Billy Houliston

William Houliston (4 April 1921 – 10 February 1999) was a Scottish footballer who played for Crichton, Queen of the South, Berwick Rangers, Third Lanark and the Scotland national team.

Early years Houliston was born in Maxwelltown, at Westpark Cottages, where he lived for a short while before his family moved to a house at the Crichton in Dumfries. He played for Brownhall Primary School in the Dumfries and District Primary School League at centre half, and represented the League in cup matches against other areas. Houliston's secondary school was Dumfries High School where he played only occasionally. On leaving school, he stopped playing completely.

Aged 17, working as a nurse at the Crichton Royal Hospital, Houliston started playing again. It was while playing for the Crichton team that he moved from defence to attack, playing at either inside or centre forward.

In 1941 Houliston was called up for national service. He joined RAF Coastal Command as a wireless operator. In his four years' service, Houliston was attached to 16 different stations where he represented each at football. Playing in the Arbroath area, the local side offered to sign him. On leave back in Dumfries, Houliston declined the offer when taking the offer of a trial game for Queen of the South reserves. Houliston was the idol of Palmerston Park in the late 1940s. His all-action style made him a handful for defences everywhere. After a serious ankle injury sustained while on tour with Scotland, Houliston was never the same player again. He was released by Queen of the South in July 1952, with a tally of 60 league goals in 120 league games.

Berwick Rangers and Third Lanark While holidaying in Blackpool, Houliston was pursued by dignitaries of Berwick Rangers; a contract was offered and Houliston signed while still on holiday. He spent only one season at Berwick where fate meant the club were drawn to play against Queen of the South in the Scottish Cup: a last minute goal gave Queens a 3–2 victory.

On 17 November 1948, Houliston made his full international debut for Scotland against Ireland at Hampden Park. The opposition were 2–0 up inside five minutes; 22 minutes later Houliston met the ball on the turn 10 yards from the goal and rifled the ball into the Irish net. A through pass to Jimmy Mason brought the equaliser. For the next goal Houliston passed the ball wide to Willie Waddell and kept moving goalwards, then met the winger's cross with a bullet header to complete the comeback. However a serious ankle injury brought Houlston's involvement in the tour to a premature end; he journeyed home on the without his teammates to have an operation.

International caps Scotland's score listed first.

After playing Houliston first went into the licensing trade in 1949 when opening Billy's Bar on Dumfries High Street. He continued in this business until the 1980s with the Nith Hotel at Glencaple.

Houliston became a director at Queen of the South in 1957 and was later chairman for several years, winning promotion to Division One with the early 1960s team of player manager George Farm, Neil Martin, Ernie Hannigan and the now veteran Jim Patterson.