*Indicates unconfirmed information. Figures in brackets after English team names indicate all appearances made and goals scored in competitive matches for Football League clubs from 1888 onwards. For Scottish League clubs the figures show details of all competitive appearances and goals scored from 1946/47 onwards.
Willie O'Sullivan
Appearances: 41+5 Goals: 2
Date / Year of birth: 5th October 1959
Position: Midfielder
Season of first appearance: 1990/91
Season of last appearance: 1991/92
Also played for: Charlton Athletic (2+1,0), Dartford, Gravesend & Northfleet, Fisher Athletic, Dover Athletic, Crawley Town, Dulwich Hamlet, Bromley, Tonbridge Angels and Erith & Belvedere
Creative, hard-working 5' 7" tall midfielder born in Lambeth, London who started his career with Charlton in 1975 and became an Ireland youth international during his time at The Valley. On 21.1.77 Willie scored a hat-trick for Charlton's youth team in a 5-1 win at Camberley Town in the FA Youth Cup and he also made his 2nd Division debut during the 1976/77 season. Willie went on to make a total of three first team appearances (once as a sub) for the Addicks before moving to Dartford on a free transfer in October 1978.
He spent the best part of five years with the Darts and scored twice for them in a 3-1 home win over Margate on 29.11.80.
In July 1983 Willie joined Gravesend & Northfleet and scored 12 goals in 91 appearances there up to the end of the 1984/85 season.
He signed for Fisher in July 1985 and on 29.10.85 he scored a hat-trick in a 5-0 win over Chatham in a Southern League Cup tie.
Willie's next move took him to Dover in January 1987 and he spent 18 months there before linking up with Crawley in June 1988.
Willie's stay at Crawley lasted for around two years and was interrupted when he joined Dulwich for a brief spell before returning to Town Mead. Early in the 1989/90 season Willie left Crawley again and had a short stint at Bromley before returning to Sussex once more.
In November 1990 Willie left Crawley permanently having scored ten goals from 97 appearances there and signed for Margate.
He made his debut in a 1-0 win over Salisbury at Hartsdown Park on 3.11.90 and the Thanet Times said he "showed definite potential (and) should prove a major asset once he has settled in". From then on Willie was a fixture in Margate's midfield and the Times reported that he "often took the eye" during a 1-0 home win over Bury on 17.11.90. The Isle of Thanet Gazette praised Willie's "shrewd promptings" during a 3-1 win over Witney at Hartsdown on 24.11.90 and added that "no-one worked harder or to greater effect". On a similar note the Times described Willie as being a "resolute battler" during a 2-1 home win over Fareham on 2.3.91. Despite a string of impressive performances Willie didn't score for Margate until 6.4.91 when he found the net in a 1-1 draw with Newport IOW at Hartsdown. He was on target again in a 2-1 win at Fareham on 4.5.91 and ended 1990/91 with a record of two goals in 33 appearances (one as sub).
Willie started the first eight games of the 1991/92 season in Margate's midfield but then missed nine matches due to injury. He returned to the side for a 2-0 defeat at Erith & Belvedere on 5.11.91 but only played sporadically in the weeks that followed, making four substitute appearances. The last of them came during a 3-0 defeat at Weymouth on 14.12.91 and Willie left the club soon afterwards having made 13 appearances (four as sub) without scoring during 1991/92.
After a spell out of senior football he joined Tonbridge for the start of the 1993/94 campaign and had a penalty saved on his debut at Witney on 21.8.93. In March 1994 Willie broke his ankle in a 2-0 defeat at Sudbury in a Southern League Cup quarter final and left the Angels at the end of the season.
During 1995/96 he made two appearances for Erith & Belvedere.
Willie later went back to Dartford and he was playing for the club's reserves during the 1998/99 campaign. He became manager of the Darts' reserves for the 1999/00 season and in the summer of 2003 Willie took over as manager of Kent League side Erith Town.
Former Charlton goalkeeper Nicky Johns became his assistant and in February 2004 Johns told a website "Willie O'Sullivan is one of the best people I have ever worked with in football. He has a charisma with the players and a good knowledge of the game."
Willie left Erith in June 2005 after two years in charge.
He later had a spell as manager of Kent County League outfit Cray Valley (Paper Mills) that included the 2009/10 campaign and Willie left the club during 2010/11. His son Callum had been in the Cray Valley side during Willie's time in charge there.
In July 2012 Willie was appointed as manager of Kent Invicta League outfit Lewisham Borough and he was joined by former Margate manager Steve McRaye who became the club's coach. Willie told the Kentish Football website "It is great to be back in football at a decent level and I cannot thank the board and especially (chief executive) Ray Simpson for the opportunity and faith which has been shown in me."
In December 2013 Willie parted company with Lewisham with the club in the bottom four of the Kent Invicta League.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
||
|
1990/91 (MFC) |
32 (54) |
1 |
2 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (10TH OF 21) |
3QR |
3QR |
2R |
1R |
|
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
| |
|
1991/92 (MFC) |
9 (52) |
4 |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (14TH OF 22) |
1QR |
3QR |
1R |
1R |