View source for Fred Wheldon

{{short description|English footballer and cricketer (1869–1924)}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name           = Fred Wheldon
| image          = FredWheldon.jpg
| upright        = 0.75
| caption        = Wheldon in Aston Villa colours in 1897
| alt            = Photo of seated man
| fullname       = George Frederick Wheldon
| birth_date     = {{birth date|1869|11|1|df=y}}
| birth_place    = [[Langley Green, West Midlands|Langley Green]], England
| death_date     = {{death date and age|1924|1|13|1869|11|1|df=y}}
| death_place    = [[Worcester, England|Worcester]], England
| height         = {{height|ft=5|in=8}}<ref name="EFO" />
| position       = [[Inside left]]
| youthyears1    = | youthclubs1 =
| years1         =           | clubs1 = Rood End White Star
| years2         = 188?–1890 | clubs2 = Langley Green Victoria
| years3         = 1890–1896 | clubs3 = [[Birmingham City F.C.|Small Heath]] | caps3 = 155 | goals3 = 96
| years4         = 1896–1900 | clubs4 = [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]] | caps4 = 123 | goals4 = 68
| years5         = 1900–1901 | clubs5 = [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]] | caps5 = 26 | goals5 = 3
| years6         = 1901–1902 | clubs6 = [[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]] | caps6 = 14 | goals6 = 6
| years7         = 1902–1904 | clubs7 = [[Portsmouth F.C.|Portsmouth]] | caps7 =  | goals7 = 
| years8         = 1904–1907 | clubs8 = [[Worcester City F.C.|Worcester City]] | caps8 =  | goals8 = 
| totalcaps = 318
| totalgoals = 173
| nationalyears1 = 1894–1898 | nationalteam1 = [[The Football League XI]] | nationalcaps1 = 4 | nationalgoals1 = 4
| nationalyears2 = 1897–1898 | nationalteam2 = [[England national football team|England]] | nationalcaps2 = 4 | nationalgoals2 = 6
}}

'''George Frederick Wheldon''' (1 November 1869 – 13 January 1924) was an English sportsman. In [[association football|football]], he was an inside-forward with good footwork and an eye for goal who played for [[England national football team|England]] and several [[Football League]] clubs, in particular for [[Birmingham City F.C.|Small Heath]] and [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]]. He was the First Division’s top scorer in the [[1897-98 Football League|1897-98]] season. In [[cricket]], he was a right-handed batsman and occasional [[wicket-keeper]], who played [[county cricket]] for [[Worcestershire County Cricket Club|Worcestershire]] in their early seasons in the [[first-class cricket|first-class]] game.

After retiring from sport, he became a publican in [[Worcester, England|Worcester]], where he died at the age of 54.

==Personal life==
George Frederick Wheldon was born on 1 November 1869 in [[Langley Green, West Midlands|Langley Green]], which was then in [[Worcestershire]].<ref name="EFO">{{cite web |url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamPlyrsBios/PlayersW/BioWheldonGF.html |title=England Players – Fred Wheldon |website=England Football Online |publisher=Chris Goodwin & Glen Isherwood |date=20 November 2022 |access-date=4 December 2022}}</ref> He was the youngest of ten children of Eliza and Joseph Wheldon, who worked his way up to become manager of [[Albright and Wilson]]'s [[phosphorus]] works at Langley Green, and attended Chance's [[infant school]] and Langley St Michael's school.{{sfnp|Matthews|2000|p=237}}<ref name="EFO" /><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114135077/albright-wilson-accident/ |title=The fatal lift accident at Langley |newspaper=Birmingham Daily Post |date=18 July 1888 |page=3 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Commonly known as Fred or Freddie,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114135725/freddie-wheldons-daisy-cutters/ |title="Bee"'s Sports Notes. Fred Wheldon dead |newspaper=Liverpool Echo |date=15 January 1924 |page=9 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> he completed a seven-year engineering apprenticeship at Albright and Wilson's,<ref name="Argus Jul 49">{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114341408/wheldons-scrapbooks/ |title=Peeps into the past. When Villa won the best-ever final |author=H.J.H. |newspaper=Sports Argus |location=Birmingham |date=23 July 1949 |page=4 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> and was working as a steam engine fitter before becoming a full-time professional footballer.<ref name="EFO" /> He was twice married and had at least five children.<ref name="EFO" /> He went into the licensed trade while still a footballer, and continued after his retirement from the game.<ref name="EFO" /> During the First World War, he was employed in munitions work.<ref name="Argus Jul 49" /> He died at home, the Farriers Arms pub in [[Worcester, England|Worcester]], on 13 January 1924 at the age of 54.<ref name="EFO" />

