Bill Eckersley

Eckersley was born at Southport and after finishing school worked as a lorry driver. He was playing amateur football for High Park in 1947 when he was recommended to Blackburn Rovers by High Parker, Johnny Fairhurst, who signed for Blackburn Rovers himself in 1938. Although he retained his driving job, he signed as an amateur for Rovers later that month. He initially played in Rovers' reserves where his form was sufficiently good for him to be offered professional terms in March 1948. He made his Football League debut in the final match of the 1947–48 season, with Blackburn already doomed to relegation. Although Blackburn were to spend the next ten seasons in the Second Division, Eckersley's consistent performances led to him being considered one of the best full-backs in the country, and despite not having made an international appearance he was taken with the England squad to the 1950 World Cup finals in Brazil, collecting his first cap in the final match against Spain. Having lost to America, England needed to win this match to stay in the World Cup. Spain took the lead through centre-forward Telmo Zarra in the forty-seventh minute and then dropped back into deep defence. Even with Stanley Matthews and Tom Finney operating, England could not make the breakthrough and their World Cup challenge was over. This was however the start of an international full-back pairing with Alf Ramsey, with the pair making fifteen appearances together. As Blackburn continued in their…

Following his retirement, a testimonial match was held at Ewood Park on 24 April 1961 which was attended by a crowd of 21,000. He later ran a confectionery business and after this failed he worked as a taxi driver before returning to his first career as a lorry driver. He died in October 1982 aged 57 and his ashes were scattered around the pitch of Ewood Park by his sons prior to a match.