William Thomas (born 1885) was an English footballer who played for Port Vale, Everton, Leeds City, Barnsley, and Huddersfield Town.
[1] His debut came in an 8–1 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield on 8 April 1905, and he claimed his first goal in the Football League 13 days later in a 3–2 win over Gainsborough Trinity at the Athletic Ground.
[1] He played nine Second Division appearances in the 1905–06 season, before he moved on to Everton, Leeds City, Barnsley and Huddersfield Town.
[1] Source:[2] William (Billy) Thomas quit professional football around 1910 to become an Assistant Steward on the Canadian Pacific Steamship line's RMS Empress of Ireland, plying the route from Liverpool to Quebec City, Canada.
Mon May 29, 1914, William Thomas was still working on board the Empress of Ireland when the ship tragically sank in the St. Lawrence river, near Pointe-au-Père, Quebec, after a collision with a Norwegian collier in a fog.