Billy Meredith
Encyclopedia
William Henry "Billy" Meredith (30 July 1874 – 19 April 1958) was a Welsh
footballer. He was considered one of the early superstars of football due to his performances, notably for Manchester City
and Manchester United
. He won each domestic trophy in the English football league
and also gained 48 caps
for Wales
, for whom he scored 11 goals. 22 of these international appearances were gained while playing for Manchester City, while 26 were gained while playing for Manchester United. His favoured position was outside right
.
, a small mining town in North Wales
, just south of Wrexham. He started work at Black Park
Colliery as a pit pony
driver at the age of 12. An interest in football was kindled by his elder brothers. Elias, the eldest, was a train driver for the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
. His work allowed him to take Meredith to watch professional teams such as Everton
. Football was a keen pastime for the miners, and the standard of amateur teams from towns and villages in north east Wales was high as a result. Chirk
won the Welsh Cup
five times between 1887 and 1894, with miners making up a large proportion of the team. All the Meredith brothers played football, but Sam, two years older than Meredith, was the first to make an impression. He left Chirk to attempt a professional career, and went on to play for Stoke
as a full-back.
Meredith made his debut for the Chirk first team in September 1892. The club played in The Combination
, a league which contained a mixture of town clubs and reserve teams of clubs from big cities. At the end of his first season Meredith played in the 1893 Welsh Cup final, which Chirk lost 2–1 to Wrexham
. 1893 was a time of industrial unrest for the miners, who chose to strike in response to a pay cut. Chirk withdrew from the Combination and entered only the Welsh league. In an attempt to make ends meet, Meredith not only played for Chirk, but accepted an offer to play for Football League club Northwich Victoria
as well, who gave him a small fee on top of his expenses. Northwich were a struggling side, who withdrew from the Football League at the end of the 1893–94 season after finishing bottom of the Second Division. The club won just three League matches; Meredith featured in each win. Back at Chirk, Meredith gained his first honour as part of the team which beat Westminster Rovers to win the 1894 Welsh Cup.
Di Jones
, a former Chirk player, spoke with Meredith about a possible move, but Bolton secretary J.J. Bentley
regarded Meredith as too inexperienced, and his frame too slight. Lawrence Furniss
, an official at Ardwick
, had first noticed Meredith while refereeing a Northwich match. Meredith also played in both meetings between the clubs that season. Later in 1894, Ardwick, by then known as Manchester City, vigorously pursued Meredith's signature. Two club officials travelled to Wales to meet the player. One was secretary-manager Joshua Parlby
, the other either Furniss or chairman John Chapman. The pair were met with suspicion. Anecdotes by contemporary figures suggest they were initially chased away by locals, and were only allowed to speak to Meredith after they bought drinks for his mining colleagues. Meredith did not wish to abandon life in Chirk. His mother was particularly against the idea: "It is all very well for you gentlemen to leave your big cities and come to our villages to steal our boys away... Our boys are happy and healthy, satisfied with their work and innocent amusements... if Billy takes my advce he will stick to his work and play football for his own amusement when work is finished." Meredith did eventually sign for Manchester City, but as an amateur. He continued work at the pit for at least a year, commuting back and forth for matches.
Meredith made his Manchester City debut against Newcastle United
in November 1894, in a 5–4 defeat for City. The following week Meredith played his first home match for the club, and scored two goals against Newton Heath — who later became Manchester United
— in the first Manchester derby
to take place in the league. Newton Heath won the match 5–2. In January 1895 Meredith turned professional.
In his first full season at Manchester City, Meredith finished as top scorer, despite playing on the wing. He repeated the feat the following year, but was outscored by Billie Gillespie
in 1897–98. The final match of that season saw Meredith score his first hat-trick
for the club in an emphatic 9–0 win against Burton Swifts
. He was loved by the City fans and would draw huge crowds for any public event he attended.
