Fred Spiksley

Born: 25th January 1870, Gainsborough
Died: 28th July 1948
First Game: 23rd January 1892
Final Game: 18th April 1903
Career Span: 11 years 86 days
Career Performance: Played 321 Won 146 Drawn 60 Lost 115
Success Rate: 55.00%

Wednesday Playing Record

                  LEAGUE        FA CUP        TOTAL       
 Season         Apps  Goals   Apps  Goals   Apps  Goals
1891-1892         0      0      3      2      3      2
1892-1893        26     13      3      2     29     15
1893-1894        29     13      4      3     33     16
1894-1895        29      7      4      3     33     10
1895-1896        29     10      6      4     35     14
1896-1897        28     10      0      0     28     10
1897-1898        30     17      2      0     32     17
1898-1899        30      3      0      0     30      3
1899-1900        21     10      2      0     23     10
1900-1901        13      4      1      0     14      4
1901-1902        26      5      1      0     27      5
1902-1903        32      8      2      0     34      8

  Total         293    100     28     14    321    114

‘ Flying’ Fred Spiksley was the darling of Wednesday supporters in the Olive Grove Era and the early years at Owlerton, scoring many stunning goals and thrilling the spectators with his electric bursts along the left wing. At 5ft 6in and slightly built, Fred took more than his share of rough treatment, but had the speed and skill to elude the majority of his tormentors. It was said that few players in his time could run as fast with the ball and the hallmarks of is play were his keen sense of anticipation and an ability to ‘ read’ the game. His speed off the mark was such that he was frequently frustrated by offside decisions by officials who did not believe a man could think and move so fast.

Fred joined Wednesday by accident in 1891. Held up in Sheffield after agreeing to sign for Accrington, he met Wednesday’ s Fred Thompson, and John Holmes persuaded him to play at Olive Grove. Fred’ s tally of goals included many gems, but the two he scored in the 1896 FA Cup Final are often recalled as among the best, and it is often noted that he scored the first hat-trick at Owlerton.

When Fred was on the field no game could be considered lost, and the way in which he turned defeat into victory in the 1894 Cup-tie with Aston Villa is often quoted as an example. He played seven times for England, scoring twice in each of his first two internationals and he marked his final appearance in representative football with a memorable hat-trick for the Football League against the Scottish League. After leaving Wednesday he had spells with Glossop, Leeds City and Southend, and later made a name as a coach in Sweden, Germany, Mexico and Spain. He died in July 1948 after collapsing at a race meeting at Goodwood. Spiksley also scored five goals for England.

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Stuart Jackson