Football Wizard: The Billy Meredith Story--The Life and Times of Football's First Superstar

by John Harding, Janet Betts

Billy Meredith was one of soccer's most controversial and charismatic characters. Born in 1874 he worked as a miner when he was 12 before his breathtaking soccer skills brought him to the notice of English clubs. Thereafter he dominated football for three decades. A rebel and reformer, his 30 year career was dogged by problems on and off the field, while his dazzling wing-play and spectacular goals inspired both Manchester clubs, City and United, to their first Cup and' League successes. With a record of 48 Welsh caps, Billy Meredith was dubbed the 'Wizard' and was founder of the Player's Union. He was also suspended for alleged bribery, led the first player's strike in 1909, and finished his career at 50 years of age playing in a FA Cup semifinal. This classic football biography stands as a vivid testament to this complex, thrill ing footballer.

Genres: Football

262 pages, Hardcover

First published November 10, 1984

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Pete daPixie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a fascinating biography, well researched and including social history of the footballing life and times of Billy Meredith. The playing days of one of the games most enigmatic characters began in the nineteenth century and 'merry legs' was still a top flight pro at the age of fifty!
In a career that served both Manchester clubs from 1894 to 1924, winning F.A. Cup and League title honours, with a total of over eight hundred and fifty appearances, some fifty international caps for Wales and around eighty games per season, hardly ever missing a match through injury AND this speedy trickster on the right wing played with a toothpick in his mouth!
A co-founder of the Player's Union, controversies with the F.A., part of the Manchester United 'Strikers' and 'Outcasts'. 'Red Devils' indeed. Meredith was the George Best of his day.
John Harding has produced more than the usual footballer biography.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is interesting and gives some interesting fact but it is week in may areas and probably the most important is that it is written in the style of an early 20th century.

Not always factually correct in some places but at least it puts one of football's first superstars back in the big time.