MEN 1873-1895
MEN 1895-2024
WOMEN 2018-2024
 

Billy Kitty Briers

OVERALL STATISTICS

BIRTHAGESIGNED ONFROM
11-2-1875
N/A
Date unknown.
Unknown.
DEBUTLAST MATCHLEFT
25-4-1891 v Rochdale St Clements
Widnes
1895-
CAREERAPPEARANCES (SUBS)
1891-1895
41 (0)
TRIESGOALSDGOALSPTS
5
2
0
19

Biography of Billy Kitty Briers



HERITAGE NO :
Billy Briers

KITTY

Billy was born in Thatto Heath, St Helens on the 11th of February 1875. His father Benjamin was a local lad who worked as a labourer. He was known as “Kitty” because he was left-handed or kitty-handed. Billy honed his strength by working as a blacksmith’s striker at Lea Green Colliery. He lived in Bewsey Street, Thatto Heath, St Helens.

Billy played his first game for the Saints at the tender age of 16 years and two months on the 25th of April 1891. The opponents were Rochdale St Clements and the match ended in a draw. Over the next three seasons Billy would establish himself as a regular in the forwards utilising his strength and fabulous dribbling skills with the St. Helens Recs. His contributions helped the Saints to promotion in the 1892-3 season. He is recorded as playing 41 matches and scoring 5 tries and kicking two goals for the Saints in period prior to the Northern Union.

NORTHERN UNION ERA

He featured strongly in the Saints’ first ever Northern Union game against Rochdale Hornets on the 7th. September 1895. In his matches for the Saints Kitty scored 109 tries, kicked no goals for a total points aggregate of 327 points. This tally included two hat tricks for the club. On October 1st. 1898 playing at stand off Billy scored three tries against Oldham as part of a 15 points to 9 victory. Seven seasons later, playing in the pack, Billy repeated the feat in the 68 points to nil demolition of Liverpool City on 30th. March 1907. William was a member of the Saints side in the first ever Challenge Cup Final on the 24th. April, 1897 when Saints went down to the `Gallant Youths` of Batley by 10 points to three.

Kitty also played in the first Northern Union Saints side to lift a trophy when the team beat Runcorn, in extra time, by 6 points to nil in the South West Lancs and Border Towns Cup at Widnes on April 30th., 1900. William `Kitty` Briers was the ultimate stalwart for the club playing 463 matches mostly In the forwards pack. This lad from Thatto Heath owed his longevity in the game to a high fitness level. He possessed a great turn of speed and super strong shoulder muscles. Billy had great soccer skills and was renowned as the best ever `dribbling` forward to appear in a Saints jersey. Briers played 78 consecutive games for the club from November 1907 to February 1910. He also Represented Lancashire in county matches.

William Briers died of appendicitis at the age of 56 in November 1931.
DateMatchPosOpponentsCompVenueFTFTOTGDG
24th Apr 1891 1
W
 15 Pemberton* SWLL H 7 1 2 VIEW
25th Apr 1891 2
D
 3 Rochdale St. Clements* FR A 0 0 VIEW
26th Dec 1891 3
L
 3 Wigan* FR A 4 5 VIEW
20th Apr 1892 4
W
 2 Leigh* FR A 2 0 VIEW
26th Dec 1893 5
L
 15 Wigan* FR A 3 5 VIEW
5th Apr 1894 6
W
 12 Swinton* FR H 6 3 VIEW
7th Apr 1894 7
W
 12 Warrington* FR H 3 0 VIEW
19th Apr 1894 8
W
 15 Stockport* FR H 15 10 VIEW
1st Sep 1894 9
W
 15 Birkenhead Wanderers* FR H 16 3 VIEW
8th Sep 1894 10
W
 15 Blackley* FR H 16 0 VIEW
15th Sep 1894 11
W
 15 Ulverston* FR H 27 0 VIEW
22nd Sep 1894 12
W
 15 Tranmere Wanderers* FR H 20 0 1 VIEW
29th Sep 1894 13
L
 15 Broughton Rangers* LSC A 8 13 1 VIEW
6th Oct 1894 14
W
 15 Tyldesley* LSC H 16 0 VIEW
13th Oct 1894 15
W
 15 Warrington* LSC H 9 0 VIEW
20th Oct 1894 16
L
 15 Oldham* LSC A 0 6 VIEW
27th Oct 1894 17
L
 15 Broughton Rangers* FR H 0 3 VIEW
3rd Nov 1894 18
W
 15 Morecambe* FR H 17 10 1 VIEW
7th Nov 1894 19
L
 15 Swinton* LSC A 0 3 VIEW
10th Nov 1894 20
W
 15 Dewsbury* FR H 9 0 VIEW
17th Nov 1894 21
D
 15 Ulverston* FR A 0 0 VIEW
24th Nov 1894 22
W
 15 Broughton Rangers* FR A 10 3 VIEW
1st Dec 1894 23
W
 15 Millom* FR H 24 0 VIEW
8th Dec 1894 24
W
 15 Rochdale Hornets* LSC H 5 3 VIEW
15th Dec 1894 25
D
 15 New Brighton* FR A 0 0 VIEW
19th Jan 1895 26
W
 13 District* FR H 23 0 VIEW
26th Jan 1895 27
D
 15 Leigh* FR A 5 5 VIEW
2nd Feb 1895 28
L
 15 Runcorn* FR H 0 7 VIEW
2nd Mar 1895 29
W
 15 Stockport* FR H 13 0 VIEW
9th Mar 1895 30
W
 15 Oldham* LSC H 8 3 VIEW
16th Mar 1895 31
W
 15 Salford* FR A 8 6 1 VIEW
23rd Mar 1895 32
D
 15 Swinton* LSC H 0 0 VIEW
30th Mar 1895 33
W
 15 Rochdale Hornets* LSC A 11 5 VIEW
1st Apr 1895 34
W
 15 Warrington* LSC A 11 0 VIEW
6th Apr 1895 35
D
 15 Wigan* FR A 0 0 VIEW
12th Apr 1895 36
L
 15 Tyldesley* LSC A 0 11 VIEW
13th Apr 1895 37
W
 15 Morecambe* FR A 8 0 VIEW
15th Apr 1895 38
W
 15 Broughton Rangers* FR H 23 0 1 VIEW
20th Apr 1895 --
L
 15 Runcorn* FR A 0 10 VIEW
25th Apr 1895 --
L
 15 Wigan* FR H 3 7 VIEW
27th Apr 1895 --
W
 15 Widnes* FR H 18 0 VIEW
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.
WINS : 25 | LOSSES : 10 | DRAWS : 6




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