Billy MeredithManchester City, Manchester UnitedBilly Meredith, “the Welsh Wizard”, was that rarest of players, a hero to both the blue and red halves of Manchester. Born in Chirk, North Wales to mining stock, he was already working underground by the age of 12. The Meredith brothers were all keen footballers and Billy played for both Chirk and Northwich Victoria before his parents were persuaded to allow him to join Manchester City in 1894. He quickly established himself as a skilful, goal-scoring winger, and by 1904 was City’s captain. He scored the only goal of the game in City’s 1904 FA Cup Final win over Bolton, but a year later he received an eight month ban for allegedly attempting to bribe an Aston Villa player to throw a game. Meredith always denied the charge and when the ban was lifted he moved across Manchester to join United, helping them win the FA Cup in 1909 and the league in 1910-11. He rejoined City as a player-coach in 1921, finally hanging up his boots three years later, four months short of his 50th birthday. He also played 48 times for Wales between 1895 and 1920, winning the last of his caps when he was 45.
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