Tricky Woo Posted October 5, 2019 Report Share Posted October 5, 2019 Bedminster-born footballing icon Billy "Fatty" Wedlock was the homegrown hero who rescued Bristol City from the doldrums and with his infectious skill and personality, elevated the club into the First Division for the first time in its history... He also took them to within a whisker of the League Championship title and a victory in the final of the FA Cup. A unique centre-half of diminutive proportions, what he lacked in inches he made up for in sheer talent - coupled with a superhuman work ethic. Nicknamed the "india rubber man", Wedlock won 26 caps for his country, becoming in the process Bristol City's original and only England international superstar. The supreme exponent of fair-play, and "modest to the point of shyness", Billy was the finest gentleman ever to walk onto a football field. No book has ever been written to tell the story of the most mythical and iconic figure in Bristol City's history - until now.... Add to Basket Bedminster-born footballing icon Billy "Fatty" Wedlock was the homegrown hero who rescued Bristol City from the doldrums and with his infectious skill and personality, elevated the club into the First Division for the first time in its history... He also took them to within a whisker of the League Championship title and a victory in the final of the FA Cup. A unique centre-half of diminutive proportions, what he lacked in inches he made up for in sheer talent - coupled with a superhuman work ethic. Nicknamed the "india rubber man", Wedlock won 26 caps for his country, becoming in the process Bristol City's original and only England international superstar. The supreme exponent of fair-play, and "modest to the point of shyness", Billy was the finest gentleman ever to walk onto a football field. No book has ever been written to tell the story of the most mythical and iconic figure in Bristol City's history - until now.... Add to Basket Embed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolcitysweden Posted October 5, 2019 Report Share Posted October 5, 2019 Interested in the book. Will be in Bristol for the Wigan game leaving on the 29th of October. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pillred Posted October 5, 2019 Report Share Posted October 5, 2019 9 minutes ago, Tricky Woo said: Bedminster-born footballing icon Billy "Fatty" Wedlock was the homegrown hero who rescued Bristol City from the doldrums and with his infectious skill and personality, elevated the club into the First Division for the first time in its history... He also took them to within a whisker of the League Championship title and a victory in the final of the FA Cup. A unique centre-half of diminutive proportions, what he lacked in inches he made up for in sheer talent - coupled with a superhuman work ethic. Nicknamed the "india rubber man", Wedlock won 26 caps for his country, becoming in the process Bristol City's original and only England international superstar. The supreme exponent of fair-play, and "modest to the point of shyness", Billy was the finest gentleman ever to walk onto a football field. No book has ever been written to tell the story of the most mythical and iconic figure in Bristol City's history - until now.... Add to Basket Bedminster-born footballing icon Billy "Fatty" Wedlock was the homegrown hero who rescued Bristol City from the doldrums and with his infectious skill and personality, elevated the club into the First Division for the first time in its history... He also took them to within a whisker of the League Championship title and a victory in the final of the FA Cup. A unique centre-half of diminutive proportions, what he lacked in inches he made up for in sheer talent - coupled with a superhuman work ethic. Nicknamed the "india rubber man", Wedlock won 26 caps for his country, becoming in the process Bristol City's original and only England international superstar. The supreme exponent of fair-play, and "modest to the point of shyness", Billy was the finest gentleman ever to walk onto a football field. No book has ever been written to tell the story of the most mythical and iconic figure in Bristol City's history - until now.... Add to Basket So good they named it twice!! Embed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leveller Posted October 5, 2019 Report Share Posted October 5, 2019 I’m disappointed. He doesn’t look remotely obese. I expected Billy Bunter with the skill of George Best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky Woo Posted October 5, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2019 Ha ha! He was quite thin as a player (though Yes, everyone called him "Fatty"). I think he had a big effort keeping in trim when he was a player. But he ballooned after he stopped playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziderarmy Posted October 5, 2019 Report Share Posted October 5, 2019 1 hour ago, Tricky Woo said: Ha ha! He was quite thin as a player (though Yes, everyone called him "Fatty"). I think he had a big effort keeping in trim when he was a player. But he ballooned after he stopped playing. Do you remember him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky Woo Posted October 5, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2019 Well. as he died in 1965 - no. I wasn't alive I'm afraid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsontour Posted October 5, 2019 Report Share Posted October 5, 2019 I actually dug out an old postcard of City’s 1919/20 squad & realised that Wedlock was front & centre of the photo. I’ll pop it here when I work out where I saved the scan... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippycar Posted October 5, 2019 Report Share Posted October 5, 2019 Is it just me or is the buy it button missing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky Woo Posted October 6, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2019 Comes out October 28th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsontour Posted October 6, 2019 Report Share Posted October 6, 2019 And so, unless I am mistaken, (and its not my finest Photoshop repair) our famous Billy "Fatty" Wedlock is front and centre with the ball at his feet... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky Woo Posted October 6, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2019 Ah, that's brilliant - thanks for that! We've actually got that one in the book, but we had to crop it significantly because of space restraints in that particular chapter. It's a great photo when seen in all its glory. We also found a (First World) war-time line-up as well, not forgetting a photo of the XI who faced Huddersfield at Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup semi-final in 1919/20 season, which is obviously from the same season as THIS photo. But thanks for sharing - its a great photo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsontour Posted October 6, 2019 Report Share Posted October 6, 2019 3 hours ago, Tricky Woo said: Ah, that's brilliant - thanks for that! We've actually got that one in the book, but we had to crop it significantly because of space restraints in that particular chapter. It's a great photo when seen in all its glory. We also found a (First World) war-time line-up as well, not forgetting a photo of the XI who faced Huddersfield at Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup semi-final in 1919/20 season, which is obviously from the same season as THIS photo. But thanks for sharing - its a great photo! I’ve had the postcard for years (although not since 1919!) and it was reading this thread that triggered the thought that Wedlock may be in it...like many, I was disappointed that he wasn’t 25 stone! Looks lighter than me!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky Woo Posted October 6, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2019 To me, your version of that picture looks a little sharper and clearer than the one we've used. Even at this extremely late stage, I'm still wondering whether or not we should switch yours in place of ours, :laugh:! Yeh, Wedlock was pretty thin for the majority of his playing career, where the "Fatty" thing started, I don't know, but they were calling him that when he played for Aberdare (1901 - 1905) - even before he started as a pro at Bristol City. 1919/20, and the FA Cup semi-final with Huddersfield, he is just starting to look "podgy" I think, but after he retired in May 1921, his weight spiralled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handsofclay Posted October 6, 2019 Report Share Posted October 6, 2019 I tend to think he was called 'Fatty' because for a player of such small stature he had such a large presence on the pitch. He was also known as 'The India Rubber Man' due to his ability to quickly switch from defence to attack and vice versa although it might also be because he had a cheque bounce at the Madras Tandoori in Old Market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky Woo Posted October 6, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2019 Handsofclay - is your username a reference to the former City goalkeeper Harry? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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