Walter Bettridge

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Walter Bettridge
Personal information
Full name Walter Bettridge[1]
Date of birth 26 October 1886[2]
Place of birth Oakthorpe, England
Date of death 23 December 1931(1931-12-23) (aged 45)[3]
Place of death Measham, England
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[4]
Position(s) Right back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Oakthorpe Albion
Measham United
Worksop Town
0000–1909 Burton United
1909–1922 Chelsea 224 (0)
1922–1923 Gillingham 19 (0)
Peterborough & Fletton United
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Walter Bettridge (26 October 1886 – 23 December 1931) was an English professional footballer who made over 220 appearances for Chelsea in the Football League. He was a "lightweight" right back who was "fearless in stopping forwards".[5]

Club career[edit]

A right back, Bettridge began his career with local non-League clubs Oakthorpe Albion, Measham United, Worksop Town and Burton United.[3] He transferred to First Division club Chelsea in 1909 and was a part of the club's 1911–12 Second Division promotion-winning and 1915 FA Cup final-losing squads.[3] Either side of the First World War, Bettridge made 255 appearances for the club.[3] In June 1922,[6] aged 36, he joined Gillingham of the Third Division South, where he spent one season,[7] before finishing his career with Peterborough & Fletton United.[3]

Personal life[edit]

In January 1916, during the First World War, Bettridge enlisted in as an air mechanic in the Royal Flying Corps.[3] He trained as a fitter and attained the rank of air mechanic 1st class.[3] After serving in both the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Air Force at the Royal Aircraft Factory, Bettridge was demobilized in 1919.[3] He died in December 1931, aged 45.[8]

Career statistics[edit]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Chelsea 1909–10[3] First Division 18 0 2 0 20 0
1910–11[3] Second Division 37 0 6 0 43 0
1911–12[3] Second Division 26 0 2 0 28 0
1912–13[3] First Division 33 0 1 0 34 0
1913–14[3] First Division 16 0 1 0 17 0
1914–15[3] First Division 25 0 8 0 33 0
1919–20[3] First Division 41 0 5 0 46 0
1920–21[3] First Division 28 0 6 0 34 0
Total 224 0 31 0 255 0
Gillingham 1922–23[3] Third Division South 19 0 0 0 19 0
Career total 243 0 31 0 274 0
  1. ^ Includes FA Cup

Honours[edit]

Chelsea

References[edit]

  1. ^ Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 26. ISBN 978-1905891610.
  2. ^ "Chelsea FC Player Profile: Wally Bettridge". stamford-bridge.com. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "Wally Bettridge". Football and the First World War. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  4. ^ Achates (22 August 1921). "First Division prospects. Chelsea". Athletic News. Manchester. p. 5.
  5. ^ Unknown (1915). Cup Final Programme.
  6. ^ "Walter Bettridge". 11v11.com. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  7. ^ "Wally Bettridge". Gillingham FC Scrapbook. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  8. ^ Triggs, Roger (2001). The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. Tempus Publishing Ltd. p. 20. ISBN 0-7524-2243-X.
  9. ^ Chelsea F.C. at the Football Club History Database

External links[edit]

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