Name:
William Ballintrae GillespieNickname: "
Billy"
Country:
Ireland
Club:
Sheffield United F.C.Position: *
SS,
AMF,
CFSide: RF/BS
Age: 30-36 years (06/08/1891)
Height: 175 cm
Weight: 70 kg
Attack:
87Defence:
38Balance:
84Stamina:
77Top Speed:
77Acceleration:
78Response:
82Agility:
80Dribble Accuracy:
83Dribble Speed:
74Short Pass Accuracy:
82Short Pass Speed:
74Long Pass Accuracy:
88Long Pass Speed:
78Shot Accuracy:
83Shot Power:
82Shot Technique:
80Free Kick Accuracy:
73Curling:
68Header:
81Jump:
75Technique:
89Aggression:
82Mentality:
84Goalkeeper Skills:
50Team Work:
87Injury Tolerance:
BCondition:
7Weak Foot Accuracy:
6Weak Foot Frequency:
6Consistency:
7Growth type:
Late/LastingCARDS:P01 - Classic No. 10
P07 - Early Cross
P15 - Free Roaming
S02 - Passer
SPECIAL ABILITIES: Tactical Dribbling - Playmaking - Passing - Scoring
Attack/Defence Awareness Card:
Attack MindedINFO:Gillespie was a striker who spent most of his career at Sheffield United - after a beginning at Institute first and Leeds City then - playing 563 matches, scoring 161 goals and captaining the side for seven seasons from 1923 to 1930. He also capped 25 times for Ireland and scored 13 goals. He could play as centre forward or left-inside, position where he was more successful in and that became his main one in the second part of his Sheffield United career, still playing as centre forward when needed.
Gillespie proved from the beginning of his career that he was a natural with the ball and was gifted with determination as well as work ethic. Throughout the years, he also proved to be a model of consistency. He was an easy going attacker of straightforward methods who could fool the defences with long accurate passes. In fact, despite being also a great scorer, he was Sheffield United's playmaker, proving himself as an outstanding player of the ball. Apparently no player other than him could trap the ball so surely and retain it with such good judgment. Then he showed power and accuracy when delivering the pass to the right or left wing or more delicately down the middle. He was comfortable in possession of the ball, neat and incisive when passing it and almost as good at making chances for his teammates as he was at taking them himself. He naturally scored less goals when playing deeper but his value to the team was still in evidence due to the way he racked up the games, hardly missing any in the second part of his career. He wasn't a big man, but despite his size he was strong, tough, fierce and an expert at making his presence felt on the pitch. Whoever made the mistake to push him to stop would quickly regret it, thinking twice before doing it again. Thanks to this characteristic he was an ace in the penalty area as well, being able to score easily not only with both feet but also with the head if he had the chance.