View source for Billy Mosforth

{{short description|English footballer}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Billy Mosforth 
| image = Billy Mosforth.jpg
| image_size = 150
| caption = Billy Mosforth in his United kit
| fullname = William Mosforth
| height = 
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1858|1|2}}<ref name="blades whos who" />
| birth_place = [[Sheffield]], England<ref name="blades whos who" />
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|1929|7|11|1858|1|2}}<ref name="blades whos who" />
| death_place = Sheffield, England 
| position = [[Midfield|Inside or Outside Left]]
| youthyears1 = 
| youthclubs1 = 
| years1 = 1873–1879 
| years2 = 1878–1888 
| years3 = 1879
| years4 = 1875–1884
| years5 = 1883
| years6 = 1884–1886
| years7 = 1886–1889
| years8 = 1889–1890
| clubs1 = Sheffield Albion
| clubs2 = [[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|The Wednesday]] 
| clubs3 = → [[The Zulus]]
| clubs4 = → [[Hallam F.C.|Hallam]]
| clubs5 = → Sheffield Rovers
| clubs6 = → [[Heeley F.C.|Heeley]]
| clubs7 = → [[Lockwood Brothers F.C.|Lockwood Brothers]]  
| clubs8 = [[Sheffield United F.C.|Sheffield United]]
| caps1 = 
| caps2 = 
| caps3 = 1  
| caps4 = 
| caps8 = 0  
| goals1 = 
| goals2 = 
| goals3 = 0  
| goals4 = 
| goals8 = 0 
| nationalyears1 = 1877–1882
| nationalteam1 = [[England national football team|England]]
| nationalcaps1 = 9
| nationalgoals1 = 3
}}
'''William Mosforth''' (2 January 1858 – 11 July 1929) was an English [[association football|footballer]] who played either as an [[Inside forward|inside]] or [[Outside forward|outside left]]. Born in [[Sheffield]] he played for several [[Sheffield]] clubs but the majority of his career was spent at [[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|The Wednesday]]. He later joined [[Sheffield United F.C.|Sheffield United]], playing in their first season in existence before retiring in 1890. He won nine [[cap (sport)|caps]] for [[England national football team|England]] between 1877 and 1882, which was a [[Progression of England association football caps record|record]] at the time, scoring three goals for his country.

==Club career==
Playing in his home town of [[Sheffield]] for his entire career Mosforth was known as the 'Little Wonder' or 'The Sheffield Dodger' due to his small stature.<ref name="blades whos who">{{cite book |author=Denis Clarebrough & Andrew Kirkham |title=Sheffield United Who's Who |publisher=Hallamshire Press |year=2008|pages=235–236 |isbn=978-1-874718-69-7}}</ref> He was often considered the best local player during his era<ref name="Wednesday!"/> with outstanding ball control, crossing ability and long dribbles, sometimes taking it the entire length of the pitch!  He was also a leading exponent of the [[curl (football)|"screw shot"]] that allowed him to bend the ball in the air,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.11v11.com/index.php?pageID=476|title=Football History|accessdate=27 January 2008}}</ref> a technique that was developed in Sheffield at the time and is now commonplace in the game.

Mosforth began his career at Sheffield Albion and made his debut at 14 but was famous for swapping sides and profiteering from his play.<ref>{{cite book|last=Farnsworth|first=Keith|title=Sheffield Football: A History (1857–1961)|year=1995|pages=36–37|publisher=The Hallamshire Press|isbn=978-1-874718-13-0}}</ref> As an amateur player he was allowed to play for more than one club under [[The Football Association|FA]] rules at that time, although like many players Mosforth probably received some sort of payment for his services. One anecdotal story says that when he ran onto the pitch in [[Hallam F.C.|Hallam]] colours someone in the crowd shouted "10 bob and free drinks, Billy, if you'll change your shirt". He promptly ran back to the dressing room and returned in a [[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|Sheffield Wednesday]] shirt. Despite this he was selected to play for the [[Sheffield and Hallamshire County Football Association|Sheffield Football Association]] in 1876 at the age of 18.<ref name="Wednesday!">{{cite book |last=Farnsworth |first=Keith |title=Wednesday! |year=1982 |pages=27–30 |publisher=Sheffield City Libraries |isbn=0-900660-87-2}}</ref>

