William Robert Ponting (1872 – 21 March 1952) was an English amateur footballer who played as a half-back for Southampton St. Mary's in 1896–97, when they won the Southern League title for the first of six occasions over the next eight years.
He was a leading amateur player for his local club and had been captain of the Hampshire County Junior XI in 1893.
[1] In March 1897, John Hodgkinson, the Southampton St. Mary's left-half was injured and the "Saints" called Ponting into the side for the remaining five matches of the season.
Ponting made his debut in a 5–1 victory at Reading on 31 March[2] and played his part in the run-in to Southampton's first Southern League title.
[1] In the summer of 1897, Ponting returned to his teaching career.