Sam Wadsworth

Samuel John Wadsworth (13 September 1896 – 1 September 1961) was an English professional footballer who played as a left back for Darwen, Blackburn Rovers, Nelson, Huddersfield Town, Burnley and Lytham.^[1] He won 9 England caps between April 1922 and October 1926 and was captain for his final four appearances.^[4] He later had a long career in management in the Netherlands.^[4]

Sam Wadsworth

Wadsworth (1951)
Personal information
Full name	Samuel John Wadsworth[1]
Date of birth	13 September 1896
Place of birth	Darwen, England
Date of death	1 September 1961(1961-09-01) (aged 64)[2]
Place of death	Eindhoven, Netherlands
Height	5 ft 7+1⁄2 in (1.71 m)[3]
Position(s)	Left back, centre half
Youth career
	St Cuthbert's
0000–1912	Darwen Woodfold
1912–1914	Darwen
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1914–1919	Blackburn Rovers	0	(0)
1920–1921	Nelson
1921–1929	Huddersfield Town	281	(4)
1929–1930	Burnley	7	(0)
	Lytham
International career
1922–1926	England	9	(0)
Managerial career
1934–1935	DHC Delft
1935–1938	PSV
1938–1940	DWS
1945–1951	PSV
1951–1955	Brabantia
1956	BVC Amsterdam
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Personal life

Wadsworth was born in Darwen, the son of Clara Ellen Briggs and James Wadsworth.^[5] He was married to Harriet Elizabeth Woodward.^[5] Prior to the outbreak of the First World War, Wadsworth worked as a clerk.^[4] He ran a garage while a Blackburn Rovers player and the business later failed,^[2] which caused financial and health problems for his family.^[6] After his retirement from professional football in 1930, Wadsworth worked for the Lytham St. Annes Corporation's transport department.^[2]

War service

During the First World War, Wadsworth lied about his age to enlist as a gunner in the Royal Garrison Artillery and received a shrapnel wound in the left ankle.^[4][7] His older brother Charles was killed in the war and "the atrocities left him physically and mentally scarred, suffering blackouts and grappling with post-traumatic stress".^[4][7]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Huddersfield Town	1920–21[8]	First Division	6	0	0	0	6	0
	1921–22[8]	First Division	39	1	9	0	48	1
	1922–23[8]	First Division	38	2	5	0	43	2
	1923–24[8]	First Division	37	0	3	0	40	0
	1924–25[8]	First Division	33	0	1	0	34	0
	1925–26[8]	First Division	38	0	2	0	40	0
	1926–27[8]	First Division	36	1	1	0	37	1
	1927–28[8]	First Division	17	0	4	0	21	0
	1928–29[8]	First Division	34	0	6	0	40	0
	1929–30[8]	First Division	3	0	―		3	0
Career total			281	4	31	0	312	4

Honours

Huddersfield Town

• Football League First Division: 1923–24, 1924–25, 1925–26^[2]
• FA Cup: 1921–22^[2]
• FA Charity Shield: 1922^[2]

Individual

• FA Charity Shield: 1923, 1924^[2]