Black Country boys who wore the White Shirt
GEORGE ‘SPRY’ WOODHALL was a clever outside or inside right who won two England caps, both in 1888, against Wales at Crewe in February and versus Scotland in Glasgow the following month.
In fact, he became the first Black Country-born player to score for England,
doing so in an excellent 5-1 win over the Welsh, when he also had a hand in two of his country’s other goals.
School
Born in West Bromwich on September 5, 1863, Woodhall attended Hateley Heath School in his birth town and played for West Bromwich Saints, Wednesbury Town (as a guest, 1882) and Churchfield Foresters before joining Albion as an amateur in May 1883, turning professional in August 1885.
He was transferred to neighbours Wolverhampton Wanders in July 1892 and two years or so later in May 1894 he dropped down the ladder and signed for Worcestershire club side Berwick Rangers before rounding things off with a good spell with
Oldbury Town from October 1894 to May 1898 when he retired.
Woodhall was wellnicknamed, for he was indeed a sprightly player, figuring prominently as a right-winger for Albion in the early days. He could centre with great accuracy and combined well in teamwork, especially with
Billy Bassett as his partner.
A regular member of Albion’s forward-line for nine seasons, he collected an FA Cup winner’s medal in 1888 when he notched the deciding goal in Albion’s 2–1 win over
Preston North End in the final.
He was also on target in the West Bromwich Charity Cup final that same year when Great Bridge
Unity were defeated 10–1. Woodhall also played in the 1886 and 1887 FA Cup finals and averaged a goal every three-and-a-half games for Albion – grabbing 20 in 74 starts. He also played in more than 200 first-team fixtures, including many local cup ties and friendlies. With his delightful personality, he was one of the most popular players of the ‘Old Brigade’, remembered as a generous and wholehearted sportsman by the older generation, who lived to tell the tales of his brilliant play down Albion’s right flank.
He made his senior debut for Albion against Junction Street School, Derby, (away) in the first round of the FA Cup in October 1884.
He also notched the winning goal against Walsall Swifts in the replay of the Birmingham Cup final in 1886. Woodhall was 61 when he died in West Bromwich on the 9th of September 1924.
NB: Richie Woodhall, Britain’s Olympic boxing gold winner, is a relative of George Woodhall.