Billy Wedlock

{{Short description|English footballer (1880–1965)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}

{{Use British English|date=May 2016}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Billy Wedlock

| image = Billy Wedlock.jpg

| upright = 0.8

| alt = A young man wearing an old-fashioned white football shirt and a dark cap with the date 1907 on it. On his breast pocket is the England football Three Lions logo.

| caption = Wedlock, wearing his 1907 England cap

| full_name = William John Wedlock

| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1880|10|28}}

| birth_place = Bristol, England

| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|1965|1|25|1880|10|28}}

| death_place = Bristol, England

| height = 5 ft 5 in{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000986/19130818/093/0005 |title=The coming of the big ball: the Second Division: Bristol City |newspaper=Athletic News |location=Manchester |date=18 August 1913 |page=5 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription}}

| position = Centre half

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1905–1921

| clubs1 = Bristol City

| caps1 = 403

| goals1 = 17

| nationalyears1 = 1907–1914

| nationalteam1 = England

| nationalcaps1 = 26

| nationalgoals1 = 2

}}

William John Wedlock (28 October 1880 – 25 January 1965), also known as "Fatty" or the "India Rubber Man", was an English footballer who played for Bristol City in 1900–01 and from 1905 until his retirement in 1921. Between 1901 and 1905 he played for Aberdare.Athletic News 24 December 1906 He was a centre-half whose his short and stout stature belied his natural talent. He won 26 England caps between 1907 and 1914,{{Englandstats|ref=y|access-date=1 January 2009}} his only rival for the centre-half position being Charlie Roberts of Manchester United, his opposite number in the 1909 FA Cup Final. The East End at Ashton Gate Stadium was named the Wedlock Stand in his honour, before being demolished in 2014 as part of the Ashton Gate Stadium redevelopment. Wedlock's pub (now demolished) opposite the ground was where he lived and worked for 43 years.{{cite web|url=http://www.bristolcityst.org.uk/trust_news/article000306.shtml|title=Wedlock's: Never more vulnerable than when you've just scored|work=Bristol City Supporter's Trust|accessdate=1 January 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081013114832/http://www.bristolcityst.org.uk/trust_news/article000306.shtml|archive-date=13 October 2008|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/6607069.stm|title=Football fans fight to save pub |work=BBC|accessdate=1 January 2009 | date=30 April 2007}} Folk singer Fred Wedlock was Billy's grandson.{{cite web|url=http://www.bristolrock.co.uk/FamousBristolMusos/FredWedlock/FredWedlock.htm|title=Famous Bristol Musicians - Fred Wedlock|work=Kathryn Courtney-O'Neill|publisher=Bristol Rocks|accessdate=1 January 2009}}