==Club career==
Wheldon played football for Oldbury-based club Rood End White Star,<ref name="EFO" /> and by 1887 was representing his hometown club, Langley Green Victoria.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114030189/wheldon-at-langley-green-victoria/ |title=Birmingham Junior Cup ties. Langley Green Victoria v. Harborne |newspaper=Birmingham Daily Post |date=28 November 1887 |page=6 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> A trial with [[West Bromwich Albion]] the following year came to nothing,<ref name="EFO" /> but his performance in a January 1890 [[friendly match]] against an [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]] reserve team featuring Villa's new Scottish signings caused the ''[[Birmingham Daily Mail]]''{{'s}} ''Football Notes'' column to suggest that if Villa were able to train him for six months he "would probably astonish some of the slow and not over-sure forwards at present identified with their first team", and five more like him would save them the bother of going to Scotland for reinforcements at all.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114030634/wheldon-v-villa-reserve/ |title=Football Notes |newspaper=Birmingham Daily Mail |date=13 January 1890 |page=2 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

===Small Heath===
Despite a mutual admiration between club and player, Wheldon did not join the [[1888–89 Football League]] runners-up but instead signed for another [[Birmingham]]-based club, [[Birmingham City F.C.|Small Heath]] of the [[Football Alliance]]. It was later reported that a business relationship between Small Heath chairman Walter W. Hart and Albright and Wilson's enabled Hart to influence Wheldon's father favourably towards his club.<ref name="Jingle 2">{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114350149/jingles-wheldon-part-2/ |title=Boys of the Old Brigade. "Freddy" Wheldon's association with Small Heath F.C., and how he helped to make history |author=Jingle |newspaper=Sports Argus |location=Birmingham |date=16 October 1915 |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Signed initially on amateur forms,<ref name="Jingle 2"/> he made his debut on 15 February 1890, scored twice in a 6–2 defeat of [[Darwen F.C. (1870)|Darwen]], and gave ''Football Notes'' no reason to moderate their view of him as "a young player who one day will be one of the forwards of whom the district is most proud", "a born footballer [who] cannot fail to come on apace".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114032556/wheldons-small-heath-debut/ |title=Football Notes |newspaper=Birmingham Daily Mail |date=17 February 1890 |page=4 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> He played once more for the first team in what remained of [[1889–90 Small Heath F.C. season|that season]],{{sfnp|Blakeman|Brown|Warsop|2009|p=25}} and then turned professional.<ref name="Jingle 2" /> He was ever-present during [[1890–91 Small Heath F.C. season|the 1890–91 season]], with eight goals from the 22 Alliance matches and a [[hat-trick (association football)|hat-trick]] against [[Hednesford Town F.C.|Hednesford Town]] in the [[FA Cup]].{{sfnp|Blakeman|Brown|Warsop|2009|p=37}} Again ever-present for Small Heath in the [[1891–92 Football Alliance|final season of the Alliance]], his 21 goals from 22 matches helped the team finish third.{{sfnp|Matthews|2010|pp=228–229}} The club's application for election to the [[Football League First Division]] when it was expanded to 16 clubs was unsuccessful, but it was among 12 clubs, mostly from the Alliance, elected to the newly formed [[Football League Second Division|Second Division]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114036492/football-league-division-2-formed/ |title=The Football League |newspaper=Manchester Courier |date=14 May 1892 |page=8 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref name="FCHD9293">{{cite web |url=https://fchd.info/lghist/fl1893.htm |title=1892–93 Football League |website=Football Club History Database |publisher=Richard Rundle |access-date=3 December 2022}}</ref>

Wheldon's and Small Heath's first Football League goal opened the scoring in a 5–1 win against [[Port Vale F.C.|Burslem Port Vale]],{{sfnp|Matthews|2010|p=79}} and he went on to score 25 goals from the 22 matches, finishing the season as top scorer in the division.{{efn|name=189293 goals|The [[Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation]] (RSSSF) lists Wheldon as having scored a divisional best 24 goals in the [[1892–93 Football League#Second Division|1892–93 Second Division]],<ref name=divbest /> but Matthews (2010) assigns him 25,{{sfnp|Matthews|2010|p=231}} as does the ''English National Football Archive''.<ref name="ENFA">{{cite web |url=https://www.enfa.co.uk/playersearch.php |title=Player search: Wheldon, GF (Fred) |website=English National Football Archive |access-date=5 December 2022 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>}} The team finished top of the table, a point ahead of [[Sheffield United F.C.|Sheffield United]],<ref name="FCHD9293" /> but [[promotion and relegation|promotion]] was not automatic even for champions; they had to play a test match at a neutral venue against the First Division's bottom club, [[Manchester United F.C.|Newton Heath]]. Wheldon scored the equaliser and "all but scored a second" in a 1–1 draw at [[Stoke City F.C.|Stoke]]'s [[Victoria Ground]];<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114081728/189293-test-match-small-heath-v-newton/ |title=Small Heath v. Newton Heath |newspaper=Derby Daily Telegraph |date=24 April 1893 |page=3 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> in the [[replay (association football)|replay]], [[Frank Mobley]] put Small Heath 1–0 up and Wheldon hit a post before Newton Heath won 5–2.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114081979/test-match-replay-small-heath-v-newton/ |title=League Test Match. Newton Heath v. Small Heath |newspaper=Birmingham Daily Gazette |date=28 April 1893 |page=3 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Wheldon's 22 league goals helped Small Heath finish as runners-up to [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] in [[1893–94 Football League Second Division|1893–94]]. The test match, again at Stoke, was level at 1–1 against Darwen until late goals from [[Billy Walton]] and Wheldon secured the victory and with it promotion.{{sfnp|Matthews|2010|pp=232–233}}<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114082755/test-match-small-heath-v-darwen/ |title=League Test Matches. Small Heath v. Darwen |newspaper=Birmingham Daily Gazette |date=30 April 1894 |page=6 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

