Willie Carlin
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | William Carlin | ||
| Date of birth | 6 October 1940 | ||
| Place of birth | Liverpool, England | ||
| Date of death | 10 June 2024 (aged 83) | ||
| Height | 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1956–1958 | Liverpool | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1958–1962 | Liverpool | 1 | (0) |
| 1962–1964 | Halifax Town | 95 | (32) |
| 1964–1967 | Carlisle United | 93 | (21) |
| 1967–1968 | Sheffield United | 36 | (3) |
| 1968–1970 | Derby County | 89 | (14) |
| 1970–1971 | Leicester City | 31 | (1) |
| 1971–1973 | Notts County | 60 | (2) |
| 1973–1974 | Cardiff City | 22 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
William Carlin (6 October 1940 – 10 June 2024) was an English professional footballer who played as a midfielder. During his career, he made over 400 appearances in the Football League, scoring 74 times. He began his career with his hometown club Liverpool, making one appearance for the club in 1959, before joining Halifax Town in 1962. He joined Carlisle United in 1964 and went on to make over 100 appearances in all competitions for the club, helping them win the Third Division in 1965.
After one season with Sheffield United, Carlin was persuaded to join Derby County by manager Brian Clough and went on to play a pivotal role in the Rams Second Division title winning side during the 1968–69 season and played one season in the First Division for the club. He later finished his career with spells at Leicester City, Notts County and Cardiff City. Standing at five foot and four inches and weighing less than 10 stone, Carlin became well known for his diminutive size and his tenacity on the pitch, being described by Brian Clough as "a belligerent, aggressive little Scouser".