William Oakley

William John Oakley (27 April 1873 — 20 September 1934) was an English footballer who played as a full-back for the renowned amateur clubs, Corinthians and Casuals, and captained the England team once, in 1901. In 1895, he was also the British long jump champion.

Early life and education

Born at 34 Castle Street, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, he was the eldest of five children of William Oakley, a brewer, and his wife Emilie Ann (nee Pike). which he attended from 1884 to 1892 and Christ Church, Oxford, rowed for his school from 1890 to 1892, and was senior whip (1890) and huntsman (1891) of the Shrewsbury School Hunt (in fact a cross country running club).

After going up to Oxford, Oakley became President of the Oxford University Athletics Club in 1895, representing the university in long jump and 120 yard hurdles,

Club career

Oakley played, in total, 121 games for Corinthian FC, in which he scored just 1 goal. Playing games against all the great professional sides of the era, Oakley was an assured defender whose peak years for the club were the 1898/99 season and the 1899/1900 season, during which he rarely missed a match. He would then play for Casuals F.C.

Personal life

He was a close friend of the England centre forward G. O. Smith, with whom he served as joint secretary of the Corinthians from 1898 to 1902 and worked as a schoolmaster, and eventually as joint headmaster from 1901 to 1934, of Ludgrove School after retiring from football.

Oakley retired from teaching earlier in 1934 and at the time of his death had purchased a house in Church Stretton, Shropshire, to which he was moving.

He died from a fractured skull