Billy Beats

Burslem Port Vale

Beats probably joined Burslem Port Vale from Port Hill Victoria in the autumn of 1891. He made his debut in a Midland League match on 10 October 1891, in a 4–1 defeat at Burton Wanderers. A regular in the team from March 1892, he scored four goals in 23 appearances in the 1892–93 season, as the club took part in the first ever season of Second Division football. He scored one goal in a defeat to Lincoln City at the Athletic Ground, and hit three goals over the two games against Northwich Victoria. He started the 1893–94 season with a brace against Manchester City, and then hit a hat-trick past Small Heath in a 5–0 home win on 25 September. He also hit a hat-trick past Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Staffordshire Senior Cup. He never missed a game all season long, and finished the campaign as the club's top-scorer with 20 goals in 32 games. Beats scored seven goals in 31 appearances in the 1894–95 season, as Vale struggled, finishing above only Crewe Alexandra in the league.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

In June 1895, he was sold to Wolverhampton Wanderers for an £80 transfer fee, who went on to narrowly avoid the First Division test matches in 1895–96. He played at Crystal Palace in the 1896 FA Cup final, which ended in a 2–1 defeat to The Wednesday following a brace from Fred Spiksley. Beats finished with ten goals as the club's top-scorer in the 1896–97 season. He scored 12 goals in 1897–98 to finish as the club's top-scorer for a second time,…

Beats won two caps for England whilst a player at Wolves. His first came on 18 March 1901, in a 6–0 thrashing of Wales as part of the 1901 British Home Championship. His second cap came on 3 May 1902, in a 2–2 draw with Scotland. He also played for England against Scotland in the "Ibrox disaster" match at Ibrox Stadium that was abandoned in April 1902 due to the collapse of a terrace, resulting in the deaths of 25 people.

Club statistics

International statistics

William Edwin Beats was born on 13 November 1871 in Wolstanton, Staffordshire. He was the fourth of six children to Edwin and Amelia; his father was a slater. He worked in the coal mines between the ages of 13 and 20. He married Elizabeth Paulina Cousens in 1898 and had five children: Alice, John, Edwin (who also became a professional footballer), William and Lena. After retiring from football, he worked as a licensed victualler. He died on 13 April 1936 in Reading, Berkshire.