In October 1894, Small Heath played West Bromwich Albion in a [[benefit match]] for Wheldon; his left-wing partner, [[Tommy Hands]], and a triallist [[goalkeeper (association football)|goalkeeper]] were both injured during the game, and only 2000 supporters were present.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114095842/wheldons-benefit/ |title=West Bromwich Albion v. Small Heath |newspaper=Birmingham Daily Post |date=9 October 1894 |page=7 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> A few days later, he scored with the first [[penalty kick (association football)|penalty kick]] awarded to Small Heath, at home to [[Second City derby|local rivals Aston Villa]], one of 11 First Division goals he scored that season.{{sfnp|Matthews|2010|pp=234–235}} He missed a fixture for the first and what would remain only time in a six-year professional career with Small Heath, on 11 February 1895, when his sister died on the morning of a match.{{sfnp|Matthews|2010|pp=226–237}}<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114085578/wheldon-misses-a-match/ |title=Notes on Sport. An exciting game at Small Heath |newspaper=Birmingham Daily Gazette |date=11 February 1895 |page=7 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Having finished 12th of 16 in 1894–95, they came 15th in 1895–96 and faced the top two Second Division teams home and away in a test match mini-league. Defeats to [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]] and Liverpool and a draw with the latter confirmed Small Heath's relegation, but in the final match, they beat Manchester City 8–0 with hat-tricks from Wheldon and [[Jack Jones (footballer, born 1874)|Jack Jones]].{{sfnp|Matthews|2010|pp=14, 236}} It was his final contribution to a tally of 113 goals from 175 matches.{{sfnp|Matthews|2010|p=171}} He refused to re-sign for Small Heath on his current terms, and the directors of what would be a Second Division club did not feel able to increase his wages.<ref name="To Villa">{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114107000/wheldon-to-villa/ |title=Wheldon signed by Aston Villa |newspaper=Birmingham Daily Mail |date=5 June 1896 |page=3 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

===Aston Villa===
On 4 June 1896, Wheldon signed for League champions [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]], reportedly the only club to meet Small Heath's valuation.<ref name="To Villa" /> The fee was initially undisclosed at the buyers' request, but was confirmed by Small Heath's chairman at the club's annual general meeting as £100 up front, £250 from the takings at a match to be played between the two clubs, and half of any excess taken over that figure. The £350 was believed to be a transfer record, and Wheldon would receive wages "considerably in advance" of the £150 a year he earned at Small Heath.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114105135/wheldon-transfer-and-wages/ |title=Football player's transfer. Extraordinary terms |newspaper=Staffordshire Sentinel |date=30 June 1896 |page=3 |via=Newspapers.com |quote=The Aston Villa had decided to give them £100 cash down and to play Small Heath a match on September 1st, probably at Perry Barr. They had guaranteed no less a sum that £250 from this, and Small Heath were also to have half any amount taken in excess of the guarantee. This would mean a gain to Small Heath of about £500. Wheldon was having £150 a year, and he (the chairman) understood his wages with Aston Villa would be considerably in advance of that amount.}}</ref>

