5th December 2019 was a sad day in Barnet Football Club's history as another of the BFC family passed away - Billy Meadows a goal scoring centre forward in the true sense, an ex Manager of the club, as well as a great footballing character and one of the funniest men you could ever have met.
I
will apologise in advance as this tribute will be coloured with a
personal affection for Bill as I was very proud to get to know one of
my real life Barnet heroes as a dear friend.
Over
two spells Billy scored 93 goals in 202 appearance and 76 of them
came in the 126 matches in his first two seasons at Underhill. Add
this to the fact that he was competing for goal scoring chances with
the likes of Roger Figg and Les Eason in the same team, He then
player-managed the club to promotion back to the Southern League
Premier in 1978. This has earned him the eternal affection of the
Barnet faithful as a club legend.
*************************************************
Bill
was born in Bushey on 20th October 1942 and was the
youngest of seven brothers and sisters. Future England Manager Ron
Greenwood was a friend of the family and coached at Harrow Schools
and he arranged a trial at Arsenal and at 15 Billy was a Gunner. He
stayed for five years playing left half and in Bill's words “Things
didn’t work out, probably because of my youthful arrogance and I
became slightly disillusioned with football and took a break for a
couple of years”.
Bill
picked up his career at Hastings United and finding himself at centre
forward he “learned to jump and start putting my head where it hurt
and lost teeth and broke my nose three times – idiot I know but I
scored goals and was nicknamed Bill the Shoot because that's how you
score, it's not rocket science is it?”
 |
| Billy 1968 |
A
phone call to the Barnet Manager Dexter Adams in 1968 went something
like this “‘Hello Dexter, how would you like to sign the best
centre forward in the Southern League?” Dexter came back with
“Hello Billy how is your leg then?’ Bill had been suffering with
a cartilage Injury and was actually on crutches at the time and the
wily old fellow new all about it. Nevertheless he signed in July “For
£15 a week!”
Bill
made his debut as a substitute on 17th August 1968 in a 1-2 defeat at
Poole Town in the following line up in the old 2-3-5 formation. Bill
scored our goal of course!
Brian
Goymer, Roger Thompson, Jimmy Lye, Ben Embery, Gerry Ward, Barrie
King, Colin Powell, Delvin Stevens, Les Eason, Roger Figg, Tony
Turley, Sub Bill Meadows.
In
1968-69 and following season it was the combination of Meadows and
Eason that terrorised the Southern League. 146 goals in all matches
between them, a staggering statistic. It was a wonderful footballing
side and a travesty why silverware was not won. Bill was yet another
player or supporter at the time who was certain it was the depth of
squad we had or more precisely the lack of it, 15 or 16 players in
all.
I
told Bill that Les had said that he was his perfect partner and Bill
returned the compliment. “Yes Eason was the best. Could turn on a
sixpence and was so sharp with a great brain, I was just the mug who
did everything to get on the end of a cross or a pass or put my head
in!”
Their
greatest moment together? “Probably when we beat Burton 10-0 and
Les and I got 4 each”.
 |
| Far right in the bobble hat is me watching Bill score. |
In
July of 1970 Bill’s contract was up for renewal and he asked then
Manager Tommy Coleman for a rise of £5 a week which was refused by
the Committee. Schoolboy error with respect Barnet FC.
Bill
signed for Hereford Utd soon to be followed by his great friend from
Barnet Ricky George.
Bill
told me all about the great Hereford Utd games against Newcastle and
West Ham – he kept all his press cuttings too. In
Harry Redknapp's autobiography, Billy is described as 'Having more
front than Southend', Redknapp
goes on to tell the tale of Bill’s 'despicable and outrageous'
verbal wind up of Bobby Moore during the visit to Upton Park. “Mooro
took it all in his stride and never lost his cool”. Bill
said “We lost 3-1 at Upton Park in front of 42,000 with 1,000’s
locked out. Geoff Hurst scored 3 breakaways and I scored at the end”
Bill also would tell anybody who would listen that he was marked by
the greatest central defender ever with immense pride, and why not?
