Wilf Mannion facts for kids
Statue outside the Riverside Stadium of Middlesbrough F.C.
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Wilfred James Mannion | ||
| Date of birth | 16 May 1918 | ||
| Place of birth | South Bank, Middlesbrough, England | ||
| Date of death | 14 April 2000 (aged 81) | ||
| Place of death | Teesside, England | ||
| Playing position | Inside forward | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1936–1954 | Middlesbrough | 341 | (99) |
| 1954–1956 | Hull City | 16 | (1) |
| 1956 | Poole Town | ||
| 1956–1958 | Cambridge United | ||
| 1960–62 | Earlestown (player/manager) | ||
| National team | |||
| 1939–1946 | → England wartime team | 4 | (0) |
| 1948 | England B | 1 | (0) |
| 1946–1951 | England | 26 | (11) |
| 1947 | United Kingdom | 1 | (2) |
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Wilfrid James Mannion (born May 16, 1918 – died April 14, 2000) was a famous English football player. He played as an inside forward, which is a position in the middle of the field. Wilf played over 350 games for Middlesbrough, his local team. He also played for the England national team. Because of his blonde hair, people called him "The Golden Boy."
Contents
Early Life
Wilf Mannion was born on May 16, 1918, in South Bank, England. His parents, Tommy and Mary Mannion, were from Ireland. Wilf was one of ten children in his family.
Club Career
Playing for Middlesbrough
Wilf Mannion joined Middlesbrough F.C. in 1936. He played for them for 18 years, making 341 appearances in the Football League. He scored 99 goals in these games. Overall, he scored 110 goals for Middlesbrough in all competitions.
His football career was interrupted by World War II. During the war, Wilf fought for his country in France and Italy.
After the 1947–48 season, Wilf wanted to leave Middlesbrough. However, the club did not agree to let him go. To show his protest, he did not play for most of the next season. Eventually, he decided to return and play for Middlesbrough again.
Later Teams
Wilf Mannion first retired from playing football in 1954. But then he joined Hull City. The Football League stopped him from playing for a while because of some articles he had written. After that, he played for smaller, non-league teams like Poole Town and Cambridge United.
International Football
Wilf Mannion played for the England national team 26 times between 1946 and 1951. His last game for England was on October 3, 1951. He was also part of the England team that played in the 1950 FIFA World Cup.
In 1947, Wilf was part of a special Great Britain football team. This team, which included his Middlesbrough and England teammate George Hardwick, beat a team of players from the Rest of Europe 6–1.
Wilf Mannion holds a special record: he is the only Middlesbrough player to score a goal for England in a World Cup match.
Life After Football
Years later, in 1983, Middlesbrough F.C. held a special "testimonial match" for Wilf Mannion. This game honored his long career with the club. His former teammate, George Hardwick, was also honored at this event.
Wilf Mannion passed away on April 14, 2000, when he was 81 years old. After he died, Middlesbrough F.C. placed a statue of Wilf Mannion outside their stadium, the Riverside Stadium. This statue helps people remember his amazing contributions to the club.
In 2004, Wilf Mannion was recognized for his great career. He was added to the English Football Hall of Fame at the National Football Museum.