Meredith was captain when Manchester City won the FA Cup in 1904
, the club's first major honour. The club missed out on a league and cup double that season, as they finished runners up in the league.
at the conclusion of the 1904–05 season. He was accused of bribing an opposition player to lose.
It was alleged that he bribed Aston Villa's Alex Leake
£10 to lose a match and in 1904 he was hit with an 18 month ban from playing for City.
, and quickly became a firm favourite amongst the fans there.
Meredith, together with his Manchester United team-mate, Charlie Roberts, organized the first meeting of the Players' Union
in February 1907. Meredith had previously been involved with the Association Footballers' Union
(the "AFU"), the first attempt by football players in England to organize a trade union
. The Players' Union, like the AFU before it, sought the relaxation of restrictions on transfers and wages.
When the Players' Union was banned by the Football Association in 1909, Meredith and his fellow Manchester United team-mates refused to abandon the Players' Union, and became known at Outcasts F.C.. A compromise was reached before the start of the 1909-10 season.
Meredith enjoyed further successes with Manchester United, winning the league title in 1908 and 1911, and the FA Cup in 1909.
Meredith's Benefit match was played on 7 Sept 1912, between Manchester United and Manchester City. There were two versions of the programme and match ticket, a red version for United fans and a blue version for City fans.
During the First World War
he actually played a match against United, making a guest appearance for Port Vale
, with Vale recording a 5–2 home victory.
where he was still able to score against Brighton
. His last match was against Newcastle in the semi-finals at the age of 49 years and 245 days, making him one of the oldest players ever to play in the FA Cup. In total, Meredith appeared 390 times for Man City and scored 150 goals and won 1 FA Cup with City. Meredith played 335 games for Manchester United, scoring 36 goals, and won 2 Football League Championships, 1 FA Cup and 2 FA Charity Shields while with them.
he became a coach for the ambitious Manchester Central
. Meredith's son-in-law, former City captain Charlie Pringle, was a player.
during his career, scoring 11 goals in the process. He was chosen by the selectors for 71 consecutive matches, but only made 48 appearances as on many occasions his club refused to release him for international duty. Meredith is the oldest player to represent Wales at 45 years and 229 days.
Meredith died in Withington
, Manchester, England in May 1958 at the age of 83, three months after the Munich air disaster
, which claimed the lives of eight Manchester United
players. By this stage, he was one of the last surviving members of City and United's early 20th century sides.
After he spent many years in an unmarked grave, the Professional Footballers Association, the Welsh FA
, Manchester City and Manchester United, in a remarkable tribute to the man's influence, all agreed to cover the cost of upkeep on a new headstone and, after consultation with Meredith's 94-year-old daughter, a special service was held to mark the new headstone in 2001.
Meredith is honoured in the Hall of fame
at the City of Manchester Stadium
. It was announced in August 2007 that Meredith was one of the 10 new inductees for 2007 to the English Football Hall of Fame
.
There is also a memorial to Meredith at the entrance to Chirk Park in the town of his birth.
Manchester United
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
footballer. He was considered one of the early superstars of football due to his performances, notably for Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
and Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
. He won each domestic trophy in the English football league
English football league system
The English football league system, also known as the football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for association football clubs in England, with six teams from Wales also competing...
and also gained 48 caps
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
for Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
, for whom he scored 11 goals. 22 of these international appearances were gained while playing for Manchester City, while 26 were gained while playing for Manchester United. His favoured position was outside right
Outside forward
Outside forward is a position in association football which refers to a footballer who plays as an advanced forward on the right or left wing - as an outside right or outside left. Typically as part of a 2-3-5 formation or one of its variants...
.
Early life
Meredith was born in 1874 in Black Park, ChirkChirk
Chirk is a small town and local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It has a population of over 4,000....
, a small mining town in North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
, just south of Wrexham. He started work at Black Park
Black Park
Black Park is a Country Park in Wexham, Buckinghamshire, England to the north of the A412 road between Slough and Iver Heath. It is managed by Buckinghamshire County Council...
