Billy Callender

Billy Callender

Personal information
Date of birth	(1903-01-05)5 January 1903
Place of birth	Prudhoe, England
Date of death	26 July 1932(1932-07-26) (aged 29)
Place of death	London, England
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Youth career
–1923	Prudhoe Town
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1923–1932	Crystal Palace	202	(0)
International career
1926	The Football League XI
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Billy Callender (5 January 1903[1] – 26 July 1932) was an English professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He made 202 Football League appearances for Crystal Palace between 1923 and 1932.[1]

Callender was born in Prudhoe, Northumberland and was playing in local football with Prudhoe Town[2] when he was signed by Crystal Palace in 1923.[1] Initially, he was understudy to Jack Alderson and made only two appearances in his first two seasons at the club.[1] He became a regular in the 1925–26 season and was ever-present in 1926–27, when he also played for the Football League representative team.[1] Callender continued to be a regular in the Crystal Palace team until the end of the 1931–32 season.[1]

On 26 July 1932,[3] Callender committed suicide at the club ground, following the death of his fiancée[1] from polio.[2] He was found hanged in the team dressing room after training.[1][2]

References

1. Purkiss, Mike; Sands, Nigel (1989). Crystal Palace: A Complete Record 1905–1989. The Breedon Books Publishing Company. p. 67. ISBN 0907969542.
2. "Eagles fan writes book in memory of long-serving Crystal Palace goalie". croydonguardian.co.uk. Croydon Guardian. Archived from the original on 21 February 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
3. Purkiss, Mike; Sands, Nigel (1989). Crystal Palace: A Complete Record 1905–1989. The Breedon Books Publishing Company. p. 320. ISBN 0907969542.

External links

• Billy Callender at holmesdale.net