Walter Wigmore

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Walter Wigmore

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Walter Wigmore

| birth_date = {{birth date|1873|2|25|df=y}}

| birth_place = Pucklechurch, England

| death_date = {{death date and age|1931|9|8|1873|2|25|df=y}}

| death_place = Worksop, England

| height =

| position = Inside forward / Centre half

| years1 = 1891–1892 | clubs1 = Kiveton Park | caps1 = | goals1 =

| years2 = 1892–1893 | clubs2 = Sheffield United | caps2 = | goals2 =

| years3 = 1893–1894 | clubs3 = Worksop Town | caps3 = | goals3 =

| years4 = 1894–1896 | clubs4 = Sheffield United | caps4 = 2 | goals4 = 0

| years5 = 1896–1899 | clubs5 = Gainsborough Trinity | caps5 = 78 | goals5 = 42

| years6 = 1899–1912 | clubs6 = Small Heath / Birmingham{{efn|name=rename|Small Heath was renamed Birmingham ahead of the 1905–06 season.{{cite web |url=http://fchd.info/SMALLHEA.HTM |title=Small Heath |website=Football Club History Database |publisher=Richard Rundle |accessdate=10 April 2020}}}}| caps6 = 329 | goals6 = 23

| years7 = 1912–1913 | clubs7 = Brierley Hill Alliance | caps7 = | goals7 =

}}

Walter Wigmore (25 February 1873 – 8 September 1931) was an English professional footballer who made more than 400 appearances in the Football League playing for Sheffield United, Gainsborough Trinity and {{nowrap|Small Heath / Birmingham{{efn|name=rename}}}} in a {{nowrap|17-year}} career.{{cite book |last=Joyce |first=Michael |title=Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939 |publisher=SoccerData |location=Nottingham |page=280 |date=2004 |isbn=978-1-899468-67-6}} In the early part of his career he played as an inside forward and later on as a centre-half.

Personal life

Wigmore was born in Pucklechurch, Gloucestershire,{{cite web |url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q27K-W3Z4 |title=Walter Wigmore |work=England and Wales Census, 1881, piece RG11/3308, folio 134, page 42 |accessdate=14 April 2018 |via=FamilySearch.org |url-access=registration }} one of the many children of Charles and Mary Wigmore. As a child he moved with his family to the coal mining village of Kiveton Park in Yorkshire, where his father and older brothers worked as miners. Wigmore himself became a miner before making a career in football.{{cite web |url=http://www.freecen.org.uk/cgi/search.pl |title=FreeCEN – Search Results |work=England and Wales Census, 1891, piece RG12/2646, folio 117, page 48 |accessdate=14 April 2018 |via=FreeCEN}}

He died in Worksop at the age of 58.

Football career

Wigmore played football for his local club, Kiveton Park, before joining Worksop Town in 1893. From there he was signed by Sheffield United in June 1894, where his first season consisted mainly of games for United's reserve team, the Sheffield Strollers.{{cite book |first1=Denis |last1=Clarebrough |first2=Andrew |last2=Kirkham |name-list-style=amp |title=Sheffield United Who's Who |publisher=Hallamshire Press |date=2008 |page=347 |isbn=978-1-874718-69-7}}

He moved to newly elected Second Division club Gainsborough Trinity in 1896, where he struck up an excellent strike partnership with Bob McRoberts.{{cite book |first=Tony |last=Matthews |title=Birmingham City: A Complete Record |date=1995 |page=134 |publisher=Breedon Books |location=Derby |isbn=978-1-85983-010-9}} In February 1899, terms were agreed for Wigmore to join The Wednesday, but reports that the transfer had taken place were premature, as the player rejected the move.{{cite news |title=Football Notes |newspaper=The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent |date=18 February 1899 |page=11 |quote=...the announcement made yesterday that Wednesday had secured the transfer of Wigmore, of Gainsbro' Trinity, was premature. Arrangements had been come to and terms agreed upon between the two clubs, and the matter was looked on as practically settled, but on the player being consulted, he declined to come to Sheffield for business reasons, so it is "all off".}} A few weeks later, Small Heath paid a fee of £180 to reunite him with McRoberts. Tried at centre-half when Alex Leake was injured, he impressed so much that for nine years he remained first choice in that position, making the last of his 355 appearances for Birmingham only a few days before his 39th birthday. He was often penalised for dangerous play due to his unusual reluctance to head the ball, preferring to use his feet however high the ball came to him.