Fred Wheldon
George Wheldon | |
|---|---|
| Born | George Frederick Wheldon Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age Langley Green, Worcestershire, England |
| Died | 13 January 1924 (aged 54) Worcester, England |
| Other names | Fred Wheldon, Freddie Wheldon |
| Occupation(s) | Professional footballer, cricketer, publican |
| Years active | 1887–1907 (football) |
| Known for | Football inside-forward; leading scorer in First Division 1897–98; played for Small Heath, Aston Villa, West Bromwich Albion; Worcestershire cricketer |
George Frederick Wheldon (1 November 1869 – 13 January 1924) was a distinguished English athlete recognized for his contributions to both football and cricket. As an inside-forward, he was noted for his excellent ball control and goal-scoring prowess, representing England and multiple Football League teams, most prominently Small Heath and Aston Villa. He achieved the distinction of being the leading scorer in the First Division during the 1897-98 campaign. In cricket, Wheldon was a right-handed batsman and occasionally served as wicket-keeper for Worcestershire during their initial seasons in first-class cricket.
Following his athletic career, Wheldon became a publican based in Worcester, where he passed away at the age of 54.
Personal life
Wheldon was born in Langley Green, Worcestershire, as the youngest among ten siblings to Eliza and Joseph Wheldon, who managed the phosphorus production facility at Albright and Wilson. He received his education locally and completed a seven-year apprenticeship in engineering at Albright and Wilson before taking on work as a steam engine fitter. Commonly referred to as Fred or Freddie, he shifted to professional football full-time while also engaging in the licensed trade—a profession he maintained after retiring from sports. Married twice, Wheldon fathered at least five children. During the First World War, he contributed to munitions production. He died at his residence, the Farriers Arms pub in Worcester, on 13 January 1924.
Club career
Wheldon's early footballing days included playing for Rood End White Star based in Oldbury and by 1887 he was part of Langley Green Victoria. A trial with West Bromwich Albion in 1888 did not result in a contract, but his performance during a January 1890 friendly against an Aston Villa reserve side drew positive attention. The Birmingham Daily Mail remarked that with appropriate training, he could become a vital forward for Villa.
Small Heath
Although there was mutual interest from Aston Villa, Wheldon ultimately signed with Small Heath, competing in the Football Alliance. This decision was reportedly influenced by a business connection between Small Heath's chairman Walter W. Hart and Wheldon's father. Starting as an amateur, he made his debut on 15 February 1890 by scoring twice in a 6–2 victory over Darwen. Shortly thereafter, he turned professional and was ever-present throughout the 1890–91 season, netting eight goals across 22 Alliance fixtures, including an FA Cup hat-trick against Hednesford Town. In the Football Alliance's final season (1891–92), Wheldon’s tally of 21 goals in 22 appearances contributed significantly to Small Heath’s third-place finish.
When the Football League expanded in 1892 to include a Second Division, Small Heath became one of its founding members. Wheldon scored the club’s inaugural League goal and ended that season as leading scorer with 25 goals from 22 matches. Although Small Heath topped the division table, they failed to secure promotion after losing the test match replay against Newton Heath.
During the 1893–94 season, Wheldon scored 22 league goals as Small Heath finished second behind Liverpool. Promotion was secured by winning the test match against Darwen. In October 1894, Small Heath arranged a benefit game for Wheldon. Soon after this event, he converted Small Heath’s first-ever penalty kick during a match against local rivals Aston Villa and concluded that season with 11 goals in the First Division.
Over six professional seasons at Small Heath, Wheldon missed only one game due to a family bereavement. After finishing twelfth in 1894–95 and struggling against relegation threats in 1895–96, Small Heath were relegated despite ending with an emphatic 8–0 victory featuring hat-tricks from both Wheldon and Jack Jones. By the time he left Small Heath, Wheldon had scored 113 goals in 175 appearances but chose not to renew his contract under existing conditions since the club was unable to increase wages following their drop to the Second Division.
Aston Villa
On 4 June 1896, Wheldon transferred to the reigning League champions, Aston Villa, reportedly the sole club willing to meet Small Heath's valuation. The agreed transfer fee consisted of an initial £100 payment, £250 raised from a match between the two teams, and half of any surplus, amounting to approximately £350—considered a record at the time. His salary at Villa significantly exceeded the £150 per annum he earned at Small Heath.
During his debut season at Villa Park, Wheldon netted 22 goals in total (18 in the First Division and 4 in the FA Cup), finishing as the club’s leading scorer and playing a key role in securing both the League title and the FA Cup. In the 1897 FA Cup Final against Everton held at Crystal Palace, Villa triumphed 3–2, with Wheldon scoring to equalize at 2–2 before Jimmy Crabtree clinched the win. While some records credit him with two goals in that final, accounts differ on the exact goal scorers. The subsequent season began with Wheldon scoring consecutive hat-tricks versus Sheffield Wednesday and West Bromwich Albion; he concluded as the top goal scorer in the league with 21 goals.
Also active as a professional cricketer for Worcestershire County Cricket Club, Wheldon prioritized cricket commitments over pre-season football training during 1898–99. After missing his agreed return date, Aston Villa initially imposed an indefinite suspension, later reduced to two weeks, causing him to miss just one competitive fixture. Over the following two seasons, he scored 27 goals and contributed to Villa’s consecutive league championships in 1898–99 and 1899–1900, accumulating a total of 68 goals in 123 First Division appearances.
