Billy Austin (footballer)

S.W. Austin (29 April 1900 – 2 April 1979) registered as Sam William but also known as Billy, Samuel, Sydney and Willie,^[2][3] was an English professional footballer who played professionally for Norwich City, Manchester City and Chesterfield.^[4] He also won one England cap vs Ireland in 1925.^[5][6] Sam Austin has the England legacy number of 497 after playing in Game 147.^[7]

Austin, born in Arnold, Nottinghamshire, started playing football immediately after World War I, with local Midlands League Club, Arnold United, as a goalkeeper. During the 1919-1920 season, he had a trial with Sheffield United. Unsuccessful trials also followed with Notts County and Nottingham Forest and he also represented another local side, Arnold St Mary’s. Eventually, Austin's position was changed to ring wing and he was snapped up by Norwich City in October 1920.

In October 1920, when Austin was signed by Norwich, they were a newly elected Football League club. He made his Division 3 League debut the same month against Bristol Rovers and quickly established himself as a key figure for the Canaries. During four seasons at The Nest, he missed only three matches and was ever-present in the 1923–24 campaign, scoring 14 goals to finish as the club’s second-highest scorer by a single goal. His consistent performances attracted the attention of First Division Manchester City, who secured his transfer in May 1924, for £1,750.

Austin adapted seamlessly to First Division football and he replaced the legendary right winger Billy Meredith. He quickly won over the Maine Road supporters with a series of outstanding displays. His performances earned him international recognition the following year. In October 1925, he won his only full England cap in a 0–0 draw against Ireland at Windsor Park, Belfast. Austin also represented The Football League XI vs Irish League XI, on October 5, 1925 - winning 5-1.

The 1925–26 season proved bittersweet for Austin. He contributed a career-best 15 goals and also scored twice in a 6-1 hammering of local rivals United. As well as this, he helped Manchester City reach the 1926 FA Cup Final, but they were beaten 1–0 by Bolton Wanderers at Wembley. Man City were also relegated from the top flight that same season, with Austin missing a vital penalty in the last match of the season.

Austin remained loyal to the club and played a key role in their Second Division Championship win in the 1927/1928 season. Notably, on 14 January 1928, he stood in as an emergency goalkeeper in an FA Cup tie against Leeds United and kept a clean sheet in a 1–0 victory.

Back in the First Division, Austin missed only four matches during Manchester City’s 1928–29 campaign as they secured an eighth-place finish. However, unfortunately, Austin lost his regular place and did not feature at all in the 1929-1930 season, making just four further appearances in the late autumn of the 1930-1931 season. He was then placed on the transfer list in January 1931 and departed to join Worcester City, to play in non-league football. Altogether Austin played 172 matches for Manchester City, scoring 47 goals. Three of those appearances were as an emergency goalkeeper.

Austin was snapped up by Worcester City manager Joe Smith without a transfer fee as he was not moving to another Football League club. He was an immediate success, scoring in a record 11 consecutive Birmingham League matches, and by the end of the season had 19 goals, including 5 away at Hereford (still a Worcester City record for an away game - 2025).

In the 1931-1932 season, Austin tried to re-establish himself in the Football League with Chesterfield in Division Two but in November 1931, he was allowed to return to return to Worcester on a match-by-match basis.  The impact was again instant. In his first match back, on 21 November 1931, Sam scored 6 times as City beat Bilston 18-1 (an individual record which he shares with three other players, Alex Hair, Billy Boswell and John Inglis).  It was his only Worcester City game before Christmas, but in the second half of the campaign he appeared more often and finished up playing 17 times (12 goals). Austin finished with 31 goals in 28 games for Worcester City. He finished with 51 appearances (7 goals) for Chesterfield.

Released by Chesterfield in May 1933, Sam was signed for Kidderminster Harriers. He enjoyed three excellent years at Aggborough, playing regularly and winning the Birmingham Senior Cup in the 1933/34 season, playing in the final against Burton. He also was part of the team that then retained the same cup, during the 1934/35 season, beating Nuneaton Town in the final. In the 1934/35 season, Austin also won the Worcester Senior Cup by beating Aston Villa in the final. The following season, he was part of the Harriers' 1935/36 FA Cup run to the Second Round proper (they eventually lost 1-4 at Workington).

In 1936, he moved to France, joining Racing Club de Roubaix during a period when many English professionals were transferring to the French League. It is reported that he did not play any official matches for the club.

Remarkably, in November 1947, the Norwich Press reported that Austin, then aged 47, had been reinstated as an amateur and was still playing football for Brinton FC in the Kidderminster League.^[8]

In 2000, the Guardian wrote about Austin's penalty miss against Newcastle being one of the ten worst penalty misses of all time: "On the last day of the 1925-26 season Manchester City went to Newcastle needing a point to avoid relegation from the First Division. A run of four consecutive wins suggested they would do so. They were awarded a penalty, only for outside-right Billy Austin to miss it. It proved a crucial error: Newcastle won 3-2 and City went down. It had been a bad week for them. A week earlier Bolton had beaten them in the FA Cup final."^[9]

• England legacy number: 497
• 1 cap, England game 147, vs Ireland (finished 0-0)
  • Saturday, 24 October 1925
  • Home International Championship 1925-26 (38th) Match
  • Windsor Park, Belfast
  • Attendance: 30,000; Kick-off: 3.00pm CMT
• One of five who became the 495th players (497) to appear for England
• Austin gained his England cap at a time when the outside-right position was causing some concern with six different players having been used in the previous nine England fixtures

• FA Cup runners-up: 1926
• Second Division champions: 1927-1928

• Birmingham and District League runners-up: 1931-1932

• Birmingham Senior Cup winner:1933-1934
• Birmingham Senior Cup winner:1934-1935
• Worcester Senior Cup winner: 1934-1935
• Birmingham and District League runners-up: 1934-1935

• Started career with Arnold United as a goalkeeper before changing positions to right-wing
• In 1924-1925, he finished Norwich City's second top goal scorer with 14 goals (top scorer had 15 goals)[1]
• Transferred to Man City in 1924 for £1750
• Played for the Football League XI vs Irish League XI, on October 5, 1925 - winning 5-1
• Played for England vs Ireland in 1925 (Game 147, Legacy Number 497)
• Had his best scoring season (15 goals) in the 1925-1926 season, for Manchester City
• In the 1925-1926 season, he scored twice for Man City against rivals, Man Utd, in a 6-1 win
• Had 3 appearances for Man City as an emergency goalkeeper including going in goal for them in their FA Cup tie against Leeds United FC, and kept a clean sheet, on 14 January 1928.
• In the 1930-1931 season, for Worcester City, he scored in a record 11 consecutive Birmingham League matches
• In the 1930-1931 season, for Worcester City, he scored 5 goals away at Hereford (still a Worcester City record for an away game)
• In his first match back for Worcester, on 21 November 1931 (1931-1932 season), Austin scored 6 times as Worcester City beat Bilston 18-1 (an individual record which he shares with three other players: Alex Hair, Billy Boswell and John Inglis)
• Austin starred in Harriers’ 1935/36 FA Cup run to the Second Round (they eventually lost 1-4 at Workington) and earned both Worcestershire Senior Cup and Birmingham Senior Cup winner’s medals

• Mark Davage; John Eastwood; Kevin Platt (2001). Canary Citizens. Jarrold Publishing. ISBN 0-7117-2020-7.

• Sam Austin at England Football Online