John Wile

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

John Wile
Personal information
Full name John David Wile
Date of birth 9 March 1947(1947-03-09)
Place of birth    Sherburn, County Durham, England
Playing position Centre-half
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1966–1967
1967–1970
1970–1983
1982
1983
1983–1986
Sunderland
Peterborough United
West Bromwich Albion
Vancouver Whitecaps (loan)
Rotherham United
Peterborough United
Career
 ? (?)
? (?)
? (?)
? (?)
? (?)
? (?)
? (?)
? (?)   
Teams managed
1977–1978
1983–1986
West Bromwich Albion (caretaker)
Peterborough United

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only.
* Appearances (Goals)

John David Wile (born 9 March 1947 in Sherburn, County Durham) is an English former footballer and manager.

Wile played as a central defender for Sunderland and Peterborough United, before joining West Bromwich Albion in December 1970. He spent more than 12 years at Albion, and formed a solid defensive partnership with Ally Robertson. Wile was club captain during the late 1970s and early 1980s, leading the team to two FA Cup semi-finals and a 3rd place finish in Division One. Wile was also briefly caretaker manager at Albion, taking charge following the departure of Ronnie Allen in December 1977 until the appointment of Ron Atkinson in January 1978.

His most famous moment came when he played with blood pouring from a headwound during the 1978 FA Cup semi-final against Ipswich at Highbury. After leaving Albion in June 1983, Wile returned to Peterborough as player-manager after missing out on a similar post at Bolton Wanderers a year earlier. He later returned to West Bromwich as managing director, a position he occupied from 1997 through to 2002.

In 2004 he was named as one of West Bromwich Albion's 16 greatest players, in a poll organised as part of the club's 125th anniversary celebrations.[1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ "The wraps come off 125th anniversary mural", West Bromwich Albion F.C., 2004-08-04. Retrieved on 2008-05-10. 

[edit] External links