Wilf Mannion
Wilfred "Wilf" James Mannion (born May 16, 1918 in South Bank , England , † April 14, 2000 in Teesside , England) was an English football player . In his active professional career between 1936 and 1954 he scored 110 goals in 368 games for Middlesbrough FC . In addition, he completed a total of 26 international matches for the English national football team between 1946 and 1951 , in which he scored eleven goals.
Athletic career
Mannion learned to play football at his home club St. Peter's and moved to Middlesbrough FC at the age of 18 in 1936. He made his debut for the first division team in January 1937 and from then on impressed with an attractive, offensive style of play, his dribbling and the great danger of scoring. In a 9-2 win against Blackpool FC , he scored four goals.
The outbreak of World War II interrupted Mannion's athletic career. He was posted to France as a soldier and returned to England five months later after the Battle of Dunkirk . Mannion initially refused at the beginning of the 1947/48 season to continue his career in Middlesbrough because he rejected the weekly wage cap of £ 10. The attempt to switch to Oldham Athletic fails, however, because of the excessively high transfer fee. Oldham was only willing to pay £ 15,000 against the £ 25,000 requested, leaving Mannion with Middlesbrough FC.
After the war was over, Mannion was also a national player for his country, where he scored three goals on his debut on September 28, 1946 against Northern Ireland , which England won 7-2 in Belfast . Mannion then developed into one of the best players in England and attracted attention in two games in particular. In 1947 he managed a 7-1 win with a British against a European selection and was named best player in the game. Just a year later he was part of the English team that defeated the reigning Italian world champion 4-0 in Turin . In 1950 Mannion took part in the Soccer World Cup in Brazil and was used there in the games against Chile , where he scored the goal to make it 2-0, and against the USA , when England sensationally lost 1-0.
In Middlesbrough Mannion mostly played in midfield or in the lower part of the table and in 1954 had to accept the relegation of his team. Mannion moved briefly to Hull City , where he only spent one season. Newspaper allegations followed that linked Mannion to illicit wage payments. The Football League then demanded an official statement and banned Mannion in June 1955 until the facts were clarified. Mannion then announced his retirement from professional football and played until 1962 for the amateur clubs Poole Town , Kings Lynn , Haverhill Rovers and Earlestown .
Mannion returned to Teesside after his active career, where he also died in April 2000. In 2004 he was inducted into the English Hall of Fame and a statue in front of the Riverside Stadium , home of Middlesbrough FC, still commemorates Mannion.
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| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Mannion, Wilf |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Mannion, Wilfred James |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | English soccer player |
| DATE OF BIRTH | May 16, 1918 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | South bank |
| DATE OF DEATH | April 14, 2000 |
| Place of death | Teesside |