Tatton: Joseph William (Bill/Billy)

WW2 Guest: 1943-1944 (Leeds United War-time Guest Player Details)

Outside Left

Born: Keighley: 08-04-1922

Debut: v Halifax Town (a): 04-12-1943

Height & Weight: 5' 6" Unknown

"He emerged as the successor to Tom Hindle at Keighley Town in 1942-43, and at end of season followed he followed Hindle to Elland Road following trials in April 1943. He became a regular Reserve team player in 1943-44 and 1944-45, but he appears to have left club at end of that season." (Information kindly supplied by Neil Roche). He played the one game for Leeds United in the 1943-44 Football League Northern Section First Championship at Outside Left in the 1-2 defeat by Halifax Town at The Shay on 4th December 1943. He also played the final four games in the 1943-44 Football League Northern Section Second Championship, when he played the first three games at Outside Left in a 1-0 win over Chesterfield at Elland Road, a 3-5 defeat at Millmoor against Rotherham United, in which Tatton scored Leeds’ first goal, and a 2-2 draw with Halifax Town at Elland Road, in which he again scored the Leeds first goal. He was at Inside Left in his final game for Leeds in the last game of the season as Leeds went down 2-5 to Halifax Town at The Shay in the reverse fixture. It is not thought that Tatton played professionally in the Football League. Billy’s daughter, Pam, and family kindly provided the following details in addition to his personal details. He left school at fourteen and became an apprentice with Prince Smith and Stells Ltd, textile machine manufacturers, Keighley. He attended night school at Keighley Technical College from 1939 and in 1945 received the Higher National Certificate in machine shop engineering. He became a member of the Institution of Production Engineers in 1946. He rose to become chief designer at Prince Smith and Stells. During the war years the business produced munitions and so he was in a reserved occupation. He was in the local Home Guard, just so long the drills and exercises did not interfere with his football and cricket! He played football for Keighley Town AFC, winners of the Bradford Amateur League and Bradford Challenge Cup in 1941-42. His greatest sporting passion was cricket and he played for Keighley Cricket Club from 1947, winning many trophies in the West Bradford League over many years. In later years he played golf at Bingley St Ives golf club. In 1947 he married Joan Anderson and had two children, Paul and Pam. Died 15th November 1993 in Keighley.

Pam Tatton also kindly provided the following:

Photographs of Bill's Sporting Life:

Player with Keighley Town:

Team Photograph of the Keighley Town AFC 1941-42: Winners of the Bradford Amateur League and the Bradford Challenge Cup:

Contracts and correspondence with Leeds United:

Correspondence:

Contract: