{{short description|English footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2016}} {{Use British English|date=May 2016}} {{Infobox football biography | name=George Showell | image= | caption= | full_name=George William Showell | birth_date={{birth date|1934|2|9|df=y}} | birth_place=Bilston, England | death_date={{Death date and age|2012|12|18|1934|2|9|df=y}} | death_place=Wrexham, Wales | height= | position=Defender | youthyears1= | youthclubs1 = SE Staffordshire | youthyears2=1949–19xx | youthclubs2 = Wolverhampton Wanderers | years1=1955–1965 | clubs1 = Wolverhampton Wanderers | caps1 = 200 | goals1 = 3 | years2=1965–1966 | clubs2 = Bristol City | caps2 = 11 | goals2 = 0 | years3=1966–1968 | clubs3 = Wrexham | caps3 = 48 | goals3 = 1 }} '''George William Showell''' (9 February 1934 – 18 December 2012) was an English professional footballer who played in the Football League for Wolverhampton Wanderers, Bristol City and Wrexham.<ref name=NB>{{cite web |url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player/georgeshowell.html |title=George Showell |work=UK A–Z Transfers |publisher=Neil Brown |accessdate=2 December 2009}}</ref> He spent the majority of his playing career with Wolverhampton Wanderers, featuring in two league championship-winning seasons and in the 1960 FA Cup Final.
==Career== Showell was born in Bilston<ref name=NB/> and signed up by Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1949.<ref name=players>{{cite web|url=http://www.wolves-stats.co.uk/A-Z.html |title=Players. A–Z |publisher=Wolves-Stats |accessdate=27 December 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227140833/http://www.wolves-stats.co.uk/A-Z.html |archivedate=27 February 2012 |df=dmy }}</ref> After several seasons in the reserves, he made his senior debut on 2 April 1955 in a 1–1 draw against Preston North End. This was the first in a run of games he had at the end of the 1954–55 season,.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wolves-stats.co.uk/1954-1955_Team_Details.html |title=Team Details: 1954–1955 |publisher=Wolves-Stats |accessdate=27 December 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111009025358/http://www.wolves-stats.co.uk/1954-1955_Team_Details.html |archivedate=9 October 2011 |df=dmy }}</ref>
He did however play in two of the club's league championship triumphs, as well as in the 1960 FA Cup Final, where they beat Blackburn Rovers 3–0 at Wembley,<ref>{{cite news |title=Wolves' Ruthless Drive Gives Blackburn No Chance Of Recovery At Wembley |newspaper=The Times |date=9 May 1960 |page=5}}</ref> and the 1959 and 1960 Charity Shield matches.<ref>{{cite news |title=Aperitif To The New Season |newspaper=The Times |date=15 August 1960 |page=13}}</ref> He finally gained a regular first-team role after Billy Wright retired at the beginning of the 1959–60 campaign,<ref>{{cite news |title=Wright Gives Up Football. England's Captain 21 Years With Club |newspaper=The Times |date=8 August 1959 |page=2 |quote=Wolverhampton's policy is based in the development of new players and I must make way for George Showell.}}</ref> and over the first half of the 1960s was a first-choice player at Molineux, amassing 218 appearances in total.<ref name=players/>
When the club were relegated in 1965, Showell moved to Bristol City. He spent just eighteen months there before joining Wrexham in November 1966, where he finished his playing career. He remained with Wrexham until 1990, as assistant manager,<ref name=NB/> trainer, caretaker manager,<ref>{{cite news |title=End of the road for Roberts |newspaper=The Times |date=23 March 1985 |page=24 |quote=George Showell the trainer is in charge for today's home game with Torquay United and will look after the side until a new manager is appointed.}}</ref> and physiotherapist, and was one of 20 inaugural inductees to the club's Supporters Association Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wrexhamfan.co.uk/hofshowell.html |title=George Showell |publisher=Wrexham Supporters Association |accessdate=27 December 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301231309/http://www.wrexhamfan.co.uk/hofshowell.html |archivedate=1 March 2012 |df=dmy }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dailypost.co.uk/sport-news/wrexham-fc//page.cfm?objectid=12224533&method=full&siteid=50142 |title=Hall of fame |first=Mark |last=Currie |newspaper=Daily Post |location=North Wales |date=24 September 2002 |accessdate=27 December 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314093838/http://www.dailypost.co.uk/sport-news/wrexham-fc//tm_objectid%3D14973438%26method%3Dfull%26siteid%3D50142%26headline%3Dmilton-keynes-dons-3--wrexham-0-name_page.html |archivedate=14 March 2012 |df=dmy }}</ref>
He died on 18 December 2012 aged 78.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wolvesheroes.com/2012/12/18/shock-death-of-george-showell/ |title=Shock Death Of George Showell |publisher=Wolves-Heroes |date=18 December 2012 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> He collapsed while shopping at a supermarket and died later in Wrexham Maelor Hospital.<ref name=shropstar>{{cite news|title=Ex-Wolves defender dies|work=Shropshire Star|date=19 December 2012|page=40}}</ref>
==Honours== '''Wolverhampton Wanderers''' *FA Cup: 1959–60<ref>{{cite book |first1=Leslie |first2=Jack |last1=Vernon |last2=Rollin |title=Rothmans Football Yearbook 1977–78 |year=1977 |publisher=Brickfield Publications Ltd |location=London |isbn=0354 09018 6 |page=490}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{NeilBrownPlayers|player/georgeshowell}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Showell, George}} Category:1934 births Category:2012 deaths Category:Footballers from Bilston Category:English men's footballers Category:Men's association football defenders Category:Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. players Category:Bristol City F.C. players Category:Wrexham A.F.C. players Category:English Football League players Category:20th-century English sportsmen