Biography
Full back William Stephenson joined Hull City from his hometown junior club Whitburn FC in May 1907 after a month’s trial. He made his Tigers’ debut on Boxing Day 1907, and for the next few weeks vied with the more experienced George Hedley for the right back shirt. In March 1908 Stephenson won that battle and made the berth his own, missing only four senior games over the next 13 months. William fell out of favour towards the end of the 1908/09 season and was used sparingly by manager Ambrose Langley during the following season with Tommy Nevins preferred in the City defence.
Stephenson left the Tigers in July 1910 and joined First Division Tottenham Hotspur, but his time at White Hart Lane lasted only one season and was confined to reserve football. In September 1911 he returned to the North East and signed for Wingate Albion, a Durham coalfields team competing in the North Eastern League. In August 1913 he moved to North Eastern League rivals Shildon Athletic, for whom he played until 1915 when football was suspended for World War One.
Stephenson served both the Middlesex Regiment (specifically the 17th Service Battalion also known as the Footballers’ Battalion) and later the Queen’s Regiment during the War. In August 1919 he returned to the professional game and re-signed for Hull City, but played second fiddle to the future City stalwart Matt “Ginger” Bell during his return season. Stephenson spent 1920/21 season at Hartlepools United and made 24 appearances, but no further records of his career or life can be found after that time. When he stopped playing football he returned to Sunderland and worked in a shipyard. He died in Sunderland in June 1963.
Details
Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 5 June 1888, Whitburn
Hull City First Game: 26 December 1907, Lincoln City A (Division Two), 19 years, 204 days old
Hull City Final Game: 13 March 1920, Huddersfield Town A (Division Two), 31 years, 262 days old
Clubs
Whitburn FC, Hull City (1907-1910), Tottenham Hotspur (1910-1911), Wingate Albion (1911-1913), Shildon Athletic (1913-1915), Hull City (1919-1920), Hartlepools United (1920-1921)
Hull City Record
Career: 66 apps, 0 goals
William Stephenson| Season | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1907/08 | 12 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1908/09 | 28 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1909/10 | 15 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1919/20 | 9 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |