Bill Gooing was a centre forward who, with John Coleman and Tommy Shanks, fired Woolwich Arsenal to promotion for the first time in 1904/05.
He began his career at Penistone Wath in Yorkshire before moving to Sheffield Wednesday. Due to a lack of first-team football he moved on to Chesterfield where his goal-scoring form caught the attention of the Arsenal management.
Gooing signed for the Gunners on November 7, 1901 and made his debut just nine days later against Newton Heath (later to become Manchester United).
He had an indifferent first season, scoring nine goals in 24 appearances. However, in 1902/03, Gooing's strike partnership with Coleman would provide half of the club's League goals; with the former netting 16 himself including a hat-trick against Gainsborough Town.
In 1903/04 Arsenal gained promotion to the top flight of English football for the first time and once again it was Gooing, Coleman plus the new addition of Shanks who were pivotal as Harry Bradshaw's team finished runners-up to Preston. In fact the Gunners’ attacking trio scored 66 of the Club’s 91 League goals that season.
The next term was not as successful for Gooing. Although he played in Arsenal’s opening First Division fixture against Newcastle United, he soon dropped behind new signing Charlie Satterthwaite in the pecking order. After 106 appearances and 48 goals, Gooing moved on to Northampton Town in 1905, where he retired later that same year.
Bill Gooing
