William “Billy” Hogg

Billy was born in Sunderland on 29^th May 1879. He started his career with Willington Athletic, before joining Sunderland, aged 19, in 1899.

It didn’t take long for him to get settled into the first team. In his second season with the club he played in every league game, and as part of the championship winning team of 1901-02, he missed only six games.

In all he had ten seasons at Roker Park, before moving to Scotland to join Glasgow Rangers, for a fee of £100. He proved to be as popular and successful as he had been in England. In his time at Rangers, he won everything except the Scottish Cup. In his last season at Ibrox, he suffered an ankle injury, which caused him to be fall out of the first team. As he wanted first team football, he made it clear that he wished to be available for transfer.

There were plenty of clubs interested in signing him, in the end it came down Third Lanark, Partick Thistle, Clyde and “provincial clubs” Greenock Morton and Dundee F.C.

In May 1913, he became a Dundee F.C. player for an undisclosed fee (it was rumoured that Rangers had been looking for £600.) He came with an outstanding reputation. The local press reported “Billy has a personality all of his own…… Dens Parkers should look out for those cork screw runs, and whirlwind shots.”

He made thirty-four appearances, and scored seventeen goals in the 1913-14 season, but the management team found it hard to find someone to partner him. Barbour, Read, and Steven were all tried, without great success.

Dundee supporters were surprised to read in their newspapers on 9th January 1914, that three of the clubs players had been suspended for an indefinite period, “Billy Hogg, Read, and Cameron, the three outside-rights on the club list, had not put in an appearance at training.”

The club were already struggling with discipline and injury. Two players had been suspended by the S.F.A. for incidents in a match against Airdrie, and the injury list had been growing. It was a brave move to suspend the club captain, but it was felt “it was the only course open to them in the best interests of the club and its patrons.” The punishment was lifted three weeks later, after the players had apologised, seeing the “error of their ways.” Everybody was pleased to see the issue resolved, as results had been dire during this time.

Just over a year later, Billy was involved in a charity match at Dens Park, the proceeds of which would go towards presents for soldiers fighting on the front line. The “half-holiday” match on the 10^th February 1915, saw a team of local junior footballers, “Wounded Soldiers” face a team of Pharmacists. Hogg refereed the match. Harry Lauder, the famous Scottish music hall singer and comedian, was guest of honour. He was on the pitch for the kick-off, in his own inimitable style “the comedian raised his foot, and just as he was about to kick the ball he lifted his stick and with a mighty whack set it a-rolling.” The pipe band of the 4^th Black Watch also entertained the crowd.

The following month Raith Rovers contacted Dundee F.C. in the hope of taking Billy to Starks Park in the role of player/coach. The directors and player were keen on the deal, the club were willing to part with him for a fee pf £100. The move would improve Hogg’s pay packet by £1 a week. Billy was reported to say that he had “no grievance with any of the Dundee officials, I have been quite happy there…but business was business.” The deal was quite prolonged due to the uncertainty as to whether football would continue to be played the following season, or stopped for the duration of the war.

He didn’t end up in Fife, but returned closer to home in Heaton, a suburb of Newcastle, where he was employed as a “fitter” with R. & W. Hawthorn Leslie. It was the same engineering company that he had served his apprenticeship many years earlier. There was a clamour from local clubs for him to join them in the North Eastern League. However, he had made the decision to only play in charitable matches.

At the end of the war Billy had become a publican in Earsden, a village in Tyne & Wear. He still harboured ambitions to return to full-time football though, and was keen to move back to Scotland. St Mirren showed interest in taking him to Love Street. He finally settled in Montrose, after playing for some local junior clubs.

However, in October 1920, when Dundee F.C. found themselves requiring an outside-right, due to injuries, Billy signed on a month’s trial, a three figure sum being agreed between the clubs. The deal didn’t become permanent and he returned to the Gable Enders.

He was still garnering interest from other clubs, with Brentford F.C. keen for his signature. But it was Dundee Hibs that he joined for a short spell in 1921, returning in December to Montrose for his last “hurrah” before hanging up his boots. He was joined at Links Park by his brother Jack, with whom he played alongside in his final season.

After a long career, he returned to Tyneside, once again becoming a publican.  Football was still in his blood though, and he took up the role of coach with Sunderland F.C. in 1927. He was with them for six years.

Billy was capped three times for England, in 1902, when he played against Wales, Ireland, and Scotland in the Home Championship.

Away from football he was a keen cricketer, becoming a member of Dundee Victoria C.C., and latterly Backworth C.C. in the Tyneside League. He also enjoyed bowling, and was a member of the Roker Park Bowling Club.

After a short illness, Billy died on 30^th January 1937, he was 57, and is buried in Southwick Cemetery.