Billy O'Rourke

Billy O'Rourke
Personal information
Full name	William James O'Rourke
Date of birth	2 April 1960
Place of birth	Nottingham, England
Date of death	28 January 2002 (aged 41)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Youth career
1976–1978	Burnley
Senior career*
Years	Team
1978–1984	Burnley
1983	→ Blackpool (loan)
1984	Chester City
1984–1987	Blackpool
1986	→ Tranmere Rovers (loan)
1987–1988	Tranmere Rovers
Total
	* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

William James O'Rourke (2 April 1960 – 28 January 2002) was an English professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He played in The Football League for four clubs.

Playing career[]

O'Rourke began his career as an apprentice with Burnley, with whom he turned professional in February 1978. His debut came away at QPR in October 1979, in a match shown on Match of the Day.^[1] Burnley lost 7–0, with O'Rourke leaving the pitch in tears.^[1] However, his performance led to the Burnley Express naming him as his side's man of the match.^[1]

He went on to make 13 more league appearances for the Clarets before joining Blackpool on loan in August 1983, followed by a move to Chester City in March 1984. Just five appearances later he was back at Blackpool, this time on a permanent basis, playing every league game in the next two seasons. He was voted Player of the Year in his first full season.^[2]

In September 1986 O'Rourke joined Tranmere Rovers on loan, making a permanent switch to Prenton Park the following February (1987). He remained with the club the following season before leaving Football League circles. He then joined ICI Thornton.^[3]

O'Rourke died following a brain haemorrhage on 28 January 2002.^[1]

Honours[]

Blackpool

Football League Fourth Division runners-up: 1984–85 (46 apps)

References[]

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Obituaries". The London Clarets. Archived from the original on 11 November 2007. Retrieved 23 January 2008.
^ Gillatt, Peter (30 November 2009). Blackpool FC On This Day: History, Facts and Figures from Every Day of the Year. Pitch Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1-905411-50-4.
^ "Tranmere Rovers 1946/47-2006/07". Neil Brown. Retrieved 23 January 2008.

External links[]

[Obituaries-1] "Obituaries". The London Clarets. Archived from the original on 11 November 2007. Retrieved 23 January 2008.

[Gillatt-2] Gillatt, Peter (30 November 2009). Blackpool FC On This Day: History, Facts and Figures from Every Day of the Year. Pitch Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1-905411-50-4.

[3] "Tranmere Rovers 1946/47-2006/07". Neil Brown. Retrieved 23 January 2008.

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