Signing for [[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|The Wednesday]] in 1878 Mosforth would remain with the club for almost a decade, scoring their first ever goal at their [[Olive Grove]] ground, but continued to play for a number of other local teams during that period. In 1879 he played for [[The Zulus]] a touring side created to aid families of casualties of the [[Anglo-Zulu War|Zulu War]]. The side became embroiled in controversy when it was revealed that the players were to make money themselves (a practice illegal at the time). Like many of the Wednesday players who were involved in the Zulu team, Mosforth was also one of the players who pushed them into becoming professional team. He played for the break-away team (Sheffield Rovers) that intended to become Sheffield's first professional side, but he returned to the Wednesday fold after professionalism was agreed upon.

After leaving [[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|The Wednesday]] he was amongst the first players to answer the advertisement asking for players to form the new [[Sheffield United F.C.|Sheffield United]] team that were placed in the local press.<ref name="blades whos who" /> He duly signed for the new club and remained at [[Bramall Lane]] for one season (prior to their entry into [[The Football League]]), having the distinction of scoring United's first ever goal at the ground and of being one of the first players to play for both leading sides in the city. Mosforth was also the first Blades player to be 'substituted' during a match (before substitutes were permitted) when a teammate was late arriving for a game against [[Bolton Wanderers F.C.|Bolton Wanderers]], coincidentally the first game to be played under floodlights, meaning that Mosforth was asked to fill in until his teammate arrived.<ref name="blades whos who" />

==International career==
Mosforth made his debut for [[England national football team|England]] in March 1877, appearing in a friendly against [[Scotland national football team|Scotland]]. He went on to play nine times for his country and scored three goals.<ref>{{Englandstats|ref=y|access-date=26 January 2008}}</ref>

===International goals===
{| class="wikitable collapsible" style="font-size:85%; text-align:left; margin:auto;"
! # !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Result !! Competition !! Scored
|-
| 1 || 5 April 1879  || [[The Oval|Kennington Oval]], London || {{fb|SCO}} || 5–4 || [[Exhibition game|Friendly]] || 1
|-
| 2 || 13 March 1880  || [[Hampden Park]], Glasgow || {{fb|SCO}} || 4–5 || [[Exhibition game|Friendly]] || 1
|-
| 3 || 13 March 1882  || [[Racecourse Ground]], [[Wrexham]] || {{fb|WAL}} || 5–3 || [[Exhibition game|Friendly]] || 1
|}

==Records==
Billy Mosforth holds a number of records in the game, these are as follows:

First player to play for both Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United.

First player to score for both Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United.

Scored the first goal at Sheffield United's ground Bramall Lane.

First Sheffield United player to be 'substituted'.

Record England Cap holder at the time.

Played in the first professional game to be played under floodlights.

Scored Sheffield Wednesday's first ever goal at the Olive Grove

==Personal life==
Mosforth was an engraver by trade and was an all round athlete, competing in both flat and hurdle races and playing for Hallam Cricket Club.<ref name="blades whos who" />  After he retired from playing Mosforth became a licensee in Sheffield.<ref name="blades whos who" />

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mosforth, Billy}}
[[Category:1858 births]]
[[Category:1929 deaths]]
[[Category:English men's footballers]]
[[Category:England men's international footballers]]
[[Category:Men's association football midfielders]]
[[Category:Hallam F.C. players]]
[[Category:Sheffield Wednesday F.C. players]]
[[Category:Sheffield United F.C. players]]
[[Category:Footballers from Sheffield]]