After
a spell playing with FC Ostend in Belgium which incredibly involved
flying out from Southend Airport every Thursday and returning to his
wife Pat and the family Karen and John after matches, Bill was coaxed
back to Underhill. That period, 1973-75 especially was a fairly low
point in Barnet’s history as far as results are concerned but Bill
still scored goals. “When Manager Brian Kelly left, the Committee
asked me if I would consider becoming player-manager. I said yes!”
With
the help of Dave Underwood the club attracted a whole host of
experienced pros to the club and some fine young talent. “I signed
Marvin Hinton on the West Bank before he saw the dreadful facilities
in the main Stand, I also signed John Fairbrother, Walter Lees and
Terry Price in the same manner” laughed Bill.
“Dave
was responsible for getting Jimmy Greaves which really was something
special and my old partner in crime Eason was back too. I played a
bit at centre half or in midfield as my knees where getting dodgy by
then but we won the Southern League Division 1 South playing some
fantastic football”
Bill’s
departure from the club in 1978 was sad - “I was sacked, simple as
that but things like that happened, no hard feelings” he reflects.
“I took a long break and enjoyed the family again” He hadn’t
hung his boots up for good as he more often than not was found
coaching local school children or travelling all over the country to
appear in Dennis Waterman’s X1 Celebrity matches doing his bit for
Charity.
Bill
and Pat moved to a lovely Bungalow in Berkhamsted where he became “a
fully licensed cab driver” and enjoyed his Speedway at Rye House.
To anybody who knew him this was the perfect job other than crashing
a ball into the net for him, meeting and talking to people.
Every
year on my birthday Billy sent a card or would phone to wish me happy
returns as we shared the same birthday. We would talk for ages and
sometimes I would think will he ever stop but I will certainly miss
those calls now. Mrs Reckless had numerous chats with him too - he
was infectious. The stories he would tell were legendary and you were
always royally entertained in his company.
He
made a memorable and hilarious cameo on the pitch in the Simon Emmett
film Underhill at one point asking the camera “How can anyone miss
the goal target 12 yards away from the penalty spot, look at the size
of it. I didn't miss”. And you know I don't think he ever did!
Tributes
poured in on social media, on Twitter and BFC's Messageboard from
supporters young and old.
Dreadfully
sad news. Billy was a Barnet icon – Hoppy
Great
player and he looked a real tough guy to a wee kid like me. He even
played a great game in my Subuteo team! – Amber Forever
What
a striker he was. Great header of the ball. Such power. - Marko
Sad
news, I got to know Billy in the late 00's early 10's as he was a
regular along with his son John at Rye house speedway. - John Erroll
I
used to drive past his house on my way to and from work and often
popped in for a cup of tea and was always made very welcome RIP Bill
- Derek Scott
Very
sad news, a great centre-forward who scared the pants off many a
centre-half. - Dick Rolf
Tough
as old boots, if he had one leg he would try and carry on, put his
body on the line to score many a brave goal – Baza
A
proper centre forward for Barnet FC when he played, with a tremendous
scoring record - Richard M
With
Bill as Manager my first real taste of 'glory' as a Barnet supporter
- promotion back to the Southern League Premier. - Let
it Bee
Billy
has gone, at peace amongst the greats. I took the pitch with him over
250 times, a man born to score goals – Ricky George
 |
| Les Eason Ricky George and Billy |
In
the last couple of years Bill had been suffering form Alzheimer
disease and dementia and recently went into a care home where he
passed away peacefully on Thursday 5thth December, he was
77.
His
funeral will take place on Monday 30th December at Hendon
Crematorium in Holders Hill Road NW7 at 2 o'clock.
RIP
Billy Meadows
20th
October 1942 - 5th December 2019
202
appearances 93 goals.
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