Billy Milne
Encyclopedia
William "Billy" Milne DCM
(24 November 1895 – July 1975) was a Scottish
football
er who played for Arsenal
, before becoming a long-standing member of the club's backroom staff.
Born in Buckie
, Banffshire
, Milne started his career at his hometown club, Buckie Thistle
, although his career was interrupted early on by World War I
. During the war, Milne served with the Seaforth Highlanders
in France
and won the Distinguished Conduct Medal
in 1918. After hostilities ceased, Milne returned to Buckie, and a name for himself as a tireless and enthusiastic wing half (what would today be approximately a midfield
position).
In September 1921 he made the long journey south to join London
side Arsenal
. Milne made his debut for Arsenal away to Cardiff City
on 27 December 1921, but only played another four games that season. However, the following season he became an established regular in the Arsenal side, as a right half, and continued to play there for another four seasons. However, after the arrival of Alf Baker
he was dropped; he was a bit-part player for the next few seasons, but in a match against Huddersfield Town on 2 April 1927 he broke his leg
and his playing career was effectively finished. In all he played 124 times for Arsenal, scoring three goals.
Milne's tenaciousness and high levels of fitness led Arsenal manager Herbert Chapman
to retain Milne's services, appointing him as assistant trainer
to Tom Whittaker
. During World War II
he was stationed as an ARP
warden at Highbury
and was present the night the stadium was bombed with incendiary device
s; Milne helped put out the resulting fire and saved the stadium from even more serious damage.
Milne continued to hold the assistant trainer's position until Whittaker himself became Arsenal manager in 1947, upon which Milne became first-team trainer, and later club physiotherapist; he also served the England team
in a similar capacity. He fully retired in 1960 and was succeeded by Bertie Mee
, who would later become Arsenal's Double
-winning manager. He died in 1975, at the age of 79.
Distinguished Conduct Medal
The Distinguished Conduct Medal was an extremely high level award for bravery. It was a second level military decoration awarded to other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to non-commissioned personnel of other Commonwealth countries.The medal was instituted in 1854, during the Crimean...
(24 November 1895 – July 1975) was a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
er who played for Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, before becoming a long-standing member of the club's backroom staff.
Born in Buckie
Buckie
Buckie is a burgh town on the Moray Firth coast of Scotland in Moray. Buckie was the largest town in Banffshire by some thousands of inhabitants before regionalisation in 1975 removed that political division from the map of Scotland...
, Banffshire
Banffshire
The County of Banff is a registration county for property, and Banffshire is a Lieutenancy area of Scotland.The County of Banff, also known as Banffshire, was a local government county of Scotland with its own county council between 1890 and 1975. The county town was Banff although the largest...
, Milne started his career at his hometown club, Buckie Thistle
Buckie Thistle F.C.
Buckie Thistle are a senior football club based in the town of Buckie, Banffshire, who currently play in Scotland's Highland Football League. Founded in 1889, they are also known as The Jags and play their football at Victoria Park, in Buckie....
, although his career was interrupted early on by World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. During the war, Milne served with the Seaforth Highlanders
Seaforth Highlanders
The Seaforth Highlanders was a historic regiment of the British Army associated with large areas of the northern Highlands of Scotland. The Seaforth Highlanders have varied in size from two battalions to seventeen battalions during the Great War...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and won the Distinguished Conduct Medal
Distinguished Conduct Medal
The Distinguished Conduct Medal was an extremely high level award for bravery. It was a second level military decoration awarded to other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to non-commissioned personnel of other Commonwealth countries.The medal was instituted in 1854, during the Crimean...
in 1918. After hostilities ceased, Milne returned to Buckie, and a name for himself as a tireless and enthusiastic wing half (what would today be approximately a midfield
Midfield
Midfield is the part of a sports pitch that lies approximately in the center. It is a term most commonly associated with football to refer to the area in and around the center circle, as well as the players who occupy that region, but it can be used in field hockey to describe the same area, or in...
position).
In September 1921 he made the long journey south to join London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
side Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
. Milne made his debut for Arsenal away to Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
on 27 December 1921, but only played another four games that season. However, the following season he became an established regular in the Arsenal side, as a right half, and continued to play there for another four seasons. However, after the arrival of Alf Baker
Alf Baker
Alfred Baker was an English footballer.Born in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, Baker was originally a miner and played for various clubs in Derbyshire as an amateur, including Eastwood Rangers. During World War I he guested for Chesterfield, Crystal Palace and Huddersfield Town, although these appearances...
he was dropped; he was a bit-part player for the next few seasons, but in a match against Huddersfield Town on 2 April 1927 he broke his leg
Broken Leg
Broken Leg is an indie rock song written and recorded by Australian indie rock band Bluejuice. The song was voted no. 5 in the 2009 Triple J Hottest 100. The accompanying music video was voted in at no. 1 on Rage's RAGE FIFTY countdown that was voted for by viewers and shown on the last weekend of...
and his playing career was effectively finished. In all he played 124 times for Arsenal, scoring three goals.
Milne's tenaciousness and high levels of fitness led Arsenal manager Herbert Chapman
Herbert Chapman
Herbert Chapman was an English association football player and manager. Though he had an undistinguished playing career, he went on to become one of the most successful and influential managers in early 20th century English football, before his sudden death in 1934.As a player, Chapman played for...
to retain Milne's services, appointing him as assistant trainer
Athletic trainer
An athletic trainer is a certified, health care professional who practices in the field of sports medicine. Athletic training has been recognized by the American Medical Association as an allied health care profession since 1990....
to Tom Whittaker
Tom Whittaker (footballer)
Thomas James "Tom" Whittaker MBE was an English football player, trainer and manager, chiefly associated with Arsenal Football Club...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he was stationed as an ARP
Air Raid Precautions
Air Raid Precautions was an organisation in the United Kingdom set up as an aid in the prelude to the Second World War dedicated to the protection of civilians from the danger of air-raids. It was created in 1924 as a response to the fears about the growing threat from the development of bomber...
warden at Highbury
Arsenal Stadium
Arsenal Stadium was a football stadium in Highbury, North London, which was the home ground of Arsenal Football Club between 6 September 1913 and 7 May 2006...
and was present the night the stadium was bombed with incendiary device
Incendiary device
Incendiary weapons, incendiary devices or incendiary bombs are bombs designed to start fires or destroy sensitive equipment using materials such as napalm, thermite, chlorine trifluoride, or white phosphorus....
s; Milne helped put out the resulting fire and saved the stadium from even more serious damage.
Milne continued to hold the assistant trainer's position until Whittaker himself became Arsenal manager in 1947, upon which Milne became first-team trainer, and later club physiotherapist; he also served the England team
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
in a similar capacity. He fully retired in 1960 and was succeeded by Bertie Mee
Bertie Mee
Bertram "Bertie" Mee OBE was an English football player and manager, noted for managing Arsenal to their first Double win in 1971. He was the younger brother of fellow footballer Georgie Mee.-Early life:...
, who would later become Arsenal's Double
The Double
The Double is a term in association football which refers to winning a country's top tier division and its primary cup competition in the same season...
-winning manager. He died in 1975, at the age of 79.