Wing half

In association football, the position of wing half or wing half back) was popularly used in the late nineteenth and first half of the 20th centuries. Forming part of the half back line, the wing-half would occupy the flanks of the pitch in a defensive midfield position, in a position either known as left half or right half.

In early 2-3-5 formations the wing-halves would flank the centre half on both sides, although after the 1925 offside law change, many managers withdrew the centre half into defence, leaving the two wing halves on their own in midfield, supporting the more attacking inside forwards, in a formation known as the "WM".

With the advent of flat back fours and the 4-4-2 and 4-3-3 formations, the wing half position was abandoned and wing halves were pushed forward and into the middle to become central midfielders or became a second central defender, for example Bobby Moore.