Stephens: John William (Bill)

WW2 Guest: 1940-1943 (Leeds United War-time Guest Player Details)

Inside Forward

Born: Cramlington, Northumberland: 13-06-1919

Debut: v Darlington (h): 09-03-1940

Height & Weight: Unknown

Stephens started with his local Cramlington club before he signed with First Division Leeds United in September 1938 but never played a senior game for them before the commencement of the Second World War. He was a guest with Leeds United at Centre Forward in four consecutive games in the 1939-40 Regional League North-East Division. He made his debut at Elland Road at Right Half in a 3-2 win over Darlington on 9th March 1940. He retained his place in the next game but at Centre Forward in a 1-2 defeat at Hartlepools United, this was followed by two games at Centre Forward as Leeds beat York City 3-1 at Elland Road but lost 1-2 to Huddersfield Town at Leeds Road. Both he and his twin brother, Alf Stephens, were called up into the Army with the Royal Engineers and were taken Prisoners-of-War in the Middle East in July 1941. They were released in May 1945, and arrived back in England two days after VE Day. He came back for one game in the 1944-45 Football League Northern Section Second Championship final game as Leeds were soundly beaten 1-6 by Chesterfield at Saltergate. His final season for Leeds United came in the 1945-46 Football League Northern Section and he played eleven games and scored one goal. He played the first four games at Centre Forward as Leeds lost all four games, 1-3 at home and away to Chesterfield in the first two and 1-2 at home to Barnsley and at Inside Right away to Stoke City. He played missed four games and came back at Inside Right in a 0-6 defeat by Bolton Wanderers at Burnden Park. Then after missing seven games he played twice against Sheffield United scoring in a 2-4 home defeat and also playing in the reverse fixture losing 2-6 in the away game. He played at Blackpool five games later at Inside Right in a 2-4 defeat at Bloomfield Road. After missing two games he was back at Inside Right in a 3-3 draw with Bury at Elland Road and missed the reverse fixture but was at Centre Forward in a 0-0 draw at Ewood Park against Blackburn Rovers but played at Inside Right in his final game in the reverse fixture as United went down 1-4 at Elland Road. He also played for Hartlepool United and Luton Town in the War Years. He scored nine goals in just six games for the Monkeyhangers in the 1939-40 season and after his repatriation he played just one game in the 1945-46 season for the Hatters. After the Second World War Stephens joined Third Division South side, Swindon Town, in July 1946 and he scored twenty-five goals, three from penalties, in forty-seven League games and two goals, one from a penalty, in two F.A. Cup ties in his two seasons there before leaving for Second Division West Ham United in December 1947. He made his League debut with Swindon at Centre Forward on 31st August 1946 in a 1-4 defeat at Northampton Town and played his final game at Inside Left on 1st November 1947 in a 0-1 defeat at home to Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic. He played his first game for West Ham United at Centre Forward on 13th December 1947 in a 3-0 home win over Fulham and played his last game at Centre Forward in a 2-2 draw with Lincoln City at Upton Park on 21st August 1948. He did not have the best of luck with the Hammers. He suffered what must rank as the quickest-ever injury sustained in a football match, when he broke his left leg just five seconds after the kick-off of an Eastern Counties League match at Bury St. Edmunds on the 22nd April 1949. It was his second broken leg in successive seasons. He had been progressing well at centre-forward before his first mishap in 1947-48 when he scored seven times in twenty-three First Team appearances, but had only one more senior outing after the second injury. He was very impressive in scoring a hat-trick in a 3-0 win at Ninian Park over Cardiff City on 26th March 1948 and after he had scored six goals in twenty-two League games and one goal in two F.A. Cup ties for the Hammers, he joined Cardiff City in December 1950. However, he never played a senior game for the Bluebirds and retired in 1951. He was the twin brother of Alf Stephens, who also played with him at Leeds United and Swindon Town. He died in 1974.