We were all really surprised and saddened to hear of Bill’s death in Durham in August 2009. I had known him for some time before we met up again in Lenzie in the late 1960’s and were, I suppose the original Lopers! We had run in the same races – we competed at Airdrie, in the Tom Scott, the Clydebank to Helensburgh and many more on the road and track. We were of a very similar standard with him beating me one week and me getting the better of him the next. Scottish athletes have great respect for two categories of runner – the whole hearted club man who sticks to one club and for the guy who always joins the local club and does his bit for the sport. Bill, travelling as he did for his job, was in the second category. Starting with Edinburgh Eastern Harriers, he moved to London and joined Cambridge Harriers; when he returned to Edinburgh he rejoined Edinburgh Eastern; when he went to Newcastle he joined the Gateshead Congers (NOT Gateshead Harriers) and when they folded he joined up with Gosforth Harriers. On returning to Scotland, he joined Springburn Harriers. (While in England he had run for Edinburgh AC in the Edinburgh to Glasgow Race). When Walter Ross started up the Scottish Veteran Harrier Club Bill was one of the very first members and an enthusiastic member. The picture above shows Bill in a Scottish Vets vest leading Ron Hill up the finishing straight.
Bill filled many roles in the sport, a good class runner he went on to be a Level Four Coach; he worked on many committees – club committees, Scottish Marathon Club and so on. He was a real source of information on subjects athletic and a good companion on road runs with a great sense of humour. He was a super guy and it was a real blow to hear of his passing.