William John Wedlock (28 October 1880 – 25 January 1965), also known as "Fatty" or the "India Rubber Man", was an English footballer who played for Bristol City in 1900–01 and from 1905 until his retirement in 1921. Between 1901 and 1905 he played for Aberdare.[2] He was a centre-half whose his short and stout stature belied his natural talent. He won 26 England caps between 1907 and 1914,[3] his only rival for the centre-half position being Charlie Roberts of Manchester United, his opposite number in the 1909 FA Cup Final. The East End at Ashton Gate Stadium was named the Wedlock Stand in his honour, before being demolished in 2014 as part of the Ashton Gate Stadium redevelopment. Wedlock's pub (now demolished) opposite the ground was where he lived and worked for 43 years.[4][5] Folk singer Fred Wedlock was Billy's grandson.[6]
 Wedlock, wearing his 1907 England cap | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | William John Wedlock | ||
| Date of birth | 28 October 1880 | ||
| Place of birth | Bristol, England | ||
| Date of death | 25 January 1965 (aged 84) | ||
| Place of death | Bristol, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Centre half | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1905–1921 | Bristol City | 403 | (17) |
| International career | |||
| 1907–1914 | England | 26 | (2) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Honours
editBristol City
- Football League Second Division: 1905–06
- Football League First Division runner-up: 1906–07
- FA Cup runner-up: 1909
Notes
edit- ^ "The coming of the big ball: the Second Division: Bristol City". Athletic News. Manchester. 18 August 1913. p. 5 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ Athletic News 24 December 1906
- ^ "Billy Wedlock". Englandstats.com. Retrieved 1 January 2009.
- ^ "Wedlock's: Never more vulnerable than when you've just scored". Bristol City Supporter's Trust. Archived from the original on 13 October 2008. Retrieved 1 January 2009.
- ^ "Football fans fight to save pub". BBC. 30 April 2007. Retrieved 1 January 2009.
- ^ "Famous Bristol Musicians - Fred Wedlock". Kathryn Courtney-O'Neill. Bristol Rocks. Retrieved 1 January 2009.
External links
edit- Billy Wedlock at Englandstats.com
- Billy Wedlock Online at billywedlockonline.co.uk