Colliery as a pit pony
Pit pony
A pit pony was a type of pony commonly used underground in coal mines from the mid 18th up until the mid 20th century.-History:Ponies began to be used underground, often replacing child or female labour, as distances from pit head to coal face became greater...
driver at the age of 12. An interest in football was kindled by his elder brothers. Elias, the eldest, was a train driver for the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. It was incorporated in 1847 from an amalgamation of several existing railways...
. His work allowed him to take Meredith to watch professional teams such as Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
. Football was a keen pastime for the miners, and the standard of amateur teams from towns and villages in north east Wales was high as a result. Chirk
Chirk AAA F.C.
Chirk AAA F.C. is a Welsh football team based in Chirk, Wales. They have been competing in the Premier division of the Welsh National League since their relegation after one season in the Cymru Alliance.....
won the Welsh Cup
Welsh Cup
The Welsh Cup is a knock-out football competition contested annually by teams from Wales.The Football Association of Wales is the organising body of this competition, which has been run every year since its inception in 1877-78...
five times between 1887 and 1894, with miners making up a large proportion of the team. All the Meredith brothers played football, but Sam, two years older than Meredith, was the first to make an impression. He left Chirk to attempt a professional career, and went on to play for Stoke
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
as a full-back.
Meredith made his debut for the Chirk first team in September 1892. The club played in The Combination
The Combination
The Combination was a minor league during the early days of English football. It had two incarnations; the first ran only for the 1888–89 season for teams across the Northern England and the Midlands, and was wound up before completion. The second was created for the 1890–91 season, but disbanded...
, a league which contained a mixture of town clubs and reserve teams of clubs from big cities. At the end of his first season Meredith played in the 1893 Welsh Cup final, which Chirk lost 2–1 to Wrexham
Wrexham A.F.C.
Wrexham Football Club are a professional football team based in Wrexham, north-east Wales, who play in the English football pyramid.Founded in 1872, they are one of the oldest surviving football clubs in Britain and the oldest professional club in Wales...
. 1893 was a time of industrial unrest for the miners, who chose to strike in response to a pay cut. Chirk withdrew from the Combination and entered only the Welsh league. In an attempt to make ends meet, Meredith not only played for Chirk, but accepted an offer to play for Football League club Northwich Victoria
Northwich Victoria F.C.
Northwich Victoria Football Club are an English football club who play at the Victoria Stadium in Wincham, Northwich, Cheshire in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, the seventh tier of the English football league system.Northwich are an old club, founded in 1874 and named in honour of...
as well, who gave him a small fee on top of his expenses. Northwich were a struggling side, who withdrew from the Football League at the end of the 1893–94 season after finishing bottom of the Second Division. The club won just three League matches; Meredith featured in each win. Back at Chirk, Meredith gained his first honour as part of the team which beat Westminster Rovers to win the 1894 Welsh Cup.
First spell at Manchester City
Meredith's performances for Northwich gained the attention of several League clubs. Bolton Wanderers'Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
Di Jones
Di Jones
David "Di" Jones was a Welsh footballer who played as a full back for Chirk, Bolton Wanderers and Manchester City in the late 19th century. He also won 14 caps for the Welsh national team.-Club career:...
, a former Chirk player, spoke with Meredith about a possible move, but Bolton secretary J.J. Bentley
John Bentley (football manager)
John James Bentley was an English football player and manager, captain, and variously secretary, treasurer and president of Turton F.C., secretary of Bolton Wanderers, the fourth full-time secretary of Manchester United, president of the Football League and vice-president of The Football...
regarded Meredith as too inexperienced, and his frame too slight. Lawrence Furniss
Lawrence Furniss
Lawrence Furniss was an English football player, manager and chairman who was the first ever manager of Manchester City F.C..Furniss' football career began in the 1880s, before the advent of formal League football, when he played for the team which later became Ardwick AFC and Manchester City...
