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William Sharp (25 May 1922 – 16 January 1992) was a Scottish professional footballer who played as an inside forward. His only professional club was Partick Thistle, and he holds the club's all-time goalscoring record PTFC Legend: Willie Sharp Partick Thistle FC, 2010 (although the total includes seven years of unofficial wartime matches).
In December 1947, Sharp scored a goal after seven seconds had elapsed in a match against Queen of the South, which still stands as the quickest recorded in Scottish football. Thistle Stars From The Past, Partick Thistle match programme, 6 December 1980 (via Partick Thistle History Archive) That season, Partick finished in 3rd position in the League Championship, and achieved the same in 1953–54. They also reached the 1953 Scottish League Cup Final but lost to East Fife, the same opponent who had defeated them narrowly in the semi-final of the 1949–50 Scottish Cup. Thistle also lost the 1956 Scottish League Cup Final leaving their talented 1950s generation without a major honour, although by then Sharp was no longer a first team regular, and he retired aged 35 in 1957
Partick Thistle: 1946/47 - 2013/14, Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database to continue his plumbing business which he had continued on a part-time basis during his playing career. He made 573 appearances for the Jags in all competitions, scoring 229 goals, Players S, Partick Thistle History Archive and won the minor Glasgow Cup twice (1950–51 and 1952–53). Partick Thistle Winners of Glasgow Cup, The Glasgow Herald, 27 March 1951 (via Partick Thistle History Archive) Thistle's Superiority in Glasgow Cup Final, The Glasgow Herald, 30 September 1952 (via Partick Thistle History Archive) He died in 1992.
Sharp has been mentioned as one of the most skilled players never to have been capped by the Scotland national team, The Quiet Man Who Hasn't A Cap, 1956 (via Partick Thistle History Archive) the closest he came being a single appearance for the Scottish Football League XI in 1952, an unexpected but deserved 3–0 defeat to the Welsh Football League team Welsh Football League's Mastery, The Glasgow Herald, 25 September 1952 (via Partick Thistle History Archive) which would have done little to improve his selection prospects. He could be considered unfortunate to have played in the same position as Billy Steel who was an almost automatic choice in the period, besides which there was a good selection of native talent across the country.
Categories: 1922 Births, 1992 Deaths, Footballers From Glasgow, Scottish Men's Footballers, Glasgow United F.c. Players, Scottish Junior Football Association Players, Men's Association Football Inside Forwards, Partick Thistle F.c. Players, Scottish Football League Players, Scottish Football League Representative Players, People Educated At Whitehill Secondary School, People From Dennistoun, 20th-century Scottish Sportsmen
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