston North End 1912–13[1] Second Division 8 2 1 0 9 2
Hartlepools United 1914–15[3] North Eastern League 30 9 2 1 32 10
Career total 38 11 3 1 41 12

Honours

Preston North End

References

  1. 1 2 3 Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 179. ISBN 978-1905891610.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "William Luke – Footballer and Wounded First World War Hero". Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Billy Luke". In The Mad Crowd. Retrieved 21 September 2016.


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