In [[1896–97 Aston Villa F.C. season|his first season]] at Villa Park, Wheldon's 22 goals (18 in the First Division, 4 in the FA Cup) not only made him the team's top scorer but helped them achieve [[Double (association football)#England|the League and Cup double]].{{sfnp|Goodyear|1992|p=169}} Villa beat [[Everton F.C.|Everton]] 3–2 in the [[1897 FA Cup Final]] at the [[Crystal Palace National Sports Centre|Crystal Palace]], and Wheldon made the score 2–2 before [[Jimmy Crabtree]] secured a 3–2 victory.<ref name="1897 Final" /> He himself kept a notebook detailing his appearances and goals, in which he recorded two goals in that final.<ref name="Argus Jul 49" /> According to the ''English National Football Archive'' (ENFA), reports of the goalscorers did vary: "Wheldon's goal is also credited to Cowan and Campbell, and Crabtree's to Wheldon or Devey."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.enfa.co.uk/ |title=Clubs: Aston Villa: 1896/97 |website=English National Football Archive |access-date=12 December 2022 |url-access=subscription |quote=Reports differ on the scorers. For Villa, Wheldon's goal is also credited to Cowan and Campbell, and Crabtree's to Wheldon or Devey. Everton`s goals may have come from Hartley, Spencer (og) or "scrimmage". We have followed the Complete Record books for both clubs.}}</ref> His [[1897–98 Football League First Division|1897–98 season]] opened with two successive hat-tricks, against [[Sheffield Wednesday]] and West Bromwich Albion.<ref name="ENFA" /> He finished as the [[List of English football first tier top scorers|league's top scorer]] with 21 goals.<ref name=divbest />

Wheldon, a professional cricketer with [[Worcestershire County Cricket Club|Worcestershire]] during the summer months, failed to report for training ahead of the 1898–99 football season. When contacted by the secretary-manager [[George Ramsay (footballer, born 1855)|George Ramsay]], he requested an extension to the end of August so that he could complete his cricket season, but was granted leave only until 20 August. He did not return, and then took part in Worcestershire's match against [[Surrey County Cricket Club|Surrey Second XI]] beginning on the 23rd, so Villa's committee suspended him ''[[sine die]]'' and requested an explanation. He expressed regret for his absence, but told them that he thought playing cricket was an adequate alternative to pre-season football training. The committee suspended him for two weeks dating from 22 August, the first training day after his leave expired,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114504819/wheldon-suspended-for-prioritising/ |title=Aston Villa and their players. Wheldon suspended |newspaper=Birmingham Daily Mail |date=23 August 1898 |page=3 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114504977/wheldon-suspended-for-a-fortnight/ |title=Wheldon's suspension |newspaper=Birmingham Daily Gazette |date=26 August 1898 |page=6 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> so he missed only one competitive match. He contributed 27 goals over the next two seasons to help Villa win back-to-back league titles{{snd}}making three in four seasons{{snd}}in [[1898–99 Football League First Division|1898–99]] and [[1899–1900 Football League First Division|1899–1900]],{{sfnp|Goodyear|1992|p=169}} taking his totals to 68 goals from 123 First Division matches.<ref name="ENFA" />

===West Bromwich Albion===
At the end of that season, Wheldon asked Villa's permission to take a [[public house]], the Railway Tavern at Langley Green. On principle, Aston Villa opposed any involvement by their players in the licensed trade. The club wanted to retain his services, and had offered him another year's contract on the same terms as before, but he was determined to take the pub, so he was made available for transfer, the likely purchaser being another First Division club, [[West Bromwich Albion]]. The ''[[Sports Argus]]'' wrote that the directors were correct to stick to their principles, and that "Wheldon is not the great player he once was, but he is still a useful one, and would do the Albion front line a great deal of good."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114651461/wheldon-leaving-villa-for-albion/ |title=Football Gossip. Aston Villa |author=Argus Junior |newspaper=Sports Argus |location=Birmingham |date=5 May 1900 |page=4 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114509309/wheldon-takes-a-pub/ |title=Aston Villa and their players |newspaper=Birmingham Daily Post |date=4 May 1900 |page=8 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> In mid-June, it was reported that Villa were asking for a £300 fee, while Albion were only willing to pay £100.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114510526/wheldon-villa-want-300-albion-say/ |title=Football. Aston Villa and Wheldon |newspaper=Birmingham Daily Post |date=13 June 1900 |page=8 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> The deal was done a couple of weeks later, at a fee of £100, and he became the first to play professionally for all three major Birmingham-area clubs.{{sfnp|Matthews|2000|p=237}}

