Billy Luke
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | William Luke[1] | ||
Date of birth | 17 December 1890 | ||
Place of birth | Acklington, England | ||
Date of death | January 1992 (aged 101–102) | ||
Position(s) | Outside right | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
Trimdon Grange | |||
1911–1912 | Bedlington United | ||
1912–1913 | Preston North End | 8 | (2) |
1913–1915 | Hartlepools United | 30 | (9) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
William "Billy" Luke MM (17 December 1890 – January 1992) was an English professional football outside right who played in the Football League for Preston North End.[1][2]
Personal life
On 28 October 1915, over a year into the First World War, Luke enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery.[3] He was deployed to the Western Front during the Battle of the Somme and participated in the battle's closing action on the Ancre in November 1916.[3] Luke's unit moved to trench lines east of Arras in April 1917 and he was seriously wounded in the leg on 9 April, eventually being discharged from the army in August 1918.[3] In the aftermath of his wounding, Luke was recommended for the Military Medal and the award was gazetted on 18 July 1917.[3] At the time of his death in January 1992, Luke was the oldest-living former professional footballer in Britain.[3]
Honours
- Football League Second Division: 1911–1912[3]
References
- ^ a b Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 179. ISBN 190589161X.
- ^ "In The Mad Crowd". www.inthemadcrowd.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-09-21.
- ^ a b c d e f "William Luke - Footballer and Wounded First World War Hero". Retrieved 2016-09-21.
- English football forward, 1890s birth stubs
- English Football League players
- Association football outside forwards
- Bedlington United F.C. players
- English footballers
- 1890 births
- 1992 deaths
- People from Northumberland (before 1974)
- Preston North End F.C. players
- Hartlepool United F.C. players
- British military personnel of World War I
- Royal Field Artillery soldiers
- English centenarians
- Recipients of the Military Medal