Billy Simpson

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William "Billy" J. Simpson (born in Belfast) is a former Northern Irish international footballer.

Simpson signed for Rangers from Linfield for a sum of £11,500 in 1950. He spent nine years (1950-59) at Rangers making 239 appearances and scoring 163 goals. He won three championship medals and a Scottish Cup winners medal with Rangers to add to the two Irish League and two Irish Cups he won with Linfield. He left Ibrox in 1959 and spent the last couple of years of his career with Stirling Albion, Partick Thistle and (then non-league) Oxford United.

Most notably, Billy Simpson scored the only goal for Rangers in the record breaking 7-1 defeat to Celtic in the 1957 Scottish League Cup Final.

Simpson made his debut for Northern Ireland in 1951 against Wales, scoring in the process. He represented his country twelve times in total between 1951 and 1958, scoring 5 goals. He was selected in Northern Ireland's squad for the 1958 FIFA World Cup in Sweden but a late injury ensured he did not play at all during the finals.

In recognition of his service to that club, Simpson has been made a member of the Rangers F.C. Hall of Fame.

v • d • e Northern Ireland squad - 1958 FIFA World Cup 1 Gregg • 2 Cunningham • 3 McMichael • 4 Blanchflower • 5 Keith • 6 Peacock • 7 Bingham • 8 Cush • 9 Simpson • 10 McIlroy • 11 McParland • 12 Uprichard • 13 Casey • 14 Scott • 15 McCrory • 16 Dougan • 17 Coyle • 18 Rea • 19 Graham • 20 Chapman • 21 Hamill • 22 Trainor • Coach: Doherty

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