Walter Wigmore

Walter Wigmore (25 February 1873 – 8 September 1931) was an English professional footballer who made more than 400 appearances in the Football League playing for Sheffield United, Gainsborough Trinity and Small Heath / Birmingham[lower-alpha 1] in a 17-year career.[3] In the early part of his career he played as an inside forward and later on as a centre-half.

Walter Wigmore
Personal information
Full name Walter Wigmore[1]
Date of birth (1873-02-25)25 February 1873[1]
Place of birth Pucklechurch, England
Date of death 8 September 1931(1931-09-08) (aged 58)[1]
Place of death Worksop, England
Playing position(s) Inside forward / Centre half
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1891–1892 Kiveton Park
1892–1893 Sheffield United
1893–1894 Worksop Town
1894–1896 Sheffield United 2 (0)
1896–1899 Gainsborough Trinity 78 (42)
1899–1912 Small Heath / Birmingham[lower-alpha 1] 329 (23)
1912–1913 Brierley Hill Alliance
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Personal life

Wigmore was born in Pucklechurch, Gloucestershire,[4] one of the many children of Charles and Mary Wigmore. As a child he moved with his family to the coal mining village of Kiveton Park in Yorkshire, where his father and older brothers worked as miners.[1][4] Wigmore himself became a miner before making a career in football.[5]

He died in Worksop at the age of 58.[1]

Football career

Wigmore played football for his local club, Kiveton Park, before joining Worksop Town in 1893. From there he was signed by Sheffield United in June 1894, where his first season consisted mainly of games for United's reserve team, the Sheffield Strollers.[6]

He moved to newly elected Second Division club Gainsborough Trinity in 1896, where he struck up an excellent strike partnership with Bob McRoberts.[1] In February 1899, terms were agreed for Wigmore to join The Wednesday, but reports that the transfer had taken place were premature, as the player rejected the move.[7] A few weeks later, Small Heath paid a fee of £180 to reunite him with McRoberts.[1] Tried at centre-half when Alex Leake was injured, he impressed so much that for nine years he remained first choice in that position, making the last of his 355 appearances for Birmingham only a few days before his 39th birthday.[1] He was often penalised for dangerous play due to his unusual reluctance to head the ball, preferring to use his feet however high the ball came to him.[1]

Honours

Birmingham City

Notes
  1. Small Heath was renamed Birmingham ahead of the 1905–06 season.[2]
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References
  1. Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 134. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
  2. "Small Heath". Football Club History Database. Richard Rundle. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  3. Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 280. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  4. "Walter Wigmore". England and Wales Census, 1881, piece RG11/3308, folio 134, page 42. Retrieved 14 April 2018 – via FamilySearch.org.
  5. "FreeCEN – Search Results". England and Wales Census, 1891, piece RG12/2646, folio 117, page 48. Retrieved 14 April 2018 – via FreeCEN.
  6. Clarebrough, Denis & Kirkham, Andrew (2008). Sheffield United Who's Who. Hallamshire Press. p. 347. ISBN 978-1-874718-69-7.
  7. "Football Notes". The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent. 18 February 1899. p. 11. ...the announcement made yesterday that Wednesday had secured the transfer of Wigmore, of Gainsbro' Trinity, was premature. Arrangements had been come to and terms agreed upon between the two clubs, and the matter was looked on as practically settled, but on the player being consulted, he declined to come to Sheffield for business reasons, so it is "all off".
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