Bob Wilson (footballer born 1934)
Encyclopedia
Robert Smail Whitelaw "Bob" Wilson (born 29 June 1934) is a Scottish
former professional association football player. Primarily a half-back
, he began his professional career with Aberdeen F.C.
, before going on to play for a number of English
clubs. He was captain of the original incarnation of Accrington Stanley
when the club resigned from The Football League
in 1962.
, Wilson began his career with local Junior
club Musselburgh F.C.
before joining Aberdeen F.C.
in November 1954. He gained a place in the club's first team during the 1955–56 season
and played in the team which beat St. Mirren
to win the Scottish League Cup
that season.
In May 1957 Wilson left Scotland and joined Norwich City
of the Football League Third Division South
. He was a regular in his first season but soon lost his starting place and in 1960 he took the decision to leave Carrow Road
and join Gillingham
of the Fourth Division
. He made 35 Football League
appearances for the club, but chose to move on at the end of the 1960–61 season
. A number of Scottish clubs were interested in signing him, but he chose to remain in England and join Accrington Stanley
, also of the Fourth Division. He became club captain, but in March 1962 Stanley resigned from the Football League due to financial problems, making Wilson the last man ever to captain the club in a professional match. Wilson joined another Fourth Division club, Chester
, where he played 15 times. He then left the professional game and dropped into non-league football
with Shropshire
-based GKN Sankey
.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
former professional association football player. Primarily a half-back
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
, he began his professional career with Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
, before going on to play for a number of English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
clubs. He was captain of the original incarnation of Accrington Stanley
Accrington Stanley F.C. (1891)
Accrington Stanley was an English football club based in Accrington, Lancashire. Established in 1891, the club played in the Football League between 1921 and 1962, when the club became only the second ever to resign from the League mid-season. The club went into liquidation in 1966...
when the club resigned from The Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
in 1962.
Career
Born in MusselburghMusselburgh
Musselburgh is the largest settlement in East Lothian, Scotland, on the coast of the Firth of Forth, six miles east of Edinburgh city centre.-History:...
, Wilson began his career with local Junior
Scottish Junior Football Association
The Scottish Junior Football Association is an affiliated national association of the Scottish Football Association and is the governing body for the Junior grade of football in Scotland. The term "Junior" refers to the level of football played...
club Musselburgh F.C.
Musselburgh Athletic F.C.
Musselburgh Athletic Football Club are a Scottish junior football club based in the town of Musselburgh, East Lothian. Formed in 1934, they have played under different names including Musselburgh Bruntonians, Musselburgh Juniors and Musselburgh Fern since 1898...
before joining Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
in November 1954. He gained a place in the club's first team during the 1955–56 season
1955-56 in Scottish football
The 1955–56 season was the 59th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Overview:Following league reconstruction League Division One was expanded from 16 to 18 teams with Airdrieonians and Dunfermline Athletic being promoted...
and played in the team which beat St. Mirren
St. Mirren F.C.
St Mirren Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Paisley, Renfrewshire who play in the Scottish Premier League, having been promoted from the First Division in 2005–06.St...
to win the Scottish League Cup
Scottish League Cup
The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
that season.
In May 1957 Wilson left Scotland and joined Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
of the Football League Third Division South
Football League Third Division South
The Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
. He was a regular in his first season but soon lost his starting place and in 1960 he took the decision to leave Carrow Road
Carrow Road
Carrow Road is a football stadium in Norwich, England, and is the home of Norwich City Football Club. The stadium is located toward the easterly end of the city, not far from Norwich railway station and the River Wensum....
and join Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
of the Fourth Division
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
. He made 35 Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
appearances for the club, but chose to move on at the end of the 1960–61 season
1960-61 in English football
The 1960–61 season was the 81st season of competitive football in England.-Overview:This season was a historic one for domestic football in England, as Tottenham Hotspur F.C. became the first club in the twentieth century to "do the Double" by winning both the League and the FA Cup competitions...
. A number of Scottish clubs were interested in signing him, but he chose to remain in England and join Accrington Stanley
Accrington Stanley F.C. (1891)
Accrington Stanley was an English football club based in Accrington, Lancashire. Established in 1891, the club played in the Football League between 1921 and 1962, when the club became only the second ever to resign from the League mid-season. The club went into liquidation in 1966...
, also of the Fourth Division. He became club captain, but in March 1962 Stanley resigned from the Football League due to financial problems, making Wilson the last man ever to captain the club in a professional match. Wilson joined another Fourth Division club, Chester
Chester City F.C.
Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the...
, where he played 15 times. He then left the professional game and dropped into non-league football
Non-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
with Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
-based GKN Sankey
GKN Sankey F.C.
GKN Sankey F.C., previously known as Sankeys of Wellington F.C., was an English association football club based in Wellington, Shropshire, which was incorporated into the new town of Telford in the 1960s...
.