Bill Slater

Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. at 1955 with following players, standing from left: Bill Slater, Bill Shorthouse, Bert Williams, Ron Flowers, Eddie Stuart; front row: Johnny Hancocks, Peter Broadbent, Roy Swinbourne, Billy Wright (captain), Dennis Wilshaw and Jimmy Mullen. William John Slater, (29 April 1927 – 18 December 2018), also commonly known as W. J. Slater, was an English professional footballer. Slater made the majority of his appearances for Wolverhampton Wanderers, with whom he won three league championships and the FA Cup.

Career Slater started his career as a 16-year-old amateur at Blackpool in 1944 and played in the 1951 FA Cup Final in which Blackpool lost to Newcastle United, becoming the last amateur to play in an FA Cup Final at Wembley. Another record he jointly holds is Blackpool's fastest-ever goal: 11 seconds into a game against Stoke City on 10 December 1949. Slater made his Blackpool debut on 10 September 1949, in a goalless draw at Aston Villa.

After finishing college, in December 1951 he moved to Brentford where he made 8 appearances and then, in August 1952, joined Wolverhampton Wanderers as a part-time professional. He won three Football League championships (1953–54, 1957–58, 1958–59), as well as being runners-up (1954–55, 1959–60).

At the World Cup he played all four of England's matches, the first two at left half and then in midfield. Slater also represented Great Britain at the 1952 Summer Olympics. He also played cricket for Warwickshire's second XI, in both the Second XI Championship and the Minor Counties Championship.

In July 1963, he returned to Brentford and later played for Northern Nomads. Slater died on 18 December 2018, aged 91, from complications of Alzheimer's disease.

Honours Blackpool FA Cup runner-up: 1950–51

Wolverhampton Wanderers Football League First Division: 1953–54, 1957–58, 1958–59 FA Cup: 1959–60

Individual Wolverhampton Wanderers Hall of Fame Order of the British Empire: 1982 Officer (Civil) Order of the British Empire: 1998 Commander (Civil) FWA Footballer of the Year: 1960