Willie Wardrope
William Loudon Wardrope (9 September 1874 – 1911) was a Scottish footballer who played in the Football League for Middlesbrough and Newcastle United.[2]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | William Loudon Wardrope[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 9 September 1874[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Wishaw, Scotland[1] | ||
| Date of death | 1911 (aged 36–37)[1] | ||
| Playing position(s) | Winger | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1892–1893 | Dalziel Rovers | ||
| 1893–1894 | Motherwell | ||
| 1894–1895 | Linthouse | ||
| 1895–1900 | Newcastle United | 127 | (44) |
| 1900–1902 | Middlesbrough | 62 | (21) |
| 1902–1903 | Third Lanark | ||
| 1904–1906 | Fulham | ||
| 1906–1907 | Swindon Town | ||
| 1907–1908 | Hamilton Academical | ||
| 1908 | Raith Rovers | ||
| Total | 189 | (65) | |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only | |||
Career
Wishaw, born winger Willie Wardrobe began his football career at Dalziel Rovers before playing for Scottish League Motherwell as an amateur in 1893, and Linthouse in 1894.[3] In August 1895 he joined Second Division side Newcastle United, making his Football League debut against Loughbrough in September, scoring in a 3–0 win at St James’ Park. He finished the season as both an ever present and as Newcastle's top scorer, scoring 20 goals in 36 games including a hat-trick against Darwen in November.[3] Wardrope scored a further 14 goals in the 1897–98 campaign as Newcastle won promotion to the First Division for the first time in their history as Second Division runners up, qualifying for promotion by beating Stoke and Blackburn Rovers in 2 leg test matches. He spent two further seasons with the Toon in the top flight before joining Middlesbrough in April 1900 after 52 goals in 145 appearances for the Magpies.[3]
Wardrope had two full seasons at Boro, helping them win promotion to the First Division in 1901–02, scoring 10 goals as they finished Second Division runners up.[3] But at the end of the season, having scored 24 goals in 73 appearances, he returned to Scotland and joined Third Lanark, and while with the Warriors he was selected to represent The Scottish League in a 1–0 defeat to The Irish League at Grosvenor Park, Belfast in February 1903.[3] After two seasons at Caithkin Park he then joined Southern League Fulham in 1904, scoring 32 goals in 68 appearances for the Cottagers and helping them to win the Southern League Championship in 1906.[3] He transferred to Swindon Town in the 1906 close season and scored 9 times for the Robins in 39 appearances, before returning to Scotland to join Hamilton Academical in 1907, subsequently joining Raith Rovers in 1908 before his eventual retirement.[3]
Career statistics
Source:[1]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | Test Matches | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Newcastle United | 1895–96 | Second Division | 30 | 14 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 20 |
| 1896–97 | Second Division | 29 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 11 | |
| 1897–98 | Second Division | 26 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 35 | 15 | |
| 1898–99 | First Division | 24 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 2 | |
| 1899–1900 | First Division | 18 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 4 | |
| Total | 127 | 44 | 14 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 145 | 52 | ||
| Middlesbrough | 1899–1900 | Second Division | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1900–01 | Second Division | 33 | 11 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 14 | |
| 1901–02 | Second Division | 27 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 10 | |
| Total | 62 | 21 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 73 | 24 | ||
| Career Total | 189 | 65 | 25 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 218 | 76 | ||
References
- Willie Wardrope at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
- Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. SoccerData. ISBN 1-899468-67-6.
- "Wardrope Willie Image 2 Fulham 1904". Vintage footballers. Retrieved 11 April 2020.