Willie Crilley

Who was Willie Crilley?

William "Wee Willie" Crilley was a Scottish-American football forward who holds the record for the greatest number of goals scored by an Alloa Athletic player in a single season of the Scottish Football League. He had an itinerant career, spending most of it in the United States with a few seasons, or bits of seasons in Scotland.

During his youth, Crilley played for Pale Ale, a local Glasgow amateur team. In 1920, he began the season with Cambuslang Rangers F.C. Durin the season, he moved to Alloa Athletic of the Scottish Football League Second Division. In his first season with Alloa, he scored the game winners in Alloa's first and second round victories in the Scottish Cup. He also scored in the third round replay with Rangers F.C., a 4–1 loss for Alloa. Despite the loss in the Scottish Cup, Alloa won the 1921 Penman Trophy and Stirlingshire Cup. The next year, Crilley carried Alloa to the Second Division championship as he scored a record forty-nine goals, an amazing feat for a five-foot three center forward. Alloa transferred Crilley to Celtic at the end of the season, but he played only three first team games, scoring a single goal. Celtic sent him back to Alloa at the end of the season, but injuries hindered his playing time.