William Ithell
William James Ithell was born in Hawarden on 7th February, 1916. He joined Bolton Wanderers in 1936 but did not actually play for the first-team.
On 15th March, 1939, Adolf Hitler ordered the German Army to invade Czechoslovakia. It seemed that war was inevitable. On 8th April, Bolton Wanderers played a home game against Sunderland. Before the game started, Harry Goslin, the team captain, spoke to the crowd: "We are facing a national emergency. But this danger can be met, if everybody keeps a cool head, and knows what to do. This is something you can't leave to the other fellow, everybody has a share to do."
Of the 35 players on the staff of Bolton Wanderers, 32 joined the armed services and the other three went into the coal mines and munitions. This included Harry Hubbick, who resumed his career down the pits and Jack Atkinson and George Hunt served in the local police force. A total of 17 players, including Billy Ithell, Harry Goslin, Danny Winter, Albert Geldard, Tommy Sinclair, Don Howe, Ray Westwood, Ernie Forrest, Jackie Roberts, Jack Hurst and Stan Hanson, joined the 53rd (Bolton) Field Regiment.
Stan Hanson, George Catterall, (Lt Col G Bennet), Billy Ithell, Jack Hurst, Front
row: Albert Geldard, Don Howe, Ray Westwood, Jackie Roberts, Tommy Sinclair.
During the Second World War the 53rd (Bolton) Field Regiment saw action at Dunkirk (May, 1940), El Alamein (1942) and the invasion of Italy (September, 1943).
In May 1946 Ithell was transferred to Swindon Town. A centre-half, he played in 107 games for the club between 1946-49.
William Ithell died in 1986.