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Players Index Page Last Updated
8 December 2022
 
 

Billy Wedlock

Bristol City FC

26 appearances, 2 goals

P 26 W 19 D 6 L 1 F 90: A 19
85% successful

1907-14

captain: none
minutes played:
2340

Timeline

  William John Wedlock
Birth 28 October 1880 in Ashton Gate, Bedminster, Somerset [registered in Bedminster, December 1880].
notes: Bedminister was part of the Somerset County Registration until 1889
Baptism 1 December 1880 in St. Francis' Church, Ashton Gate, Bedminster

 

Cannot be found on the 1881 census, but we know that William is born to Thomas James and Sarah (née Cox).

 

According to the 1891 census, William has two more younger siblings, making him one of eight, living at 2 Ashton Place in Bedminster.

First marriage to Rosina Maria Lilly, 20 May 1900 at St. John's Church, Bedminster [registered in Bristol, June 1900].

According to the 1901 census, William is a tanner married to Rosian, living at his parents home at 172 North Road in west Bedminster. They have a daughter, six month old Rosina Ellen. They live with his sister, Louisa and her husband and children, as well as three unmarried sublings. His father is a watchman at the Electric Light Works.

According to the 1911 census, William John is a professional footballer, still married, now with five more children. Three sons, William James, Thomas George (who were both born in Aberdare) and James, two daughters, Lily and Ivy, all living at 44 Exeter Road in Bristol.

Second marriage: to Ada Louise Owen [registered in Bristol, June 1918].

According to the 1921 census, William J. is now a licensed victualler and now married to Ada. As well as the six children from his first marriage, their is now Frederick George and Ada from his second marriage. They live at The Star Inn at Ashton Gate.

According to the 1939 register, William J., a licensee, is still married, and still living at The Star Inn, 1 Bower Ashton Terrace in Bristol.
Death: 24 January 1965 at 4 Clift House Road, Ashton Gate, Bristol, aged 84 years 88 days [registered in Bristol, March 1965]. Left £1067 to his widow, Ada Louise.
Interred in Arnos Vale Cemetery, Bath Road, in the Arnos Vale area of Bristol.

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] &

Playing Career

Club(s) Began his football career playing with Masonic Rovers FC and Bristol Melrose FC. Je joined Arlington Rovers FC and made with them for four years, during which time he signed amateur forms with Bristol City FC and represented Gloucestershire FA. From the 1899-1900 season, Wedlock was a part-time professional with Aberdare Athletic FC, until Bristol City FC eventually signed him for the 1905 season, and he remained until his retirment in 1921, completing 403 league appearances.
Club honours Welsh Cup runners-up 1903-04, 1904-05; Football League Division Two winners 1905-06, Division One runners-up 1906-07; FA Cup runners-up 1908-09;
Individual honours Football League (three appearances)
Distinctions The Wedlock Stand is named in his honour at Ashton Gate Stadium
Height/Weight 5' 4½", 10st. 7lbs [1909].

Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990].

England Career

Player number One of five who became 321st players (322) to appear for England
Position(s) Centre-half
First match No. 89, 16 February 1907, England 1 Ireland 0, a British Championship match at Goodison Park, Walton, Liverpool, aged 26 years 111 days.
Last match No. 118, 16 March 1914, Wales 0 England 2, a British Championship match at Ninian Park, Sloper Road, Cardiff, aged 33 years 139 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1906-07, 1907-08, 1908-09, 1909-10, 1910-11, 1911-12, 1913-14;
Team honours British Championship shared 1907-08, 1911-12, winners 1908-09, 1910-11;
Individual honours FA Tour of South Africa 1910 (including the three tests), England's Joint-Top Goalscorer (one 1914 - the second non-forward to top the list).
Distinctions Held the record for record number of consecutive England appearances (25, 1907-12). He was also the oldest goalscorer from March 1914 until May 1923.

Beyond England

A stone mason by trade. After leaving football he was for many years a licensee of The Star Inn, near the Ashton Gate ground, on the Bower Ashton Terrace. Later renamed Wedlocks. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.264.

 

Billy Wedlock - Career Statistics
Squads Apps comp. apps Mins. goals ave.min comp. goals Capt. Disc.
28 26 19 2340 2 1170 min 2 none none
minutes are an approximation, due to the fact that many matches rarely stick to exactly ninety minutes long, allowing time for injuries and errors.

