Jimmy Wheeler (footballer)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 21 December 1933 | ||
| Place of birth | Reading, England | ||
| Date of death | 20 February 2020 (aged 86) | ||
| Position(s) |
Striker | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1946–1948 | Huntley & Palmers | ||
| 1948–1964 | Reading | 406 | (147) |
| Managerial career | |||
| Reading (assistant manager) | |||
| 1968–1971 | Bradford City | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
James Wheeler (21 December 1933 – 20 February 2020striker for Reading where he played 406 league games, scoring 147 goals. He later became a coach at Reading and then manager of Bradford City.
Playing career
Wheeler had a prominent career in schoolboy football and two years as an amateur at
1960–61. He broke his leg at Barnsley in September 1964, which effectively ended his league career.[2] He continued to play and coach Reading reserves and became assistant manager of the club to Roy Bentley
.
Managerial career
Wheeler joined
1968–69 which included a record-breaking sequence of 21 games without defeat to come fourth.[2]
The following season started well but results tailed off and the team came 10th in Division Three. Wheeler had been booked just once during his 16-year playing career, but on 6 December 1969 in an FA Cup tie at home to Lincoln City he fell foul of the FA during a touchline outburst. Wheeler was fined £35 and censured and instead had a direct telephone line installed between his seat in the stand and the bench.[2]
In the
1970–71 season, City escaped relegation by just a point with Wheeler's former team Reading occupying the final relegation spot. By the start of the following season, results failed to improve and Wheeler resigned after the fans turned against him.[2]
See also
References
- ^ "📰 Jimmy Wheeler 1933-2020". www.readingfc.co.uk. Reading Football Club. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
- ^ ISBN 0-907969-38-0.