He was appointed captain,{{sfnp|Matthews|1996|p=35}} but two months into the season, the team were struggling and he himself had not scored,<ref name="ENFA" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.11v11.com/teams/west-bromwich-albion/tab/leagueTables/25-october-1900/ |title=West Bromwich Albion league performance history: League Division One table after close of play on 25 October 1900 |website=11v11.com |publisher=Association of Football Statisticians |access-date=15 December 2022}}</ref> so he gave up the captaincy at his own request.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114666526/wheldon-gives-up-captaincy/ |title=Blackburn Rovers v. West Bromwich Albion |author=Mavis |newspaper=Sports Argus |location=Birmingham |date=27 October 1900 |page=4 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> His form improved when the lively [[James Stevenson (footballer, born 1872)|James Stevenson]] came in from [[Preston North End]] at centre forward,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114366331/stevenson-improves-wheldon/ |title=Football Gossip. West Bromwich Albion |author=Argus Junior |newspaper=Sports Argus |location=Birmingham |date=10 November 1900 |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> but apart from a 7–2 win against [[Bolton Wanderers]], neither his nor the team's goalscoring did, and Albion were relegated at the end of the season.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114665026/west-brom-7-bolton-2/ |title=Shots for goal. The Albion astonish their supporters |author=Half-Back |newspaper=Birmingham Weekly Post |date=15 December 1900 |page=22 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fchd.info/lghist/fl1901.htm |title=Football League 1900–01 |website=Football Club History Database |publisher=Richard Rundle |access-date=15 December 2022}}</ref> He was initially placed on the retained list, but did not re-sign, and in July was listed as available for transfer.<ref>{{cite news |title=West Bromwich Albion |newspaper=Lancashire Daily Post |date=24 August 1901 |page=2}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114666311/wheldon-transfer-listed/ |title=Sports and Pastimes. The transfer of footballers |newspaper=Walsall Advertiser |date=27 July 1901 |page=6 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

===Later career===
He then joined [[Southern Football League|Southern League]] side [[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]] for £400 in 1901 and then moved to his third club in as many years, as one of manager [[Bob Blyth]]'s reinforcements at [[1901–02 Southern Football League|1901–02 Southern League]] title-holders [[Portsmouth F.C.|Portsmouth]].{{sfnp|Hayes|1997|p=16}} Over the next two seasons he made 63 appearances in all competitions,{{sfnp|Hayes|1997|p=29}} and then signed as club captain of [[Worcester City F.C.|Worcester City]], where he played out the rest of his career,<ref name="EFO" /> scoring at least 39 goals in the [[Birmingham and District Football League|Birmingham and District League]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://wcfcarchive.bravehost.com/atpla.htm#GoalStats |title=Worcester City all time player statistics: All time goalscorer statistics |website=Worcester City FC Archive |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006025453/http://wcfcarchive.bravehost.com/atpla.htm#GoalStats |archive-date=6 October 2011}}</ref> He retired from football, aged 37, in January 1907.{{sfnp|Matthews|2010|p=171}}

{{blockquote|One of the select few who have won fame both at cricket and football. At one period of his long and brilliant career, Fred Wheldon's services would have been accepted by any club in the country. When at his best, he was undoubtedly the finest inside left forward England possessed. His command of the ball, his adaptability to prevailing conditions, combined with his dodging, his swerving, and his deadly shooting, made him a great player in the highest company. Brilliant with head and foot alike, he has always been an ornament to the game.|source=''The Villa News and Record'', 1 September 1906<ref>{{cite book |title=The Villa News and Record |date=1 September 1906}}, quoted at {{cite web |url=http://www.astonvillaplayerdatabase.com/1417.html |title=Wheldon, Fred |website=Aston Villa Player Database |publisher=Jörn Mårtensson |access-date=15 December 2022}}</ref>}}

==International career==

Wheldon was first selected for the [[Football League XI]] in the 1893–94 season, while still a Second Division player with Small Heath.<ref name="11v11 FLXI">{{cite web |url=https://www.11v11.com/players/fred-wheldon-48624/#clubmatches |title=Fred Wheldon: Club stats: Football League |website=11v11.com |publisher=Association of Football Statisticians |access-date=6 December 2022}}</ref> In February 1894, he scored twice in a 4–2 win against the [[Irish League representative team]] in [[Belfast]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114313850/irish-league-2-english-league-4/ |title=Irish League v. English League |newspaper=Manchester Courier |date=12 February 1894 |page=3 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> and in April, England's goal in a 1–1 draw with the [[Scottish Football League XI]] at [[Goodison Park]] came from a passing move involving Wheldon, [[Jack Devey]] and goalscorer [[Fred Spiksley]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114313094/fl-xi-1-scottish-league-1/ |title=England v. Scotland |newspaper=Manchester Guardian |date=23 April 1894 |page=7 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

Wheldon won four [[England national football team|England]] caps whilst at Villa, scoring six goals. He won his first England cap against [[Ireland national football team (1882–1950)|Ireland]] at Trent Bridge, Nottingham on 20 February 1897. Wheldon netted a debut hat-trick as England cruised to a 6–0 victory. Some reports however, say Wheldon's free kick took a deflection off teammate [[Ernest Needham]] for 2-0 and also a James Barron own goal made it 4–0. He then played in two further internationals, against Ireland in Belfast, England winning 3–2, and then scored twice in a 3–0 victory against [[Wales national football team|Wales]] in Wrexham. His last cap came against [[Scotland national football team|Scotland]] at Celtic Park, in which [[Steve Bloomer]] became England's record scorer. Wheldon scored after only 3 minutes, Bloomer then scored the other two to break the record set by [[Tinsley Lindley]], as England won 3–1.<ref name="EFO" />

