William Foulke (footballer)
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| William Foulke | ||
William "Fatty" Foulke, seen here in Sheffield United colours.
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| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | William Henry Foulke | |
| Date of birth | 12 April 1874 | |
| Place of birth | Dawley, Shropshire, England | |
| Date of death | 1 May 1916 (aged 42) | |
| Place of death | Sheffield, England | |
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | |
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | |
| Youth clubs | ||
| Blackwell Colliery | ||
| Senior clubs1 | ||
| Years | Club | App (Gls)* |
| 1894–1905 1905–1906 1906–1907 |
Sheffield United Chelsea Bradford City |
299 (0) 34 (0) 22 (0) |
| National team | ||
| 1897 | England | 1 (0) |
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1 Senior club appearances and goals |
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William Henry "Fatty" Foulke (also spelt Foulk or Foulkes) (12 April 1874 – 1 May 1916) was a professional cricketer and football player in England in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Foulke was renowned for his great size (6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)[1] by some estimates) and weight, reaching perhaps 24 stone (150 kg) at the end of his career, although reports on his weight vary.
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[edit] Playing career
He played four first-class matches for Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1900, but is remembered primarily as a goalkeeper for Sheffield United although he also played for Chelsea and Bradford City. He also won a single international cap for England in 1897 against Wales.
After being discovered playing for village side Blackwell in a Derbyshire Cup tie at Ilkeston Town, Foulke made his debut for Sheffield United against West Bromwich Albion on September 1, 1894 and led the team to three FA Cup finals (winning two) and a League Championship.
At the end of the first match in the 1902 Cup Final Foulke protested to the officials that Southampton's equalizing goal should not have been allowed. Foulke left his dressing room unclothed and pursued the referee, Fred Kirkham, who took refuge in a broom cupboard. Foulke had to be stopped by a group of F.A. officials from wrenching the cupboard door from its hinges to reach the hapless referee.[1] In the replay, Sheffield United won 2-1, with Foulke being required to make several saves to keep United in the match.
He then moved to Chelsea for a fee of £50. He was made captain there, but stayed for just one season before moving to his final club, Bradford City.
Foulke died in 1916. His death certificate gives "cirrhosis" as the major cause of death.[2] The stories of pneumonia caught whilst earning pin money at a "beat the goalie" booth on Blackpool Sands seem to be without foundation.
Foulke appears in the Mitchell and Kenyon films, playing in a match on September 6, 1902.
[edit] Trivia
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Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones. |
- The football chant "Who Ate All the Pies?" is said to have originally been about Foulke, although this is generally accepted as uninspired urban myth.[3] (This is highly unlikely, as the tune usually associated with the "pies" chant - "Knees Up Mother Brown" - was not written until 1938, and Willie Foulke died in 1916!)
- During the 1896-97 season Foulke brought a First Division game to a halt by hanging off the crossbar when bored and snapping it.[2]
- Foulke's portrait was featured on the cover of the 1902 FA Cup final programme.
- Buried in Burngreave cemetery,Sheffield.
[edit] Career stats
| Club | Season | Division | League Apps | FA Cup Apps | Other Apps | Total Apps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheffield United | 1894–95 | Division 1 | 29 | 3 | 5 | 37 |
| 1895–96 | Division 1 | 28 | 2 | 4 | 34 | |
| 1896–97 | Division 1 | 30 | 1 | 0 | 31 | |
| 1897–98 | Division 1 | 29 | 2 | 0 | 31 | |
| 1898–99 | Division 1 | 32 | 9 | 1 | 42 | |
| 1899–1900 | Division 1 | 33 | 5 | 2 | 40 | |
| 1900–01 | Division 1 | 29 | 7 | 0 | 36 | |
| 1901–02 | Division 1 | 26 | 9 | 0 | 35 | |
| 1902–03 | Division 1 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 25 | |
| 1903–04 | Division 1 | 28 | 3 | 0 | 31 | |
| 1904–05 | Division 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | |
| Chelsea | 1905–06 | Division 2 | 34 | 1 | 0 | 35 |
| Bradford City | 1905–06 | Division 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1906–07 | Division 2 | 21 | 2 | 0 | 23 | |
| Total | 355 | 44 | 12 | 411 |
[edit] Honours
[edit] References
- ^ An account of the incident by the match linesman J. T. Howcroft suggests this version may be an embellishment of the facts. See "Colossus", p. 79.
- ^ Phythian, Graham (2005). Colossus, The True Story of William Foulke. Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0 7524 3274 5.
- ^ Daily Mirror, Football Legend Inspired Pie Chant
[edit] External links
- BBC Guide
- William Foulke England profile at Englandstats
