Billy Wooldridge

William Thomas Wooldridge (19 August 1878 – 1945) was an English footballer who spent nearly his entire career with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Billy Wooldridge
Personal information
Full name William Thomas Wooldridge
Date of birth (1878-08-19)19 August 1878
Place of birth Netherton, West Midlands, England
Date of death 1945 (aged 66–67)
Position(s) Forward / Centre back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1899–1900 Wednesbury Old Athletic
1900–1911 Wolverhampton Wanderers 328 (81)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

Wooldridge played for Wednesbury Old Athletic during its successful 1899–1900 campaign, and was a key member of the side that won the Walsall & District League championship, the Staffordshire Junior Cup and the Walsall Junior Cup, as well as being beaten finalists in the Wolverhampton Junior Cup. He scored both goals in the Walsall Cup success v Wednesbury St John's, and scored the decisive second goal in a 2-– victory over Hednesford Swifts on the last day of the season, which enabled Wednesbury to take the title, finishing a point ahead of Hednesford Town. He joined Wolverhampton Wanderers in the summer of 1900, making his first team debut on Boxing Day 1900 in a 1–1 draw with Sheffield Wednesday. He scored two in his second game to give the club victory over their Black Country rivals West Bromwich Albion, and ended the season their top goalscorer (with 9).

He was Wolves' leading goalscorer five times in his first six seasons at Molineux, scoring a total of 90 goals in 356 appearances during his career. He also scored a hat-trick for the Football League in a 9–0 win over the Irish League in an inter-league friendly in November 1901[1] and four in an unofficial international against Germany on 25 September 1901.[2]

He captained Wolves to their 1908 FA Cup triumph, when they upset First Division Newcastle United 3–1 in the final. He played out his latter seasons in defence before retiring in 1911.

He died in 1945.

Honours
Wolverhampton Wanderers

References
  1. "Football League 9 – 0 Irish League". 11v11.com. 9 November 1901. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  2. "England 10 – 0 Germany". Unofficial international. 11v11.com. 25 September 1901. Retrieved 19 February 2013.

Bibliography
  • Matthews, Tony (2008). Wolverhampton Wanderers: The Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. ISBN 978-1-85983-632-3.
  • Carr, Steve (2010). The Old Uns Revisited - Wednesbury Old Athletic 1893 to 1924. Spellbound. ISBN 978-0-9565030-1-5.
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