==Career statistics==

{| class=wikitable style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
|-
!rowspan=2|Club
!rowspan=2|Season
!colspan=3|League
!colspan=2|[[FA Cup]]
!colspan=2|Other
!colspan=2|Total
|-
!Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="8"|[[Birmingham City F.C.|Small Heath]]
|[[1889–90 Small Heath F.C. season|1889–90]]{{sfnp|Blakeman|Brown|Warsop|2009|p=25}}
|[[Football Alliance]]
|2||2||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||2||2
|-
|[[1890–91 Small Heath F.C. season|1890–91]]{{sfnp|Blakeman|Brown|Warsop|2009|p=37}}
|Football Alliance
|22||8||2||3||colspan="2"|—||24||11
|-
|[[1891–92 Small Heath F.C. season|1891–92]]{{sfnp|Matthews|2010|pp=228–229}}
|Football Alliance
|22||21||7||8||colspan="2"|—||29||29
|-
|[[1892–93 Small Heath F.C. season|1892–93]]<ref name="ENFA" />
|[[Football League Second Division|Second Division]]
|22||25{{efn|name=189293 goals}}||1||0||2{{efn|name=TestM|Appearance(s) in test matches}}||1||25||26
|-
|[[1893–94 Small Heath F.C. season|1893–94]]<ref name="ENFA" />
|Second Division
|28||22||1||1||1{{efn|name=TestM}}||1||30||24
|-
|[[1894–95 Small Heath F.C. season|1894–95]]<ref name="ENFA" />
|[[Football League First Division|First Division]]
|29||11||1||0||colspan="2"|—||30||11
|-
|[[1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season|1895–96]]<ref name="ENFA" />
|First Division
|30||7||1||0||4{{efn|name=TestM}}||3||35||10
|-
!colspan=2|Total
!155||96||13||12||7||5||175||113
|-
|rowspan="5"|[[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]]
|[[1896–97 Aston Villa F.C. season|1896–97]]<ref name="ENFA" />
|First Division
|30||18||7||4||colspan="2"|—||37||22
|-
|[[1897–98 Aston Villa F.C. season|1897–98]]<ref name="ENFA" />
|First Division
|26||23||1||0||colspan="2"|—||27||23
|-
|[[1898–99 Aston Villa F.C. season|1898–99]]<ref name="ENFA" />
|First Division
|33||16||1||0||1{{efn|name=Sheriff|Appearance in [[Sheriff of London Charity Shield]]}}||0||35||16
|-
|[[1899–1900 Aston Villa F.C. season|1899–1900]]<ref name="ENFA" />
|First Division
|34||11||5||2||1{{efn|name=Sheriff}}||0||40||13
|-
!colspan=2|Total
!123||68||14||6||2||0||139||74
|-
|[[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]]
|[[1900–01 West Bromwich Albion F.C. season|1900–01]]<ref name="ENFA" />
|First Division
|26||3||3||0||colspan="2"|—||29||3
|-
|[[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]]
|[[1901–02 Southern Football League#Division One|1901–02]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.qprnet.com/uploads/1/2/0/8/120823999/qpr1901.xls |title=1901/02 |first=Kenneth |last=Westerberg |website=QPRnet |publisher=Ron Norris |access-date=9 May 2024 |archive-date=14 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230214235550/http://www.qprnet.com/uploads/1/2/0/8/120823999/qpr1901.xls |url-status=live}}</ref>
|[[Southern Football League|Southern League]] Division One
|14||6||0||0||11{{efn|Five appearances in [[Western Football League|Western League]], six appearances and two goals in [[London League (football)|London League]]}}||2||25||8
|-
!colspan="3"|Career total
!218||173||30||18||20||7||368||198
|}
{{notelist}}

==Honours==
'''Small Heath'''
*[[Football League Second Division]]: [[1892–93 Football League Second Division|1892–93]]<ref name=Table>{{cite web |url=https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-two/1893/ |title=League Division Two table at close of 1892–93 season |website=11v11.com |publisher=AFS Enterprises |access-date=5 September 2017}}</ref>

