Billy Austin

S.W. Austin (29 April 1900 – 2 April 1979) registered as Sam William but also known as Billy, Samuel, Sydney and Willie, was an English professional footballer who played professionally for Norwich City, Manchester City and Chesterfield. He also won one England cap in 1925.

Club career Early career Austin, born in Arnold, Nottinghamshire, started playing football immediately after World War I, with local Midlands League Club, Arnold United, as a goalkeeper. During the 1919–20 season, he had a trial with Sheffield United. Unsuccessful trials also followed with Notts County and Nottingham Forest and he also represented another local side, Arnold St Mary's. Eventually, Austin's position was changed to ring wing and he was snapped up by Norwich City in October 1920.

Norwich City In October 1920, when Austin was signed by Norwich, they were a newly elected Football League club. He made his Football League Third Division South debut the same month against Bristol Rovers and quickly established himself as a key figure for the Canaries. During four seasons at The Nest, he missed only three matches and was ever-present in the 1923–24 campaign, scoring 14 goals to finish as the club's second-highest scorer by a single goal. His consistent performances attracted the attention of First Division Manchester City, who secured his transfer in May 1924, for £1,750.

Manchester City Austin adapted to First Division football and he replaced right winger Billy Meredith. He gained support from the Maine Road supporters for his performance.

The 1925–26 season proved bittersweet for Austin. He contributed a career-best 15 goals and also scored twice in a 6–1 hammering of local rivals Manchester United. As well as this, he helped Manchester City reach the 1926 FA Cup final, but they were beaten 1–0 by Bolton Wanderers at Wembley.

Manchester City were also relegated from the top flight that same season, with Austin missing a vital penalty in the last match of the season. In 2000, The Guardian wrote about Austin's penalty miss against Newcastle being one of the ten worst penalty misses of all time: "On the last day of the 1925–26 season Manchester City went to Newcastle needing a point to avoid relegation from the First Division. A run of four consecutive wins suggested they would do so. They were awarded a penalty, only for outside-right Billy Austin to miss it. It proved a crucial error: Newcastle won 3–2 and City went down."

Austin remained loyal to the club and played a key role in their Second Division Championship win in the 1927–28 season. Notably, on 14 January 1928, he stood in as an emergency goalkeeper in an FA Cup tie against Leeds United and kept a clean sheet in a 1–0 victory.

Back in the First Division, Austin missed only four matches during Manchester City’s 1928–29 campaign as they secured an eighth-place finish. However, Austin lost his regular place and did not feature at all in the 1929–30 season, making just four further appearances in the late autumn of the 1930–31 season. He was then placed on the transfer list in January 1931 and departed to join Worcester City, to play in non-League football. In total, Austin played 172 matches for Manchester City, scoring 47 goals. Three of those appearances were as an emergency goalkeeper.

Non-League football Austin was snapped up by Worcester City manager Joe Smith without a transfer fee as he was not moving to another Football League club. He was an immediate success, scoring in a record 11 consecutive Birmingham League matches, and by the end of the season had 19 goals, including 5 away at Hereford.

Chesterfield and return to Worcester City In the 1931–32 season, Austin tried to re-establish himself in the Football League with Chesterfield in the Second Division but in November 1931 he was allowed to return to return to Worcester on a match-by-match basis. The impact was again instant. In his first match back on 21 November 1931, Sam scored 6 times as City beat Bilston 18–1 (an individual record which he shares with three other players, Alex Hair, Billy Boswell and John Inglis). It was his only Worcester City game before Christmas, but in the second half of the campaign he appeared more often and finished up playing 17 times (12 goals). Austin finished with 31 goals in 28 games for Worcester City. He finished with 51 appearances (7 goals) for Chesterfield.

Kidderminster Harriers Released by Chesterfield in May 1933, he was signed by Kidderminster Harriers. He enjoyed three excellent years at Aggborough, playing regularly and winning the Birmingham Senior Cup in the 1933–34 season, playing in the final against Burton. He also was part of the team that then retained the same cup, during the 1934–35 season, beating Nuneaton Town in the final. In the 1934–35 season, Austin also won the Worcester Senior Cup by beating Aston Villa in the final. The following season, he was part of the Harriers' 1935–36 FA Cup run to the second round proper (they eventually lost 4–1 at Workington).

Racing Club de Roubaix In 1936, he moved to France, joining Racing Club de Roubaix during a period when many English professionals were transferring to the French League. It is reported that he did not play any official matches for the club.

Amateur football Remarkably, in November 1947, the Norwich Press reported that Austin, then aged 47, had been reinstated as an amateur and was still playing football for Brinton FC in the Kidderminster League.

International career His performances at Manchester City earned him international recognition the following year. On 24 October 1925, he won his only full England cap in a 0–0 draw against Ireland at Windsor Park, Belfast. His legacy number is 497. Austin also represented The Football League XI vs Irish League XI, on 5 October 1925 - winning 5–1..

Career statistics

Club

International

Honours Manchester City Football League Second Division: 1927–28 FA Cup runner-up: 1925–26

Worcester City Birmingham and District League runner-up: 1931–32

Kidderminster Harriers Birmingham Senior Cup:1933–34, 1934–35 Worcester Senior Cup: 1934–35 Birmingham and District League runner-up: 1934–35