 

Billy Wedlock - Match Record - All Matches
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Home 9 6 3 0 17 4 +13 0 5 1.889 0.444 83.3 +6
Away 17 13 3 1 73 15 +58 1 5 4.294 0.882 85.3 +12
All 26 19 6 1 90 19 +71 1 10 3.462 0.731 84.6 +18

 

Billy Wedlock - Match Record - By Type of Match
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
British Championship 19 12 6 1 42 12 +30 1 8 2.211 0.632 78.9 +11
Friendly 7 7 0 0 48 7 +41 0 2 6.857 1.00 100.0 +7
All 26 19 6 1 90 19 +71 1 10 3.462 0.731 84.6 +18

 

Billy Wedlock - Match Record - Tournament Matches
British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1906-07 3 1 2 0 3 2 +1 0 1 1.00 0.667 66.7 +1
BC 1907-08 3 2 1 0 11 3 +8 0 0 2.667 1.00 83.3 +2
BC 1908-09 3 3 0 0 8 0 +8 0 3 2.667 0.00 100.0 +3
BC 1909-10 3 1 1 1 3 3 =0 1 1 1.00 1.00 50.0 =0
BC 1910-11 3 2 1 0 6 2 +4 0 1 2.00 0.667 83.3 +2
BC 1911-12 3 2 1 0 9 2 +7 0 1 3.00 0.667 83.3 +2
BC 1913-14 1 1 0 0 2 0 +2 0 1 2.00 0.00 100.0 +1
BC All 19 12 6 1 42 12 +30 1 8 2.211 0.632 78.9 +11
All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 19 12 6 1 42 12 +30 1 8 2.211 0.632 78.9 +11
All 19 12 6 1 42 12 +30 1 8 2.211 0.632 78.9 +11

 

Billy Wedlock - Match History
 Club: Bristol City F.C. - 26 full appearances

F.A. International Select Committee - 26 full capsx

Age 26
1 89 16 February 1907 - England 1 Ireland 0, Goodison Park, Liverpool BC HW Start ch
2 90 18 March 1907 - England 1 Wales 1, Craven Cottage, Fulham HD Start ch
3 91 1 April 1907 - England 1 Scotland 1, St. James' Park, Newcastle upon Tyne HD Start ch
Age 27
4 92 15 February 1908 - Ireland 1 England 3, Solitude Ground, Belfast BC AW Start ch
5 93 16 March 1908 - Wales 1 England 7, Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff AW Start 30 ch
6 94 4 April 1908 - Scotland 1 England 1, Hampden Park, Glasgow AD Start ch
7 95 6 June 1908 - Austria 1 England 6, Cricketer Platz, Wien tour AW Start ch
8 96 8 June 1908 - Austria 1 England 11, Hohe Warte Stadion, Wien AW Start ch
9 97 10 June 1908 - Hungary 0 England 7, Millenáris Sportpálya, Buda-pesth AW Start ch
10 98 13 June 1908 - Bohemia 0 England 4, Stadión Letná, Praha AW Start ch
Age 28
11 99 13 February 1909 - England 4 Ireland 0, Horton Park Avenue, Bradford BC HW Start ch
12 100 15 March 1909 - England 2 Wales 0, City Ground, Nottingham HW Start ch
13 101 3 April 1909 - England 2 Scotland 0, Sports Arena, Crystal Palace HW Start ch
14 102 29 May 1909 - Hungary 2 England 4, Millenáris Sportpálya, Buda-pesth tour AW Start ch
15 103 31 May 1909 - Hungary 2 England 8, Millenáris Sportpálya, Buda-pesth AW Start ch
16 104 1 June 1909 - Austria 1 England 8, Hohe Warte Stadion, Wien AW Start ch
Age 29
17 105 12 February 1910 - Ireland 1 England 1, Solitude Ground, Belfast BC AD Start ch
18 106 14 March 1910 - Wales 0 England 2, Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff AW Start ch
19 107 2 April 1910 - Scotland 2 England 0, Hampden Park, Glasgow AL Start ch
FA Tour of South Africa 29 June 1910 - South Africa 0 England 3, Durban, Natal Province tour AW Start ch
23 July 1910 - South Africa 2 England 6, Wanderers Ground, Johannesburg AW Start ch
30 July 1910 - South Africa 3 England 6, Cape Town, Cape Province AW Start ch
Age 30
20 108 11 February 1911 - England 2 Ireland 1, Baseball Ground, Derby BC HW Start ch
21 109 13 March 1911 - England 3 Wales 0, The Den, New Cross HW Start ch
22 110 1 April 1911 - England 1 Scotland 1, Goodison Park, Liverpool HD Start ch
Age 31
23 111 10 February 1912 - Ireland 1 England 6, Dalymount Park, Dublin BC AW Start ch
24 112 11 March 1912 - Wales 0 England 2, The Racecourse, Wrexham AW Start ch
25 113 23 March 1912 - Scotland 1 England 1, Hampden Park, Glasgow AD Start ch
Age 33
- 117 14 February 1914 - England 0 Ireland 3, Ayresome Park, Middlesbrough BC HL - -
26 118 16 March 1914 - Wales 0 England 2, Ninian Park, Cardiff AW Start 70 ch
- 119 4 April 1914 - Scotland 3 England 1, Hampden Park, Glasgow AL - -

Notes

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CG