West Bromwich Albion
At the conclusion of that season, Wheldon expressed interest in acquiring the Railway Tavern pub located in Langley Green; however, Aston Villa opposed players engaging in licensed trade businesses. Although Villa offered him a contract extension for another year, they placed him on the transfer list due to his insistence on pursuing this venture. West Bromwich Albion emerged as the leading candidate to secure his services. The Sports Argus remarked that while Wheldon was past his peak form, he remained a valuable asset for Albion’s forward line. Initially demanding £300, Villa accepted Albion’s offer of £100, finalizing the deal and making Wheldon the first player to turn out professionally for all three major Birmingham-area clubs.
Appointed captain upon joining Albion, Wheldon experienced a difficult start and relinquished leadership after two months. His form improved following James Stevenson’s arrival from Preston North End, but despite a remarkable 7–2 victory over Bolton Wanderers, both his personal scoring and the team’s overall offensive output were insufficient. Albion suffered relegation by season’s end. Although initially retained by the club, Wheldon chose not to renew his contract and was listed for transfer by July.
Later career
In 1901, Wheldon signed with Southern League side Queens Park Rangers for £400 before transferring to reigning Southern League champions Portsmouth as part of manager Bob Blyth's squad reinforcements. Over two seasons with Portsmouth, he made 63 appearances across all competitions. Subsequently, he joined Worcester City as club captain, concluding his playing career there while scoring at least 39 goals in the Birmingham and District League. He retired from professional football in January 1907 at age 37.
International career
During the 1893–94 season, while playing for Small Heath, Wheldon received his initial call-up to the Football League XI. In February 1894, he netted two goals in a 4–2 triumph over the Irish League representative team in Belfast. Later that April, he assisted England's goal in a 1–1 stalemate against the Scottish Football League XI held at Goodison Park.
After joining Aston Villa, Wheldon earned four appearances for England, tallying six goals. His international debut occurred on 20 February 1897 at Trent Bridge against Ireland, where he impressively scored a hat-trick in a commanding 6–0 win. He also featured in victories over Ireland (3–2) and Wales (3–0), contributing two goals in the match against Wales. Wheldon’s final England appearance was at Celtic Park versus Scotland, where he scored early in a 3–1 success that marked Steve Bloomer becoming England’s all-time leading scorer.
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Small Heath | 1889–90 | Football Alliance | 2 | 2 | — | — | 2 | 2 | ||
| 1890–91 | Football Alliance | 22 | 8 | 2 | 3 | — | 24 | 11 | ||
| 1891–92 | Football Alliance | 22 | 21 | 7 | 8 | — | 29 | 29 | ||
| 1892–93 | Second Division | 22 | 25 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 25 | 26 | |
| 1893–94 | Second Division | 28 | 22 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 30 | 24 | |
| 1894–95 | First Division | 29 | 11 | 1 | 0 | — | 30 | 11 | ||
| 1895–96 | First Division | 30 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 35 | 10 | |
| Total | 155 | 96 | 13 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 175 | 113 | ||
| Aston Villa | 1896–97 | First Division | 30 | 18 | 7 | 4 | — | 37 | 22 | |
| 1897–98 | First Division | 26 | 23 | 1 | 0 | — | 27 | 23 | ||
| 1898–99 | First Division | 33 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 16 | |
| 1899–1900 | First Division | 34 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 13 | |
| Total | 123 | 68 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 139 | 74 | ||
| West Bromwich Albion | 1900–01 | First Division | 26 | 3 | 3 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 29 | 3 | |
| Queens Park Rangers | 1901–02 | "Southern League" Division One | "6"|"0"|"0"|"11"|"2"|"25"|"8" | |||||||
Honours
Small Heath
- Football League Second Division champions: 1892–93
Aston Villa
- Football League First Division titles: 1896–97, 1898–99, 1899–1900
- FA Cup winner: 1896–97
- Shared holders of the Sheriff of London Charity Shield: 1899
Individual
- Leading scorer in the Football League First Division: 1897–98
- Top scorer in the Football League Second Division: 1892–93
Cricket career
Wheldon's cricket journey began with Langley Green before he transitioned to Dudley, competing within the Birmingham Cricket League. In 1893, he affiliated with Worcestershire Club and Ground, subsequently becoming a consistent player for Worcestershire County Cricket Club. He played a key role in securing three successive Minor Counties championships prior to the club's elevation to the County Championship.
He featured in Worcestershire's inaugural first-class match against Yorkshire in May 1899, where he remained unbeaten on 49 and took two catches. Throughout that season, Wheldon appeared in 14 games, amassing 541 runs at an average of 33.81, including three half-centuries.
The 1900 season saw his batting average dip below 20, despite recording a century against Hampshire as part of a crucial sixth-wicket stand. His performance deteriorated further over the next two years but improved notably in 1903 when he achieved a personal best of 969 runs, highlighted by a century versus Somerset. That year also marked his sole first-class stumping while temporarily assuming wicketkeeping duties.
In 1904, Wheldon again surpassed 900 runs and secured a career-high tally of 40 catches. During this period, he notably scored a century before lunch against Leicestershire. However, his form plummeted in 1905, resulting in his removal from the side midway through the season. Although he returned in 1906, success was limited; his top score that year was an unbeaten 89 while filling in behind the stumps. Following that season, he retired from first-class cricket but continued participating in Minor Counties contests for Worcestershire Second XI in 1907 and later for Carmarthenshire in 1910.
Notably, Wheldon's grandson John Spilsbury also played first-class cricket, making a single appearance for Worcestershire in 1952.