Billy Meredith(1874-1958)
To anyone even remotely interested in football, the name of Billy
Meredith is legendary; he was truly one of the greatest players of his
era. His career was spent between both Manchester clubs for whom he
played thirty-five years of League football, between 1894 and 1924. He
also played forty-eight games for his national team Wales over a
thirty-five year period, winning his first cap in 1895. Meredith firmly
believed in players' rights and throughout his career he held the view
that they should be allowed to move from club to club. He also helped
to form the players' union, and was responsible for a strike as the
union went into dispute with the F.A.