Alan Williamson

Alan Williamson
Position: Defender
1962 – 1972 (2 spells)

Alan was born towards the tail end of the second World War in Billingham, he was a natural defender. He began his career with Port Clarence Juniors in 1959 where he stayed for three seasons. During the 1962/1963 season Alan made two appearances for Whitby Town. Alan then joined Middlesbrough Juniors and also played for their intermediate side and the Reserve sides. It was at Middlesbrough that he played alongside some of his favourite players; Arthur Horsfield, Alec Smith and Mick McNeil. In 1964 he joined Stockton F.C.. The then Stockton Manager, Ronnie Robson, remembered Alan from his Port Clarence days and selected him for a South Eastern Division team. At the end of the 1965/1966 season Alan was voted ‘Player Of The Year’. It was then he decided to rejoin Whitby Town.

In his first season back, Alan made 44 appearances. The club finished in 10th place in the league and were Runners-up in the North Riding Senior Cup after losing to Billingham Synthonia in a replayed final. He followed up the Runners-up spot in the next season with a winners medal in the same competition, when Whitby beat Middlesbrough reserves in the final. Alan was the top appearance maker that season (1967/1968) with 45 appearances.

Alan names Bobby Veart as his favourite Whitby player, “He [Bobby] was a good goal scorer” he remembers. But it is Bill Theaker that Alan rates as the best player he has played alongside, “Bill could tackle well and run all day” and Alan remembers that Steve Myers was “a hard player and good in the air”. In the 1968/1969 season saw Alan make 43 appearances for the club and again he did not score. Alan was a solid and dependable defender.

The following season saw Alan’s best Whitby moment: The Whitby team under the management of Bill Jeffs and Bob O’Brien reached the First Round Proper of the F.A. Cup for the first time in the clubs history. Alan’s most memorable match was the Fourth Qualifying Round game against bitter rivals, Scarborough at the Turnbull Ground when a brace from Bobby Veart and one from Dave Rutherford put Whitby through. On Saturday November 15th, 1969 Alan took the pitch at Bootham Crescent in front of 6007 fans in the F.A. Cup First Round Proper again. On the day the team was: Pybus.N, Myers.E, Veart.W, Theaker.B, Williamson.A, Myers.S , McCloy.A, Veart.R, Rutherord.D, Barlett.T, Mulgrew.K and the sub on the day was Hull.B who came on for McCloy after 68 minutes. The Football League side were too good for Whitby on the day and Whitby lost 0-2. By the end of the season Alan had notched up another 41 appearances.

Alan played only one game in the 1970/1971 season; “I wasn’t getting my game” he remembers, “I wasn’t happy at being on the bench as I just wanted to play. I would have stayed [at Whitby] if I could have got my games”.

Alan joined South Bank from 1972 to 1974 and went to Billingham Synthonia, where he won the Vaux Trophy. Alan was approaching the end of his career, but his biggest disappointment was still to come.

The F.A. announced a tour of Zambia and Alan was chosen to represent the England Amateur XI. Then a month before the team were due to travel the tour was cancelled due to apartheid struggles. As Alan said “It would have been a good way to end my career”.

The next phase of Alan’s career began as a manager. He became assistant manager of Norton in 1980 and ironically beat Whitby at Horden C.W. in the final of the league cup in 1983. He also was coach of Shildon. Alan moved into management as he felt he wanted “to put something back into football as I had benefited from it so much”.

As manager of St. Michaels (Billingham) he guided them to a League and Cup double in the Stockton League. They also reached the Durham cup final at Hartlepool united Victoria Park.

Season	Club	Country	Total	App	Sub	Goals
			0
1959/1960	Port Clarence	England	0
1960/1961	Port Clarence	England	0
1961/1962	Port Clarence	England	0
1962/1963	Whitby Town	England	2	2	0	0
1962/1963	Middlesbrough Reserves	England	0
1963/1964	Stockton	England	0
1964/1965	Stockton	England	0
1965/1966	Stockton	England	0
1966/1967	Whitby Town	England	44	44	0	0
1967/1968	Whitby Town	England	46	46	0	0
1968/1969	Whitby Town	England	43	43	0	0
1969/1970	Whitby Town	England	41	41	0	0
1970/1971	Whitby Town	England	1	1	0	0
1971/1972	South Bank	England	0
1972/1973	South Bank	England	0
1973/1974	South Bank	England	0
1974/1975	South Bank	England	0
1975/1976	Billingham Synthonia	England	0
1976/1977	Billingham Synthonia	England	0
1977/1978	Billingham Synthonia	England	0
	Totals		177	177	0	0