{{short description|English footballer}} {{Use British English|date=June 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}} {{Infobox football biography | name = George Stillyards | image = | caption = | fullname = George Edward William Stillyards<ref name=Cric/> | birth_date = {{birth date|1918|12|29|df=y}}<ref name=LCFCarchive/> | birth_place = Whisby, England | death_date = {{death date and age|2010|1|9|1918|12|29|df=y}}<ref name=LCFCarchive/> | death_place = Leasingham, England | height = | position = Full back | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = | years1 = | clubs1 = Lincoln Rovers | caps1 = | goals1 = | years2 = | clubs2 = Botolph United | caps2 = | goals2 = | years3 = 1942–1949 | clubs3 = Lincoln City | caps3 = 100 | goals3 = 1 | years4 = | clubs4 = Stalybridge Celtic | caps4 = | goals4 = | years5 = | clubs5 = Skegness Town | caps5 = | goals5 = | years6 = 1953 | clubs6 = Grantham Town | caps6 = 1 | goals6 = 0 | years7 = | clubs7 = Brigg Town | caps7 = | goals7 = }} '''George Edward William Stillyards''' (29 December 1918 – 9 January 2010) was an English professional footballer who made 100 appearances in the Football League playing for Lincoln City. He played as a full back.<ref name=NB/>
==Life and career== Stillyards was born in Whisby, Lincolnshire,<ref name=LCFCarchive/> and joined Lincoln City during the Second World War. He went on to help the club to promotion to the Second Division in the 1947–48 season, and made his 100th Football League appearance, and last appearance for Lincoln, in August 1949.<ref name=LCFCarchive/> He later played for Stalybridge Celtic,<ref name=NB/> Grantham Town and Brigg Town,<ref name=GTFC/> and was player-manager of Skegness Town, playing as a centre-half rather than his normal right-back position.<ref name=Skeg/> He was described as "not a dirty player, but he took few prisoners".<ref name=Skeg/>
He played cricket for Lincolnshire in the Minor Counties Championship in 1950.<ref name=Cric/>
Stillyards was working as a machinist for Ruston's when he married May in Washingborough in 1944. The couple had three daughters. After retiring from football, Stillyards resumed his employment at Ruston's, and later became a bookmaker.<ref name=GTFC/><ref name=Diamond/> He played bowls until well into his eighties.<ref name=Bowls/> He died at home in Leasingham, Sleaford, Lincolnshire, in January 2010 at the age of 91.<ref name=Diamond/><ref name=BMD/>
==References== {{Reflist|colwidth=40em|refs= <ref name=NB>{{cite web |url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player8/georgestillyards.html |title=George Stillyards |work=UK A–Z Transfers |publisher=Neil Brown |access-date=21 January 2013}}</ref> <ref name=LCFCarchive>{{cite web |url=http://www.redimps.com/archive3/index.mv?cat=players&drop=playerdetsdrop&play=stil01 |title=George Stillyards |work=The Lincoln City FC Archive |publisher=Lincoln City F.C |access-date=21 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304000032/http://www.redimps.com/archive3/index.mv?cat=players&drop=playerdetsdrop&play=stil01 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> <ref name=Cric>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/198/198072/198072.html |title=George Stillyards |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=21 January 2013}}</ref> <ref name=BMD>{{cite news |url=http://www.thisisannouncements.co.uk/5706094 |title=George Stillyards: Obituary |work=Lincolnshire Echo |date=14 January 2010 |access-date=21 January 2013}}</ref> <ref name=GTFC>{{cite web|url=http://www.thegingerbreads.co.uk/gtfcstats/player.php?id=1583 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130421090124/http://www.thegingerbreads.co.uk/gtfcstats/player.php?id=1583 |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 April 2013 |title=George Stillyards profile |work=Statistics: Grantham Town |publisher=thegingerbreads.co.uk |access-date=21 January 2013 }}</ref> <ref name=Diamond>{{cite news |title=George plays at home for his longest match |work=Lincolnshire Echo |date=3 June 2004 |page=2}}</ref> <ref name=Skeg>{{cite news |title=Still a place for Stillyards' style |work=Lincolnshire Echo |date=30 April 2005 |page=14 |quote=Stillyards was not a dirty player, but he took few prisoners. To say he couldn't play, but could stop those who could, does not do him justice – although he could certainly mark and tackle opponents out of the game. Except on one day, against York City in 1948, when he was led a merry dance by the tricky left-winger Rudd. Eventually, George ignored the ball and shoulder-charged Rudd into the wooden white fence which bordered the Sincil Bank side of the ground.}}</ref> <ref name=Bowls>{{cite news |title=The dark arts of sledging and banter are all part of cricket |work=Lincolnshire Echo |date=24 July 2004 |page=25}}</ref> }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stillyards, George}} Category:1918 births Category:2010 deaths Category:People from North Kesteven District Category:English men's footballers Category:Men's association football defenders Category:Lincoln City F.C. players Category:Stalybridge Celtic F.C. players Category:Grantham Town F.C. players Category:Skegness Town A.F.C. players Category:Brigg Town F.C. players Category:English Football League players Category:Midland Football League players Category:English football managers Category:English cricketers Category:Lincolnshire cricketers Category:20th-century English sportsmen