Willie Lyon

Willie was born in Birkenhead, England on 7th March 1912. He went on to have a successful career in Scottish football with Queens Park F.C., Celtic F.C., and Aberdeen F.C., where he captained both of the latter teams. Alongside playing football, he worked in an insurance office.

Enlisting in the army, at the start of WW2, with the Royal Artillery, he was billeted in the South of England. Chelsea F.C. were keen to take him on as a “guest player”.

By 1943 he had attained the rank of Lieutenant, and was serving with the 51^st Highland Regiment, which was an anti-tank regiment, under the leadership of General Montgomery, in East Africa. Through an act of bravery in Italy, Willie was awarded the Military Cross, and was promoted to Captain. He went to Buckingham Palace to receive his medal from the King.

July 1944, saw Willie back in England, this time in hospital after receiving a leg wound from a shell splinter. The injury was to put an end to his football career.

Dundee F.C. manager, George Anderson, brought Willie to Dens Park as assistant manager in 1947. He had previously worked with Mr Anderson at Pittodrie, who was manager at the time, and Willie was a “guest player”, as was Andy McCall a former player and now coach with Dundee.

In April 1948 he resigned from his position, the reason given had nothing to do with football but was due to “housing difficulties.”

He moved back to England, taking up residence in Prestwich, Manchester, where he became a sports writer.

Willie died in Salford Royal Hospital, Manchester, on 5^th December 1962 aged 50.