, an official at Ardwick
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
, had first noticed Meredith while refereeing a Northwich match. Meredith also played in both meetings between the clubs that season. Later in 1894, Ardwick, by then known as Manchester City, vigorously pursued Meredith's signature. Two club officials travelled to Wales to meet the player. One was secretary-manager Joshua Parlby
Joshua Parlby
Joshua Parlby was an English football manager who managed Manchester City in the 1890s.Details of Parlby's life before he moved to Manchester are unclear, though some sources indicate he played for Stoke in the pre-professional era. Parlby moved to Manchester to run a public house...
, the other either Furniss or chairman John Chapman. The pair were met with suspicion. Anecdotes by contemporary figures suggest they were initially chased away by locals, and were only allowed to speak to Meredith after they bought drinks for his mining colleagues. Meredith did not wish to abandon life in Chirk. His mother was particularly against the idea: "It is all very well for you gentlemen to leave your big cities and come to our villages to steal our boys away... Our boys are happy and healthy, satisfied with their work and innocent amusements... if Billy takes my advce he will stick to his work and play football for his own amusement when work is finished." Meredith did eventually sign for Manchester City, but as an amateur. He continued work at the pit for at least a year, commuting back and forth for matches.
Meredith made his Manchester City debut against Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
in November 1894, in a 5–4 defeat for City. The following week Meredith played his first home match for the club, and scored two goals against Newton Heath — who later became Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
— in the first Manchester derby
Manchester derby
The Manchester derby is the name given to football matches between Manchester City and Manchester United. The local derby centres on the City of Manchester and Greater Manchester with approximately four miles separating the clubs with City based in east Manchester at the City of Manchester Stadium...
to take place in the league. Newton Heath won the match 5–2. In January 1895 Meredith turned professional.
In his first full season at Manchester City, Meredith finished as top scorer, despite playing on the wing. He repeated the feat the following year, but was outscored by Billie Gillespie
Billie Gillespie
Billie Gillespie was an English football player who was a centre forward who 'hung around in the penalty circle and picked up lots of goals'. He played for Manchester City F.C. between 1896 and 1904 appearing 217 times and scoring 125 goals....
in 1897–98. The final match of that season saw Meredith score his first hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
for the club in an emphatic 9–0 win against Burton Swifts
Burton Swifts F.C.
Burton Swifts were an English football club from Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire. The club ceased to exist in 1901 when they merged with Burton Wanderers to form Burton United.-History:...
. He was loved by the City fans and would draw huge crowds for any public event he attended.
Meredith was captain when Manchester City won the FA Cup in 1904
1904 FA Cup Final
The 1904 FA Cup Final was a football match between Bolton Wanderers and Manchester City on 23 April 1904 at Crystal Palace in London. The showpiece match of English football's primary cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup , it was the 32nd Cup final, and the tenth at Crystal...
, the club's first major honour. The club missed out on a league and cup double that season, as they finished runners up in the league.
Corruption scandal and ban
Meredith was found to be involved in a bribery scandalEnglish football bribery scandal
The 1905 English football bribery scandal was an event of corruption that surfaced at the conclusion of the 1904-05 football season. It centred around the accusations that Manchester City player Billy Meredith had been offered bribes to purposely lose their final league match of the season against...
at the conclusion of the 1904–05 season. He was accused of bribing an opposition player to lose.
It was alleged that he bribed Aston Villa's Alex Leake
Alex Leake
Alexander Leake , known as Alex or Alec Leake, was an English professional footballer who won five caps for his country and made 407 appearances in the Football League playing as a half-back for Small Heath, Aston Villa and Burnley. After retiring from playing he took up coaching, both with...
£10 to lose a match and in 1904 he was hit with an 18 month ban from playing for City.
Move to Manchester United
In May 1906, while still serving his ban, he moved to Manchester United, made his debut on 1 January 1907 in a 1–0 win against Aston VillaAston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
, and quickly became a firm favourite amongst the fans there.
