Billy Wright

Soccer Player

• Born: February 6, 1924
• Birthplace: Ironbridge, Shropshire, England
• Died: September 3, 1994
• Place of death: London, England

Sport: Soccer

Early Life

William Ambrose Wright was born on February 6, 1924, in Ironbridge in the English Midlands, twenty miles from Wolverhampton. As a schoolboy, he was a fan of the London soccer team Arsenal, the leading English team in the 1930’s.

Billy always wanted to become a professional soccer player, even though he was slightly built and did not excel at the game. However, Norman Simpson, his sports master at Madely Senior School, took note of his potential. In 1937, when Billy was only thirteen, Simpson wrote to the famous Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club, nicknamed the “Wolves,” to ask if Wright could be given a job on the grounds staff. Billy’s father, a worker at the local iron foundry, would have preferred Billy to have joined Aston Villa, another famous Midlands club. Billy’s mother, however, was happy with the choice of the Wolves, and as soon as Billy had completed his schooling, he set off for Wolverhampton.

The Road to Excellence

At Wolverhampton, Billy came under the influence of the team manager Major Frank Buckley, a stern disciplinarian who put Billy to work doing routine chores. Billy respected Buckley and was bitterly disappointed the next year when Buckley told him he was too small to make the grade as a player and that Buckley was sending him home. Nevertheless, Buckley reversed his decision when the groundsman told him how hardworking and useful Billy was.

By 1939, Billy had played center-forward for the Wolves’ “B” team and had made his first-team debut at outside-right. He signed as a professional at the age of seventeen in 1941. After this he settled down as a halfback, the position he was to occupy for the rest of his career.

In the early stages of Billy’s career he was indebted to Frank Broome, one of his colleagues on the Wolves team. Broome was a seasoned international forward who taught Billy how to place passes and take up the correct position.

In May, 1942, Billy suffered the worst setback of his career when he broke his ankle during the semifinal of the League War Cup. The injury was bad, and Buckley and the medical specialists feared it would finish Billy’s career—almost before it had begun. Billy remained determined during his recovery, however, and several months later he returned to the Wolves as fit as ever.

The Emerging Champion

In 1947, Billy made his first appearance for England’s national team against Belgium at Wembley Stadium in London. Soon Billy was captaining the Wolves team, and in 1949, he led them to victory in the Football Association Cup final against Leicester City. In the same year, he became captain of England.

Billy’s game was outstanding for its consistency. He rarely had a bad match. He was fast and had strong tackling ability. Former England manager Ron Greenwood said that Billy was one of the best ball winners of his era. However, if Billy were beaten in a tackle, he was extremely quick to recover. He was also formidable in the air, since he was usually able to outjump opposing forwards, most of whom were several inches taller than Billy, who stood 5 feet 8 inches.

Billy was a steady and determined player rather than a flamboyant one. He was not an individualist but a team player whose style could be integrated easily into that of the rest of the team. He was not known for his forays upfield to support the attack but for solid defensive work. Reluctant to take risks, he put safety first.

As Billy’s skills and reputation grew, he learned a great deal from Stan Cullis, who took over from Buckley as the Wolves’ manager in 1949. Cullis was a former center-half for the Wolves and for England, and he gave Billy the benefit of his knowledge about tactics and captaincy.

Continuing the Story

In 1952, Billy won the English footballer of the year award, a prelude to seven years of almost unbroken success. The Wolves became one of the glamour teams of the 1950’s, and Billy captained them to League championships in 1954, 1958, and 1959. He also helped the Wolves to some famous victories over some of the best European teams, including Moscow Spartak, Honved of Hungary, and Spain’s Real Madrid.

From 1951 to 1959, Billy played 70 consecutive matches for England, a record. He was also the first man to play one hundred times for England, most of them as captain. Billy represented England in three World Cup competitions: in Brazil in 1950, Switzerland in 1954, and Sweden in 1958. During the World Cup in 1954, he switched positions from wing-half to center-half, and it is generally thought that this move extended his playing career. Playing in the center of the field meant that he did not have to cover as much ground as he had done at wing-half.

Billy was renowned for his sportsmanship and sense of fair play. He rarely showed anger, and he never argued with a referee over a decision. His loyalty to his club and his country won for him the respect and admiration of the British public. Even when he was well into his thirties, he retained his boyish enthusiasm for the game. Many younger players were thankful for his kindness in helping them through their first big matches.

In 1959, Billy retired from the game and was made a Commander of the British Empire (C.B.E.) by Queen Elizabeth II. The award honored his outstanding contribution to English soccer.

For a brief period in the mid-1960’s, Billy served as the manager of the Arsenal Football Club in London. He did not achieve the same success as a manager that he had as a player. Some years later, he became a successful television executive. In 2002, he was inducted posthumously into the English Football Hall of Fame.

Summary

Billy Wright was one of the finest and most popular players England has produced. An honest and straightforward man, both on the field and off, he was dedicated to his craft. His skill and reliability made him the defensive rock around which the Wolves and England built their teams in the 1950’s.

Bibliography

Cox, Richard William, Dave Russell, and Wray Vamplew. Encyclopedia of British Football. Portland, Oreg.: F. Cass, 2002.

Douglas, Geoffrey. The Game of Their Lives. New York: HarperCollins, 2005.

Giller, Norman. Billy Wright: A Hero for All Seasons. London: Robson, 2002.

Wright, Billy. Captain of England. London: Stanley Paul, 1950.

‗‗‗‗‗‗‗. Football Is My Passport. London: Stanley Paul, 1957.