{{Short description|Scotland international rugby union player}} {{Other people|William Neilson}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = Willie Neilson | image = | birth_name = William Neilson | nickname = | birth_date = {{birth date|1873|08|18|df=y}} | birth_place = Holytown, Scotland | death_date = {{Death date and age|1960|03|16|1873|08|18|df=yes}} | death_place = Prestwick, Scotland | height = | weight = | position = Three Quarters | youthyears1 = 1886–91 | youthclubs1 = Merchiston Castle School | amatyears1 = 1886–91 | amatyears2 = 1891 | amatteam1 = West of Scotland | amatteam2 = Cambridge University | amatteam3 = London Scottish | ru_amupdate = | provinceyears1 = 1886 | provinceyears2 = 1889 | province1 = Glasgow District | province2 = West of Scotland District | provinceapps1 = | provincepoints1 = | repteam1 = Scotland | repcaps1 = 14 | reppoints1 = 4 | ru_ntupdate = | repyears1 = 1891–97 | refereeyears1 = | refereecomps1 = | refereeapps1 = | ru_refereeupdate = | school = Merchiston Castle School | university = Clare College, Cambridge | module2 = {{Infobox officeholder | embed = yes | office = President of the Scottish Rugby Union | term_start = 1905 | term_end = 1906 | predecessor = John Simpson | successor = John Tulloch | prior_term = | order = 32nd }} }} '''William Neilson''' (18 August 1873 – 16 March 1960) was a Scotland international rugby union player.<ref name=Bath1>Bath, p137</ref> He was born in Thankerton House in Holytown, near Glasgow, Scotland. Holytown was historically in Bothwell parish leading to some references to state Bothwell.
==Rugby Union career==
===Amateur career===
He attended Merchiston Castle School and was captain of the rugby and cricket sides and School Prefect. He represented Scotland at rugby while still attending Merchiston.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000162/18910309/054/0004 |title=Register |url-access=subscription |access-date=March 19, 2023 |via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>
Neilson played for West of Scotland in November 1886.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001964/18861106/038/0003 |title=Register |url-access=subscription |access-date=March 19, 2023 |via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref> He was still at school but playing for West's first team.
He then left to go to Clare College, Cambridge, where he also played rugby for the university before graduating BA in 1894.<ref>{{acad|id=NL891W|name=Neilson, William}}</ref>
He played for London Scottish on his move to London as a barrister.<ref name=Bath1/><ref name="britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk">{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000472/18940730/071/0004 |title=Register |url-access=subscription |access-date=March 19, 2023 |via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>
===Provincial career===
Neilson played for Glasgow District against North of Scotland District on 2 January 1886.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000162/18860104/057/0004 |title=Register |url-access=subscription |access-date=March 19, 2023 |via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref> Later that year Neilson played for Glasgow in the Inter-City match against Edinburgh District.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001964/18861204/046/0003 |title=Register |url-access=subscription |access-date=March 19, 2023 |via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>
He played for West of Scotland District against East of Scotland District on 26 January 1889.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000893/18890130/073/0003 |title=Register |url-access=subscription |access-date=March 19, 2023 |via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>
He was being released from Merchiston Castle School to play for Glasgow District.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000472/18901212/081/0003 |title=Register |url-access=subscription |access-date=March 19, 2023 |via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>
===International career=== He was capped fourteen times for {{nrut|Scotland}} between 1891 and 1897.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/player/963.html?class=1;template=results;type=player;view=match|title = Rugby Union – ESPN Scrum – Statsguru – Player analysis – William Neilson – Test matches}}</ref> In 1891, he made his debut, along with his brother George in the game against {{nrut|Wales}}. One of the four Neilson brothers played in each of the twenty five matches between Willie and George's debut in 1891, until 1899, when Robert had to withdraw from the Calcutta Cup line-up after breaking his nose.<ref name=Bath1/>
===Administrative career=== He was vice-president of the Scottish Rugby Union from 1904 to 1905.<ref name="genealogy.com">[https://www.genealogy.com/ftm/s/t/a/Simon-Stanley/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0484.html Simon Stanley] genealogy.com</ref>
Neilson became President of the Scottish Rugby Union in 1905.
==Cricket career== He played for the West of Scotland Cricket Club.<ref name="britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk"/>
He played cricket for Clare College while at Cambridge University.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000893/18930719/128/0007 |title=Register |url-access=subscription |access-date=March 19, 2023 |via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>
==Military career== He served in the 2nd Battalion of the Highland Light Infantry in World War I. He was promoted to captain and was wounded in 1918 and taken as a Prisoner of War.<ref name="genealogy.com"/>
==Law career==
He then became a Barrister and settled in London. He was called to the Bar in 1896 at the Inner Temple.<ref name="genealogy.com"/>
==Family==
His father was James Neilson, an Ironmaster and second cousin of Walter Montgomerie Neilson and his mother was Jane Thomson, daughter of George Thomson, the famous Glasgow shipbuilder.
Three of William's brothers, George Thomson Neilson, Walter Gordon Neilson and Robert Thomson Neilson also played international rugby for Scotland.<ref name=Bath1/> George and Robert were also Presidents of the SRU. The four brothers never got to play together, although on at least five occasions, various pairings played on the same team.
==References==
{{reflist}}
;Sources {{refbegin}} * Bath, Richard (ed.) ''The Scotland Rugby Miscellany'' (Vision Sports Publishing Ltd, 2007 {{ISBN|1-905326-24-6}}) * Thorburn, Sandy ''The History of Scottish Rugby'' {{refend}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Neilson, Willie}} Category:1873 births Category:1960 deaths Category:Scottish rugby union players Category:Scotland international rugby union players Willie Category:People educated at Merchiston Castle School Category:Alumni of Clare College, Cambridge Category:Presidents of the Scottish Rugby Union Category:West of Scotland District (rugby union) players Category:Glasgow District (rugby union) players Category:West of Scotland FC players Category:Cambridge University R.U.F.C. players Category:London Scottish F.C. players Category:Rugby union players from North Lanarkshire Category:Rugby union three-quarters