Meredith, together with his Manchester United team-mate, Charlie Roberts, organized the first meeting of the Players' Union
Players' Union
The Players' Union was the popular name for the Association of Football Players’ and Trainers’ Union in the United Kingdom; the original association that became the Professional Footballers' Association....
in February 1907. Meredith had previously been involved with the Association Footballers' Union
Association Footballers' Union
The Association Footballers' Union , formed in England in 1898, was the first attempt by football players in the United Kingdom to organize themselves into a union....
(the "AFU"), the first attempt by football players in England to organize a trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
. The Players' Union, like the AFU before it, sought the relaxation of restrictions on transfers and wages.
When the Players' Union was banned by the Football Association in 1909, Meredith and his fellow Manchester United team-mates refused to abandon the Players' Union, and became known at Outcasts F.C.. A compromise was reached before the start of the 1909-10 season.
Meredith enjoyed further successes with Manchester United, winning the league title in 1908 and 1911, and the FA Cup in 1909.
Meredith's Benefit match was played on 7 Sept 1912, between Manchester United and Manchester City. There were two versions of the programme and match ticket, a red version for United fans and a blue version for City fans.
During the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he actually played a match against United, making a guest appearance for Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
, with Vale recording a 5–2 home victory.
Return to Manchester City
In 1921 he returned to City where he continued to play with his customary toothpick in his mouth until the age of 47. In 1924 he played for City in the FA CupFA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
where he was still able to score against Brighton
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
. His last match was against Newcastle in the semi-finals at the age of 49 years and 245 days, making him one of the oldest players ever to play in the FA Cup. In total, Meredith appeared 390 times for Man City and scored 150 goals and won 1 FA Cup with City. Meredith played 335 games for Manchester United, scoring 36 goals, and won 2 Football League Championships, 1 FA Cup and 2 FA Charity Shields while with them.
Coaching
In 1928, together with former colleague Charlie RobertsCharlie Roberts
Charles "Charlie" Roberts was an English footballer.-Playing career:Born in Darlington, Roberts started his football career with Bishop Auckland, but soon moved to Grimsby Town....
he became a coach for the ambitious Manchester Central
Manchester Central F.C.
Manchester Central were a short lived professional football club based in Manchester.The team was formed in 1928 by Manchester City Director, John Ayrton and the owner of Belle Vue, John Iles. Ayrton created Manchester Central because he felt East Manchester needed a League side...
. Meredith's son-in-law, former City captain Charlie Pringle, was a player.
International career
Meredith made 48 appearances for the Wales national football teamWales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
during his career, scoring 11 goals in the process. He was chosen by the selectors for 71 consecutive matches, but only made 48 appearances as on many occasions his club refused to release him for international duty. Meredith is the oldest player to represent Wales at 45 years and 229 days.
Controversies
Meredith was regarded as a controversial figure, despite his immense talent on the football pitch. During his time at both the Manchester clubs he fell out with managers, threatened to walk out and was also the leader in a demand for higher wages.Death and tributes
Withington
Withington is a suburban area of the City of Manchester, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies south of Manchester city centre, about south of Fallowfield, north-east of Didsbury, and east of Chorlton-cum-Hardy, near the centre-to-south edges of the Greater Manchester Urban Area; in the...
, Manchester, England in May 1958 at the age of 83, three months after the Munich air disaster
Munich air disaster
The Munich air disaster occurred on 6 February 1958, when British European Airways Flight 609 crashed on its third attempt to take off from a slush-covered runway at Munich-Riem Airport in Munich, West Germany. On board the plane was the Manchester United football team, nicknamed the "Busby Babes",...
, which claimed the lives of eight Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
players. By this stage, he was one of the last surviving members of City and United's early 20th century sides.
After he spent many years in an unmarked grave, the Professional Footballers Association, the Welsh FA
Football Association of Wales
The Football Association of Wales is the governing body of association football in Wales. It is a member of FIFA, UEFA and the IFAB.Established in 1876 , it is the third-oldest national association in the world, and is one of the four associations The Football Association of Wales (FAW) is the...
