Billy Simpson

Billy Simpson

Personal information
Full name	William J. Simpson
Date of birth	12 December 1929 (1929-12-12)
Place of birth	Belfast, Northern Ireland
Playing position	Centre forward
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
0000–1950	Linfield
1950–1959	Rangers	172	(112)
1959	Stirling Albion	7	(1)
1959–1960	Partick Thistle	6	(2)
1960–1961	Oxford United
National team
1951–1958	Northern Ireland	12	(5)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

William "Billy" J. Simpson (born December 12, 1929 in Belfast) is a former Northern Ireland international footballer.

Simpson signed for Rangers from Linfield for a sum of £11,500 in 1950. He spent nine years (1950–59) at Rangers making 239 appearances and scoring 163 goals. He won three championship medals and a Scottish Cup winners medal with Rangers to add to the two Irish League and two Irish Cups he won with Linfield. He left Ibrox in 1959 and spent the last couple of years of his career with Stirling Albion, Partick Thistle and (then non-league) Oxford United.

Most notably, Billy Simpson scored twice in the "Ne'erday' Old Firm Derby at Ibrox, in a famous 3-1 victory, immortalised in the song 'A Trip to Ibrox'. In recognition of his service to that club, Simpson has been made a member of the Rangers F.C. Hall of Fame.

Simpson made his debut for Northern Ireland in 1951 against Wales, scoring in the process. He represented his country twelve times in total between 1951 and 1958, scoring 5 goals. He was selected in Northern Ireland's squad for the 1958 FIFA World Cup in Sweden but a late injury ensured he did not play at all during the finals.