George Wall
FullnameGeorge Wall[1]
Birth date20 February 1885
Birth placeBoldon Colliery, England
Death date[2]
Death placeManchester, England
Height5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
PositionOutside left
Youthyears 1–1901
Youthclubs 1Boldon Royal Rovers
Youthyears 21901–1903
Youthclubs 2Whitburn
Youthyears 31903
Youthclubs 3Jarrow
Years 11903–1906
Clubs 1Barnsley
Caps 175
Goals 124
Years 21906–1919
Clubs 2Manchester United
Caps 2287
Goals 289
Years 31916–1917
Clubs 3Cowdenbeath (loan)
Years 41919–1921
Clubs 4Oldham Athletic
Caps 474
Goals 412
Years 51921–1922
Clubs 5Hamilton Academical
Caps 534
Goals 56
Years 61922–1923
Clubs 6Rochdale
Caps 630
Goals 61
Years 71923–1926
Clubs 7Ashton National
Years 81926–1927
Clubs 8Manchester Ship Canal
Nationalyears 11907–1913
Nationalteam 1England
Nationalcaps 17
Nationalgoals 12
Nationalyears 21909–1912
Nationalteam 2The Football League XI
Nationalcaps 25
Nationalgoals 20

George Wall (20 February 1885 – June 1962) was an English footballer.

Career

Born in Boldon Colliery, County Durham, Wall started his career with Boldon Royal Rovers and played for Whitburn and Jarrow before joining Barnsley in 1903.[3] In almost three years with Barnsley, Wall scored 24 league goals at a rate of almost one goal in every three games.[3] In 1906, he transferred to Manchester United and helped them win the 1908 and 1911 league titles, as well as the 1909 FA Cup.[3] He left the club in 1915 because of World War I and joined Oldham Athletic after the war in 1919.[3]

During the First World War George Wall served in the Black Watch Regiment.[2] After the war he was sold to Oldham Athletic for £200.[3] While at Manchester United he had scored 100 goals, becoming just the third player in the history of the club to achieve this feat, after Joe Cassidy and Sandy Turnbull.[2] On 21 November 1914, in a league match against Tottenham Hotspur he became club's top appearance maker, overtaking Fred Erentz with 311 games to his name.[4] His total of 319 matches was Manchester United's record until 26 April 1920, when Billy Meredith made 320th of his 335 appearances for the club.[5]

He then played for two seasons with Oldham,[3] before travelling north of the border to Hamilton Academical.[6] He returned to England to play for Rochdale a year later, but dropped out of league football in 1923, playing for Ashton National and Manchester Ship Canal.[2] He retired in 1927.[2]

Wall also won seven caps for England, scoring two goals.[7]

Personal life

Wall's brother Thomas was a reserve team player at Manchester United and was killed during the First World War.[8] Wall died in Manchester, aged 77, in June 1962.[2]

Career statistics

ClubSeasonDivisionLeagueNational CupOtherTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Barnsley1903–04[2]Second Division16400164
1904–05[2]30610316
1905–06[2]3114413515
Total7524518025
Manchester United1905–06[7]Second Division6363
1906–07[7]First Division3811224013
1907–08[7]3619432[a]14223
1908–09[7]3411604011
1909–10[7]3214103314
1910–11[7]26531296
1911–12[7]333611[a]1405
1912–13[7]3610524112
1913–14[7]2911103011
1914–15[7]17210182
Total2878929932319100
Oldham Athletic1919–20[2]First Division40400404
1920–21[2]34800348
Total7412007412
Hamilton Academical1921–22[9]Scottish First Division34600346
Rochdale1922–23[2]Third Division North30110311
Career total502132371032542144
  1. ^ Appearance(s) in FA Charity Shield

Honours

Club

Manchester United

Cowdenbeath

Individual

References

  1. ^ Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 299. ISBN 978-1905891610.
  2. ^ "George Wall – Manchester United". Football and the First World War. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  3. ^ "George Wall". Spartacus Educational. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  4. ^ "George Wall - Manchester United Player Profile & Stats". www.mufcinfo.com. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  5. ^ "Newton Heath & Manchester United - All Players All Combined Appearances". www.mufc.info.com. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  6. ^ "1921/22 – Hamilton Academical Memory Bank". sites.google.com. Retrieved 27 June 2018.[dead link]
  7. ^ "George Wall". 11v11.com. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  8. ^ "The players we lost in war". www.manutd.com. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  9. ^ "1921–22". docs.google.com. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
  10. ^ "Cowdenbeath FC – Blue Brazil Online | Cowden | The Beath". www.cowdenbeathfc.com. Retrieved 27 June 2018.