Bill Slater

Football player infobox
playername = Bill Slater


fullname = William John Slater OBE, CBE
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1927|4|29|df=y
cityofbirth = Clitheroe
countryofbirth = England
height =
currentclub =
position = Inside-forward/Defender (retired)
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1949–1951
1951–1952
1952–1963
1963–1964
19??–19??
clubs = Blackpool
Brentford
Wolves
Brentford
Northern Nomads
Career
caps(goals) = 030 0(9)
007 0(1)
310 (24)
005 0(2)
00? 0(?)
352 (36)
manageryears =
managerclubs =
nationalyears = 1954–1960
nationalteam = England
nationalcaps(goals) = 012 0(0)
pcupdate =

"Not to be confused with the American former Paramount News newsreel sports announcer"

William John "Bill" Slater (also commonly known as W.J. Slater), OBE, CBE (born 29 April 1927 in Clitheroe, Lancashire) is an English former professional footballer.

Slater started his career as a 16-year-old amateur at Blackpool in 1944, and played in the 1951 FA Cup Final in which Blackpool lost to Newcastle United, becoming the last amateur to play in an FA Cup Final at Wembley. Another record he holds is Blackpool's fastest-ever goal: eleven seconds into a game against Stoke City on 10 December 1949.

Slater made his Blackpool debut on 10 September, 1949, in a goalless draw at Aston Villa. As a nippy inside-forward, he competed with Allan Brown for the number 10 position for the majority of his time at the seaside.

After finishing college, in December 1951 he moved to Brentford briefly, and then, in August 1952, joined Wolves as a part-time professional. He remained at Molineux until 1963, making 339 total appearances and scoring 25 goals. He won three Football League championships (1953–54, 1957–58, 1958–59), as well as being runners-up (1954–55, 1959–60). He also won an FA Cup (1960, against Blackburn Rovers, in the year he was voted Footballer of the Year). He also gained 12 caps for England, including four in the 1958 World Cup.

In July 1963, he returned to Brentford. He later played for Northern Nomads.

In 1982, Slater was awarded an OBE for his services to sport. A CBE followed in 1998.

Honours

Wolverhampton Wanderers
*Football League championships: 1953–54, 1957–58 & 1958–59
*Football League runners-up: 1954–55 & 1959–60
*FA Cup winner: 1960

References

* [http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player/billslater.htm Slater's profile at Neil Brown's statistics site]
* [http://www.thefa.com/England/SeniorTeam/Archive/?pf=p&i=1908&
]
*cite book | first=Roy | last=Calley| coauthors= | title=Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887-1992 | publisher=Breedon Books Sport | location= | year=1992 | editor= | id=ISBN 1-873626-07-X

External links

* [http://www.wolves.premiumtv.co.uk/page/GoldenOldies/0,,10307~65198,00.html Golden Oldies at Wolves' official website]