, Manchester City and Manchester United, in a remarkable tribute to the man's influence, all agreed to cover the cost of upkeep on a new headstone and, after consultation with Meredith's 94-year-old daughter, a special service was held to mark the new headstone in 2001.
Meredith is honoured in the Hall of fame
Hall of Fame
A hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...
at the City of Manchester Stadium
City of Manchester Stadium
The City of Manchester Stadium in Manchester, England – also known as the Etihad Stadium for sponsorship purposes– is the home ground of...
. It was announced in August 2007 that Meredith was one of the 10 new inductees for 2007 to the English Football Hall of Fame
English Football Hall of Fame
The English Football Hall of Fame is housed at the National Football Museum, currently being relocated to Manchester, England. The Hall aims to celebrate and highlight the achievements of the all-time top English footballing talents, as well as non-English players and managers who have become...
.
There is also a memorial to Meredith at the entrance to Chirk Park in the town of his birth.
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Other | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Northwich Victoria Northwich Victoria F.C. Northwich Victoria Football Club are an English football club who play at the Victoria Stadium in Wincham, Northwich, Cheshire in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, the seventh tier of the English football league system.Northwich are an old club, founded in 1874 and named in honour of... |
1892–93 | ||||||||
| 1893–94 | |||||||||
| Total | 11 | 5 | |||||||
| Manchester City Manchester City F.C. Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894... |
1894–95 | 18 | 12 | 18 | 12 | ||||
| 1895–96 | 29 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 33 | 13 | |||
| 1896–97 | 28 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 29 | 9 | |||
| 1897–98 | 30 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 12 | |||
| 1898–99 | 33 | 29 | 1 | 1 | 34 | 30 | |||
| 1899–1900 | 33 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 35 | 14 | |||
| 1900–01 | 34 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 7 | |||
| 1901–02 | 33 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 36 | 8 | |||
| 1902–03 | 34 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 7 | |||
| 1903–04 | 34 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 40 | 13 | |||
| 1904–05 | 33 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 35 | 9 | |||
| 1905–06 | |||||||||
| Total | 339 | 129 | 19 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 362 | 134 | |
| Manchester United Manchester United F.C. Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958... |
1906–07 | 16 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 5 |
| 1907–08 | 37 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 43 | 11 | |
| 1908–09 | 34 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 0 | |
| 1909–10 | 31 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 5 | |
| 1910–11 | 35 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 5 | |
| 1911–12 | 35 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 3 | |
| 1912–13 | 22 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 2 | |
| 1913–14 | 34 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 2 | |
| 1914–15 | 26 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 0 | |
| 1919–20 | 19 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 2 | |
| 1920–21 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 | |
| Total | 303 | 35 | 29 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 335 | 36 | |
| Manchester City Manchester City F.C. Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894... |
1921–22 | 25 | 0 | 25 | 0 | ||||
| 1922–23 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||||
| 1923–24 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 1 | |||
| Total | 28 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 32 | 1 | |||
| Career total | 681 | 169 | 52 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 740 | 176 | |
Honours
Manchester CityManchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
- FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
(1): 19041904 FA Cup FinalThe 1904 FA Cup Final was a football match between Bolton Wanderers and Manchester City on 23 April 1904 at Crystal Palace in London. The showpiece match of English football's primary cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup , it was the 32nd Cup final, and the tenth at Crystal...
Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
- First DivisionFootball League First DivisionThe First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
(2): 1907–08, 1910–11 - FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
(1): 19091909 FA Cup FinalThe 1909 FA Cup Final was the final match of the 1908–09 FA Cup, the 38th season of England's premier club football cup competition. The match was played on 24 April 1909 at Crystal Palace, and was contested by Manchester United and Bristol City, both of the First Division. Manchester United won by...
External links
- Profile at StretfordEnd.co.uk