GREAT PLAYERS

Willie Hall 1932-1944

INDUCTED INT0 THE HALL OF FAME

Willie Hall was one of the most popular players of the thirties. 'A gentleman and a footballer on and off the field' - the words of the one and only Sir Stanley Matthews on this Spurs great.

Signed to replace another great talent, George Greenfield, Spurs paid a £2,500 transfer fee to Notts County for Hall plus another £500 when he won his first England cap. He went on to win 10 full England caps and famously scored five goals in an international for England against Northern Ireland in 1938, a record shared with three other players. Three of his goals came in the space of 3½ minutes and all five in 30 minutes either side of half-time.

Within a year of joining us, Hall had won that cap against France, December 1933, and had tasted success as we were promoted to the First Division.

A clever dribbler, he was a regular in the early war years, dropping into defence and even played full-back. He continued to pick up representative honours and played three wartime internationals against Wales.

Unfortunately, ill health forced him to retire from playing and by the end of 1945 he had had the lower part of both legs amputated.

Spurs staged a testimonial match for him against an FA XI at White Hart Lane on May 7,1946. A 30,220 crowd raised around £3,000 for him. Another was staged at the City Ground, Nottingham on September 18, 1946 between a Combined XI and an FA XI, a 2-2 draw.

In 1949 he was made a vice president of the newly formed Spurs Supporters Club.

From December,1954 he was 'mine host' of 'The Archers' public house, Osborne Street, London E1. In 1967 the Newark Football Alliance introduced the Willie Hall Memorial Trophy which is still played for each year. The local Millgate folk museum includes a Willie Hall display.

202 matches, 27 goals 1932-33 to 1938-39. 20 FA Cup games, 2 goals. 136 wartime matches, 10 goals.