| Billy Fleming |
 William Thomas Fleming was born on Monday, 11th December, 1871, in Renton, East Dunbartonshire. The forward joined Thistle in 1891, having most recently been with Sheffield United. Aged 19, he made his first known appearance on Saturday, 17th January, 1891, in a 3-3 friendly draw at home to Methlan Park. That day, Billy became a member of our scoring debutant's club. He scored the last of his 6 known goals on Monday, 4th April, 1892, in a 9-1 friendly defeat away to The Wednesday. He played his last game for the club on Saturday, 30th April, 1892, in a 5-0 defeat away to Kilmarnock in the Scottish Alliance League, having appeared for the Thistle on at least 28 occasions. His club-list included Partick Thistle, Govan Hibernian, Darlington, Sheffield United, Dundee, Abercorn, Bury and Tottenham Hotspur. Billy died on Monday, 17th September, 1934, in Glasgow, aged 62. |
 Billy played for Thistle at a seminal time for Scottish football. In mid-1888 the Football League commenced in England. In April 1890 the Scottish Football League had formed and 12 teams started the initial Scottish Football League, but Renton were subsequently expelled for “professionalism”. Other clubs were looking for league football, and the Jags were part of a number of clubs that formed The Scottish Football Alliance, with league football starting in August 1891. Thistle were part of the first 12 team league, with Linthouse the 1891-92 season winners. Billy played for Thistle in the 1890-91 season, which was the last season of occasional cup matches and many friendlies, and the 1891-92 season which included inaugural Scottish Football Alliance league matches alongside cup competitions. The forward played in 7 Alliance league matches in that momentous season. Billy scored against the eventual league winners Linthouse in a 5-3 defeat at Inchview in February 1892. His other Alliance League goal was against East Stirlingshire in a 2-1 victory at Inchview the following month. During his time with Thistle, Billy had a spell with Govan Hibs. Billy and his Jags’ colleague Watty Keay joined Northern League side Darlington for the 1892-93 season. Promising Scottish footballers had been lured south for quite some time, as professionalism had been legalized in English football in 1883, but it wasn’t until a decade later in 1893 that the SFA permitted payment in Scotland. After a successful season in the Northern League Billy moved to Sheffield United, with the club newly promoted to the Football League First Division. Billy was the club’s first signing for their new campaign. He bagged 4 goals in his first 6 matches, and turned out for United on around 20 occasions that season. Billy returned to Scotland to play for Dundee, and then Abercorn, although Sheffield United had retained his registration. Season 1895-96 with Abercorn was a successful one for the club. They won the SFL Second Division, and were promoted to Division 1. Billy wasn’t with them. Bury made payments to both Sheffield United and Abercorn for his services. He quickly moved on to Tottenham Hotspur, his last known club. Billy fell out with the management there, and was suspended for insubordination. Billy passed away in Govan in 1934, aged 62. |
| (DMAC) |
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