Billy Foulkes

Infobox Football biography
playername = Billy Foulkes


fullname = William Isaiah Foulkes
height = height|ft=5|in=10
dateofbirth = birth date|1926|5|29|df=y
cityofbirth = Merthyr Tydfil
countryofbirth = Wales
dateofdeath = death date and age|1979|2|7|1926|5|29|df=y
cityofdeath = Chester
countryofdeath = England
currentclub =
clubnumber =
position = Inside forward
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1945–1948
1948–1951
1951–1954
1954–1956
1956
1956–1961
1961–????
clubs = Cardiff City
Chester City
Newcastle United
Southampton
Winsford United
Chester City
Hyde United
caps(goals) = 000 0(0)
118 (14)
058 0(8)
023 0(1)

178 (23)
manageryears =
managerclubs =
nationalyears = 1951–1953
nationalteam = Wales
nationalcaps(goals) = 011 0(?)
pcupdate =
ntupdate =

William Isaiah Foulkes (29 May 1926 - 7 February 1979) was a Welsh international footballer, who played as an inside forward for Newcastle United, Southampton and Chester City in the 1940s and 1950s, winning the FA Cup with Newcastle in 1952.

Playing career

Born in Merthyr Tydfil, he signed as a professional with Cardiff City in February 1945. He failed to break into the first team and in April 1948 he moved north to join Chester City in the Third Division North. He soon became a regular selection at inside right laying on the crosses for Cam Burgess to score the goals. After two full seasons at Sealand Road, he was signed by First Division Newcastle United for £12,500 in October 1951, a record sale for Chester at the time [cite book | author=Chas Sumner | title=On the Borderline: The Official History of Chester City 1885-1997 | year=1997| pages= p.64|id=ISBN 1-874427-52-6] .

He made his debut for Newcastle in a 4-2 victory at Huddersfield Town on 13 October 1951. A no-nonsense, tough, shrewd and very capable player, he was soon a regular fixture on the right, providing scoring opportunities for Jackie Milburn and George Robledo. Ten days after his transfer Foulkes scored for Wales against England with his first kick in his first international. [cite web|url=http://www.englandstats.com/matchreport.php?mid=266|title=Wales 1 - England 1| publisher=www.englandstats.com | accessdate=2007-12-18] He appeared in every match in Newcastle's run to the 1952 FA Cup Final and picked up a winner's medal at Wembley Stadium on 3 May 1952 after little more than six months with United.

He remained at St James' Park for two more seasons until moving to Southampton in August 1954. During his spell with Newcastle, he made a total of 67 appearances with 9 goals. [cite web|url=http://www.talkofthetyne.net/93201.html|title=NUFC Player profile| publisher=www.talkofthetyne.net | accessdate=2007-12-18] He also made 11 international appearances for Wales.

In July 1954, Southampton's manager George Roughton paid £12,000 to bring Foulkes and Tommy Mulgrew to The Dell of which £5,000 was attributed to Foulkes. [cite book | author=Duncan Holley & Gary Chalk | title=The Alphabet of the Saints| publisher= ACL & Polar Publishing | year=1992| pages= p.128|id=ISBN 0-9514862-3-3] In his first season with the "Saints" he suffered a back injury and made only 23 league appearances. Southampton claimed that he must have been carrying the injury when he transferred and sought a reduction in the transfer fee. The claim was submitted to the Football Association for consideration and while waiting for the case to be heard Foulkes returned to Cheshire to play for Winsford United in the Cheshire County League.

Eventually the appeal found against Southampton, leaving Foulkes to resume his professional career. Chester City paid Southampton less than £1,000 for his registration, with Foulkes declaring "I would not have signed for any other Football League club" [cite book | author=Chas Sumner | title=On the Borderline: The Official History of Chester City 1885-1997 | year=1997| pages= p.69|id=ISBN 1-874427-52-6] . He went on to make over 180 appearances for them over the next five years, with his overall club total of 296 league appearances being the joint 10th most in Chester's history [cite web|url= http://www.chester-city.co.uk/records.asp|title=Most League Appearances| publisher=www.chester-city.co.uk | accessdate=2008-01-10] .

In July 1961 he retired from full-time football, with his final appearance for Chester having been in a 2–1 home defeat to Doncaster Rovers on April 22 1961. Foulkes acquired a milk bar in Chester, turning out occasionally for Hyde United. He died in Chester on 7 February 1979 aged 52.

Honours

Newcastle United
* FA Cup winner: 1952

References

External links

* [http://www.khscott.org.uk/nufc/template_player.php?pid=249 Newcastle United profile]