William Foulke

1894/1905 Sheffield United (ENG) 299 matches

1905/07 Chelsea (ENG) 34 matches

1907/08 Bradford City (ENG) 22 matches

With the National Team :

1 cap

(British Home Championship: 1 cap)

1st and last cap: March 29, 1897 against Wales (4-0)

William Henry Foulke

Born April 12, 1874 in Dawley (ENG)

Died May 1, 1916 in Sheffield (ENG)

English, Goalkeeper, 1m93

Nickname: Fatty Foulkes

William Foulke was born on April 12, 1874 in Dawley, England. He began his professional football career at the age of 19 in the modest club of Blackwell. During a Derbyshire Cup match against Ilkestown Town, he was spotted by Sheffield United who recruited him for 20 pounds, a huge sum for the time.

He established himself almost immediately as one of the best goalkeepers in the English first division, renowned for his incredible agility comparable to that of a cat, he became an English international in 1897, playing in a British Home Championship match against Wales, a 4-0 victory, unfortunately, this would be the last time the player would start for his country.

William Foulke was at that time a star of the English championship and also an excellent cricketer who played at the highest level. Having become the highest paid player in the championship, he often participated in the third half where he ate a lot. His food consumption reached peaks and he gained more and more weight, until reaching more than 100 kilos at the end of the season.

During a championship match, he broke the crossbar of his goal while hanging on it by his arms to destabilize his opponents. Foulke then received the nickname "Fatty Foulkes". Despite his weight, he continued to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world. He also won the English championship in 1898, the first title in the history of his club. In 30 championship matches, his team only conceded 31 goals, by far the best defense in England.

The following year, the excellent goalkeeper played his first FA Cup final against Derby County, a 4-1 victory and a goalkeeping masterclass. 2 years later, he would play another FA Cup final, which he lost this time against Tottenham. The following year, in 1902, he played his 3rd FA Cup final in 4 years, a victory against Southampton, the goalkeeper only conceded 7 goals in 9 games in the competition.

The story of this final is also crazy and amusing. Foulke's teammates opened the scoring quite early and dominated the Saints for the rest of the game. Two minutes from the final whistle, the captain, a certain Harry Wood, who had stayed in the opposing field to tie his laces, unfortunately received the ball in his feet. The player, offside by a good ten meters, scored anyway... The goal was awarded after a consultation between the referees. They claim that the ball must have hit an opposing defender. Enraged, Foulke has a word with the officials at the end of the match. He runs out of his locker room naked and chases the referee who hides in a cupboard. It takes several people to subdue the enraged quintal and stop him from breaking down the door. Sheffield wins 2 goals to 1 in the replay, thanks to Foulke at the top of his game.

Foulke will become a legend of another English club, Chelsea. Spotted by the Mears brothers, founders of Chelsea, Foulke is the first player to sign for the club for £50. Officially created in 1905, the brand new London team and its supporters expect a lot from this first transfer. He is the first goalkeeper in the history of the club, first captain too, and first star of course.

Foulke will stay between 1905 and 1907 at the club but will only play one season because of personal problems, but during this season with Chelsea, he will forever inscribe his name in the memories of the Blues supporters, he stops no less than 10 penalties, an exploit.

After his short adventure with the Blues, the player will join Bradford City where he plays until the end of his career in 1908, the player then weighs nearly 150 kilos, a record for a professional player. Yet this did not prevent him from maintaining incredible agility and winning trophies throughout his career.

At 34, the player who ate a lot and drank a lot of alcohol ended his career. He died in 1916, at the age of 42, from an early death linked to cirrhosis of the liver. Another myth linked to this legend, the appearance of the first ball boys, Chelsea would have had the idea of ​​​​posting two children on both sides of the goalkeeper's cages to create the appearance of a giant.

- Included among the 100 legends of the Football League

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