Willie Wragg
Personal information
Full name William Arthur Wragg
Date of birth 1875
Place of birth Radford, England
Position(s) Wing half / Full back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Notts Olympic
Sutton-in-Ashfield
Newstead Byron
– Hucknall Portland
1896–1899 Nottingham Forest 48 (1)
1899–1901 Leicester Fosse 50 (4)
1901 Small Heath 1 (0)
1901–1902 Watford
1902–1903 Hinckley Town
1903–1904 Chesterfield Town 20 (0)
Accrington Stanley
Doncaster Rovers
1905–1906 Brighton & Hove Albion 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

William Arthur Wragg[1] (1875 – after 1904) was an English professional footballer who made 119 appearances in the Football League playing for Nottingham Forest, Leicester Fosse, Small Heath and Chesterfield Town.[2]

Wragg was born in Radford, Nottinghamshire.

Nottingham Forest

He played local football before joining Nottingham Forest in April 1896. Wragg made his debut on 28 November 1896 at home against Liverpool.[3] In the early part of his career he played at wing half, and from this position he created Forest's first goal in the 1898 FA Cup Final.[4] From his free kick from the left near the by-line, the ball came to Arthur Capes who shot through a crowd of defenders. Wragg later aggravated a first-half injury and had to move out to the wing, unable to take much further part in the game.[5] He made 58 appearances in all competitions for Forest.[1] He scored his only goal for Nottingham Forest on 2 October 1897 in the 1–1 draw at home against Sunderland.[3]

Leicester Fosse

After three years he joined Leicester Fosse, where he spent two seasons, made 50 appearances in the Second Division playing at full back, and became the club's free kick specialist.[2][4]

Later career

A move to Small Heath brought him just the one first-team appearance because of the form of George Adey. In August 1901 he joined Southern League club Watford, and a year later moved to Hinckley Town of the Midland League.[4] He returned to the Football League to play 20 Second Division games for Chesterfield Town, and then went back to non-league football with Accrington Stanley, Doncaster Rovers[2] and Brighton & Hove Albion.[6]

Post Football

Wragg appeared on stage with Stan Laurel and Charlie Chaplin.[7]

Career statistics

Club Season League FA Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Nottingham Forest[3] 1896-97 First Division 12 0 4 0 16 0
1897-98 First Division 24 1 6 0 30 1
1898-99 First Division 12 0 0 0 12 0
Total 48 1 10 0 58 1
Leicester Fosse'[8] 1898-99 Second Division 4 0 0 0 4 0
1899–1900 Second Division 34 5 1 0 35 1
1900-01 Second Division 11 0 0 0 11 0
Total 50 5 1 0 51 5
Small Heath 1900-01 Second Division 1 0 0 0 1 0
Total 1 0 0 0 1 0
Chesterfield Town 1903-04 Second Division 20 0
Total 20 0
Career total 119 5

Honours

Nottingham Forest

References

  1. ^ a b "Player Profile William Arthur Wragg". u-reds.com. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
  2. ^ a b c Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData (Tony Brown). p. 288. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  3. ^ a b c d Smales, Ken (2006). Nottingham Forest The Official Statistical History. Pineapple Books.
  4. ^ a b c Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 136. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
  5. ^ "1898". FA Cup Finals. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
  6. ^ Carder, Tim; Harris, Roger (1997). Albion A–Z: A Who's Who of Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. Hove: Goldstone Books. p. 271. ISBN 978-0-9521337-1-1.
  7. ^ Stephen Byrne, Mike Jay (15 August 2014). Bristol Rovers: The Official Definitive History. Amberley Publishing Limited.
  8. ^ "Billy Wragg". FoxesTalk. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
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