5'7.5" 12st.

b. Masbrough, Rotherham 13 August 1872

d. Rotherham October 1918 (buried Masbrough Cemetery 29 October 1918)

Debut 1 September 1900 (28y 19d) Final Game 5 April 1902 (29y 235d)

First Goal 29 October 1900 Final Goal 29 March 1902

CAREER: Wath Athletic;Chesterfield Town '93;Rotherham Town Aug'94[54-19];Newton Heath May'96-Apr'00[108-27];Blackburn Rovers Jul'00-'02.

FOOTBALL LEAGUE 1 app ’98 v IL.

FL     25 apps  8 gls  3g 1

Penalty record T 2 Sc 2

Strike rate 281m

LC     4 apps  1 gl et 10m

Bryant’s father Alf was a Gloucestershire man who married a woman from Kimberworth in Rotherham who he met when he was working in the mines,Willie followed his father down the pit before moving to join newton Heath in 1896. By the time he arrived with the Rovers he was a seasoned competitor and was totally versatile. In 25 appearances with the club he played in every position expect full back and goal. With Newton Heath he had displayed genuine pace but his versatility did not help him settle. Although he had lost some sharpness in front of goal he was a deadly penalty taker but spent most of his two seasons with the club as permanent twelfth man. Always able to exchange knocks with an opponent he caused a riot playing for Chesterfield against Worksop that led to the closure of the ground. He played one game for the Football League and also represented the Lancashire Combination. In 1903he took over the license at the Fitzwilliam Hotel, Greasbrough Road, Thornhill, Rotherham. After his death his wife Mary Elizabeth then ran the pub until 1924.