'''Aston Villa'''
*[[Football League First Division]]:{{sfnp|Goodyear|1992|p=169}} [[1896–97 Football League|1896–97]], [[1898–99 Football League|1898–99]], [[1899–1900 Football League|1899–1900]]
*[[FA Cup]]: [[1897 FA Cup final|1896–97]]<ref name="1897 Final">{{harvp|Goodyear|1992|pp=175–176}}</ref>
*[[Sheriff of London Charity Shield]] (shared): [[1899 Sheriff of London Charity Shield|1899]]<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-aston-villa-v-queens-park-she/150421925/ |title=The Sheriff of London Charity Shield. Aston Villa v. Queen's Park |newspaper=The Daily News |location=London |date=13 March 1899 |page=3 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

'''Individual'''
*Football League First Division top scorer: [[1897–98 Football League First Division|1897–98]]<ref name=divbest>{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/engtops.html |title=English League Leading Goalscorers |publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation (RSSSF) |first=James M. |last=Ross |date=15 June 2022 |access-date=1 July 2024}}</ref>
*Football League Second Division top scorer: 1892–93<ref name=divbest />

==Cricket career==

Wheldon played cricket for Langley Green and, having impressed with both bat and ball playing against them in 1892, moved on to Dudley of the [[Birmingham Cricket League|Birmingham League]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115017957/fred-wheldon-7-for-and-49no-for-langley/ |title=Dudley v. Langley |newspaper=Birmingham Daily Gazette |date=18 July 1892 |page=3 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>{{sfnp|Brooke|Goodyear|1990|p=200}} He turned out for Worcestershire Club and Ground in June 1893,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115063170/wheldon-plays-for-worcs-club-and-ground/ |title=Cricket. Warwickshire Club and Ground v. Worcestershire Club and Ground |newspaper=Birmingham Daily Post |date=26 June 1893 |page=7 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> and became an increasingly regular selection for the [[Worcestershire County Cricket Club|full county side]], contributing to the three consecutive outright [[Minor Counties Cricket Championship|Minor Counties]] titles that preceded their admission to the [[County Championship]].<ref name=MinorCC>{{cite web |url=http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/33/33772/f_Batting_by_Season.html |title=Minor Counties Championship Matches played by Frederick Wheldon |publisher=Cricket Archive |access-date=23 December 2022 |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://wccc.co.uk/cricket/ |title=A brief history of Worcestershire CCC |publisher=Worcestershire CCC |access-date=23 December 2022}}</ref>

Wheldon played in Worcestershire's maiden [[first-class cricket|first-class]] game, against [[Yorkshire County Cricket Club|Yorkshire]] in May [[1899 English cricket season|1899]]. He made a useful 49 not out in the first innings, and held two catches in Yorkshire's second.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Teams/0/399/First-Class_Matches.html |title=First-class matches played by Worcestershire |publisher=Cricket Archive |access-date=15 April 2016 |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/5/5148.html |title=Worcestershire v Yorkshire County Championship 1899 |publisher=Cricket Archive |access-date=15 April 2016 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Wheldon played in 14 matches in total that season, scoring 541 runs at an [[batting average (cricket)|average]] of 33.81 including three half-centuries.<ref name=BySeason>{{cite web |url=http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/33/33772/f_Batting_by_Season.html |title=First-class batting and fielding in each season by Frederick Wheldon |publisher=Cricket Archive |access-date=15 April 2016 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

[[1900 English cricket season|The following season]] Wheldon had a rather thinner year, averaging under 20 despite making exactly 100 against [[Hampshire County Cricket Club|Hampshire]] and in the process sharing in a sixth-wicket stand of 186 with [[William Lowe (cricketer)|William Lowe]].<ref name=BySeason/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/5/5555.html |title=Hampshire v Worcestershire County Championship 1900 |publisher=Cricket Archive |access-date=15 April 2016 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> [[1901 English cricket season|1901]] was worse still, as he did not pass 51 in 26 innings, and [[1902 English cricket season|1902]] was little better, but he returned to form at last in [[1903 English cricket season|1903]] with 969 runs – the most of his career<ref name=BySeason/> – including 112 against [[Somerset County Cricket Club|Somerset]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/6/6259.html |title=Worcestershire v Somerset County Championship 1903 |publisher=Cricket Archive |access-date=15 April 2016 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> He also collected his only first-class [[stumping]] that year, against Yorkshire: [[Thomas Straw]] had been due to keep wicket, but was delayed in arriving at the ground, so Wheldon replaced him both in the team and behind the stumps.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/6/6180.html |title=Worcestershire v Yorkshire County Championship 1903 |publisher=Cricket Archive |access-date=15 April 2016 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

