Wolves legend Bill Slater dies aged 91
Bill Slater, the last man to lift the FA Cup for Wolves, has died at the age of 91.
Slater played for England at the World Cup, won three league titles at Molineux and captained the side to their 1960 FA Cup final victory over Blackburn Rovers at Wembley, when Stan Cullis' team won 3-0.
Half-back Slater was the last amateur to play in the FA Cup final (for Blackpool in 1951) – and the only part-time player to be named Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year, which was also in 1960 after Wolves' FA Cup triumph.
He joined Wolves in 1952 and helped them beat Manchester United 6-2 on his debut.
Slater became a regular in the team the following season, playing 39 times at Wolves became champions of England for the first time.
He also featured in the famous floodlit friendy wins over Honved, Spartak Moscow and Dynamo Moscow, before going onto play for England at the 1958 World Cup.
After Billy Wright's retirement, Slater would eventually replace him as both centre-back and captain, lifting the FA Cup in May 1960, the last time Wolves won the famous old trophy.
In total Slater played 339 times for Wolves, scoring 25 goals. He left the club in 1963 to rejoin Brentford and retired soon after.
He was awarded an OBE in 1982 and a CBE in 1998. Slater was also inducted into Wolves' hall of fame in 2010.
He helped form the original Wolves Former Players' Association.
Wolves FPA administrator Richard Green said: "On behalf of everyone at Wolves FPA, I would like to pass on our sincere condolences to Bill’s family and friends.
"As well as being a fantastic player and part of the golden era at Wolves, Bill was also a true gentleman.
"Together with Billy Wright and Eddie Clamp, Bill helped make football history when the three were named in the same international side, making Wolves the first club team to supply the complete half back line for England.
"And in 1988, Bill, along with Billy, Eddie, Ron Flowers, Bert Williams, Malcolm Finlayson, Roy Pritchard, Johnny Hancocks, and many more greats, came together to form what we have today as the Wolves Former Players Association.
"In that sense, Bill’s legacy will live on, as the association is still thriving today, including the recent appointment of John Richards as vice-chairman.
"Bill is one of those players and people whose contribution to Wolves history, both on and off the pitch, will never be forgotten."
