Bill Slater (footballer) facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | William John Slater | ||
| Date of birth | 29 April 1927 | ||
| Place of birth | Clitheroe, England | ||
| Date of death | 18 December 2018 (aged 91) | ||
| Place of death | Oxfordshire, England | ||
| Playing position | Inside forward, left half, full back | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1944–1951 | Blackpool | 30 | (9) |
| 1951–1952 | Brentford | 7 | (1) |
| 1952–1963 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 310 | (24) |
| 1963–1964 | Brentford | 5 | (2) |
| Northern Nomads | |||
| Total | 352 | (36) | |
| National team | |||
| 1950–1953 | England Amateurs | 20 | (7) |
| 1952 | Great Britain | 1 | (1) |
| 1954–1960 | England | 12 | (0) |
|
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William John Slater (born April 29, 1927 – died December 18, 2018) was a famous English professional footballer. People often called him W. J. Slater. He played most of his games for Wolverhampton Wanderers. With them, he won three league championships and the important FA Cup. He was also honored with a CBE for his services to sport.
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Bill Slater's Football Journey
Bill Slater began his football career at just 16 years old. He joined Blackpool in 1944 as an amateur player.
Playing for Blackpool
Slater played in the 1951 FA Cup Final with Blackpool. They lost that game to Newcastle United. He was the very last amateur player to ever play in an FA Cup Final at Wembley.
He also holds a record for Blackpool's fastest goal. On December 10, 1949, he scored just 11 seconds into a game against Stoke City. Another player, James Quinn, later matched this record in 1995. Slater made his first appearance for Blackpool on September 10, 1949. This was in a game against Aston Villa that ended in a 0–0 draw.
Moving to New Teams
After finishing college, Slater moved to Brentford in December 1951. He played 8 games for them. Then, in August 1952, he joined Wolverhampton Wanderers. He played for them as a part-time professional.
Slater stayed at Molineux, Wolves' home ground, until 1963. He played a total of 339 games and scored 25 goals.
Winning Championships
With Wolverhampton Wanderers, Bill Slater won three Football League championships. These were in the seasons:
- 1953–54
- 1957–58
- 1958–59
His team also finished second in the league twice. In 1960, he won the FA Cup with Wolves, beating Blackburn Rovers. That same year, he was voted the Footballer of the Year.
International Games
Slater played for the England national team 12 times. Four of these games were in the 1958 FIFA World Cup. He also played 20 games for the England amateur team.
At the 1958 World Cup, he played in all four of England's matches. In one game against Brazil, he successfully marked their important midfielder, Didi. This helped England get a 0–0 draw. Slater also played for Great Britain at the 1952 Summer Olympics.
Other Sports
Besides football, Bill Slater also played cricket. He played for Warwickshire's second team.
Returning to Brentford
In July 1963, he went back to play for Brentford. Later, he also played for Northern Nomads.
Life After Football
In 1982, Bill Slater received an OBE award for his great work in sports. He received an even higher award, a CBE, in 1998. His daughter, Barbara Slater, became the first female Director of Sport at the BBC in 2009. Bill Slater passed away on December 18, 2018, when he was 91 years old.
Achievements and Awards
Here are some of the big awards and honors Bill Slater received:
With Wolverhampton Wanderers
- First Division (top league in England)
- Champions: 1953–54, 1957–58, 1958–59
- Second Place: 1954–55, 1959–60
- FA Cup
- Winners: 1959–60
With Blackpool
- FA Cup
- Second Place: 1950–51
Other Honors
- Inducted into the Wolverhampton Wanderers Hall of Fame
- Awarded the Order of the British Empire as an Officer (OBE) in 1982
- Awarded the Order of the British Empire as a Commander (CBE) in 1998
- Named FWA Footballer of the Year in 1960