Wheldon passed 900 runs again in [[1904 English cricket season|1904]]; he also collected 40 catches, by far the most in a season in his career,<ref name=BySeason/> and scored a century before lunch on the second day of the match against [[Leicestershire County Cricket Club|Leicestershire]].{{sfnp|Brooke|Goodyear|1990|p=234}}<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115014106/wheldon-century-before-lunch-v-leics/ |title=Leicestershire v. Worcestershire |newspaper=Evening Standard|location=London |date=28 June 1904 |page=5 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Thereafter his form fell away rapidly, and in [[1905 English cricket season|1905]] he recorded a disastrous aggregate of 237 runs in 18 innings,<ref name=BySeason/> dropping out of the team in late July.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/33/33772/First-Class_Matches.html |title=First-class matches played by Frederick Wheldon |publisher=Cricket Archive |access-date=15 April 2016 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> He did return for [[1906 English cricket season|1906]], but again his form was poor and though he made an unbeaten 89 batting at number nine against [[Warwickshire County Cricket Club|Warwickshire]] (out of 633; again Wheldon kept wicket) his next highest score was 31 and he played no more first-class cricket after the end of the season.<ref name=BySeason/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/7/7125.html |title=Worcestershire v Warwickshire County Championship 1906 |publisher=Cricket Archive |access-date=15 April 2016 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> He did appear in the Minor Counties Championship for Worcestershire Second XI in 1907 and for [[Carmarthenshire County Cricket Club|Carmarthenshire]] in 1910.<ref name=MinorCC/>

Wheldon's grandson [[John Spilsbury (cricketer)|John Spilsbury]] played a single first-class match for Worcestershire in [[1952 English cricket season|1952]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/32/32964/32964.html |title=John Spilsbury |publisher=Cricket Archive |access-date=15 April 2016 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>{{sfnp|Brooke|Goodyear|1990|p=183}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
* {{cite book |last1=Brooke |first1=Robert |last2=Goodyear |first2=David |title=A Who's Who of Worcestershire County Cricket Club |publisher=Robert Hale |location=London |date=1990 |isbn=978-0-7090-4023-1}}
* {{cite book |editor-last1=Blakeman |editor-first1=Mick |editor-last2=Brown |editor-first2=Tony |editor-last3=Warsop |editor-first3=Keith |title=The Football Alliance Match by Match: 1889/90 to 1891/92 |publisher=SoccerData |location=Nottingham |date=2009 |isbn=978-1-905891-19-1}}
* {{cite book |last=Freddi |first=Cris |title=The England Football Fact Book |publisher=Guinness |location=Enfield |date=1991 |page=248 |isbn=978-0-85112-991-4}}
* {{cite book |last=Goodyear |first=David |title=Aston Villa: A Complete Record 1874–1992 |publisher=Breedon Books |location=Derby |date=1992 |isbn=978-1-873626-17-7}}
* {{cite book |last=Hayes |first=Dean |title=Portsmouth F.C. An A–Z |publisher=S.B. Publications |location=Seaford |date=1997 |isbn=978-1-85770-148-7}}
* {{cite book |last=Matthews |first=Tony |title=The A–Z of West Bromwich Albion |publisher=Breedon Books |location=Derby |date=1996 |isbn=978-1-85983-064-2}}
* {{cite book |last=Matthews |first=Tony |title=The Encyclopedia of Birmingham City Football Club 1875–2000 |publisher=Britespot |location=Cradley Heath |date=2000 |isbn=978-0-9539288-0-4}}
* {{cite book |last=Matthews |first=Tony |title=Birmingham City: The Complete Record |publisher=Derby Books |location=Derby |date=2010 |isbn=978-1-85983-853-2}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{ESPNcricinfo|id=22890}}
* {{CricketArchive|id=33772}}
* {{Englandstats}}

{{Navboxes
|title=Awards
|bg=gold
|fg=navy
|list1=
{{English First Division top scorers}}
{{English Second Division top scorers}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wheldon, Fred}}
[[Category:1869 births]]
[[Category:1924 deaths]]
[[Category:Footballers from Oldbury, West Midlands]]
[[Category:Cricketers from Worcestershire]]
[[Category:Footballers from Worcestershire]]
[[Category:English cricketers]]
[[Category:Worcestershire cricketers]]
[[Category:Carmarthenshire cricketers]]
[[Category:English men's footballers]]
[[Category:England men's international footballers]]
[[Category:Men's association football inside forwards]]
[[Category:Birmingham City F.C. players]]
[[Category:Aston Villa F.C. players]]
[[Category:West Bromwich Albion F.C. players]]
[[Category:Queens Park Rangers F.C. players]]
[[Category:Portsmouth F.C. players]]
[[Category:Worcester City F.C. players]]
[[Category:Football Alliance players]]
[[Category:English Football League players]]
[[Category:Southern Football League players]]
[[Category:Western Football League players]]
[[Category:English Football League representative players]]
[[Category:First Division/Premier League top scorers]]
[[Category:British publicans]]
[[Category:Langley Green Victoria F.C. players]]