Billy Thayne

Billy William Thayne Date of Birth: Dec 13, 1909

Born in West Hartlepool in December 1909, Billy was playing local football when he was surprisingly snapped up by Crystal Palace in 1929. Without a League start to his name, Billy returned disillusioned to the north-east a year later to join Hartlepools.

At Pools he was altogether more successful and built a reputation as a tough, no-nonsense centre-half leading to him coming to Luton in the summer of 1934 where he enjoyed a good run in the side which ended when the Town signed Jack Nelson and banished him to the reserves.

Signing for Northampton in the summer of 1936, Billy was dismissed (subsequently rescinded) at Luton in a feisty game in March 1937 which was a rare occurrence at the time.

Billy enjoyed three years at Northampton where he was virtually ever-present before signing for Walsall as War broke out.

A professional heavyweight boxer who performed under the assumed name of Curtis to avoid conflict with his footballing career, Billy subsequently emigrated to New Zealand where he became a football coach.

Billy passed away in New Zealand in 1986.