Bill Foulkes, Manchester United player

Bill Foulkes was a tough, resolute defender, who played for Manchester United over eighteen seasons. Only Ryan Giggs and Bobby Charlton have made more club appearances.

Foulkes came from St Helens, Lancashire. Competitive sport was in his genes; his father and grandfather both playing Rugby League for St Helens. Foulkes played football, and was first spotted playing for Whiston Boys Club. He joined Manchester United in 1952 as an amateur, continuing to work down the pit at Lea Green Colliery in between training and matches. His first appearance was in December 1952 against Liverpool. He played at right full-back and, apparently, had a good game against Liverpool’s talented winger, Billy Liddell. Foulkes was still working as a miner in 1954 when he made his first, and only, appearance for England. Soon afterwards, he became a full-time professional, taking his place among the famous Busby’s babes. He was part of the championship-winning sides of 1955-1956 and 1956-1957. In 1958, Foulkes survived the Munich air disaster. When the airplane crashed on take-off in Munich, he was virtually unscathed and able to walk away from the wreckage. Among those who died, was club captain Roger Byrne. Foulkes was appointed captain in his place and led the team for the remainder of the 1957-1958 season and for the first half of the 1958-1959 season. In the early 1960s he moved from right full-back to centre-half. After acclimatising to the new position, Foulkes seemed to prefer being in the centre of the defence. He remained there for almost the whole of the following decade, sharing in the team’s many successes. The highlight was in 1967-1968, when Manchester United became the first English club to win the European Cup. In the semi-final second-leg game against Real Madrid, Foulkes won the match with one of his rare goals for the club. Foulkes retired at the beginning of the 1969-1970 season. He was then thirty-seven, and his entire professional career had been spent at Manchester United. He looked after the club’s youth team for a few years in the 1970s, before coaching in the USA, Norway and Japan.

Throughout his career, Foulkes played alongside others with much greater talent. He knew his own limitations and played within them. He was a stopper rather than a ball-player. He was a hard man, unafraid of any opposition and ready for any challenge. He was strong and extremely fit, good in the air and quick enough on the ground. He was consistent and dependable and consequently selected by Matt Busby time after time. In three seasons (1957-1958, 1959-1960, 1964-1965) he played in every single game. Foulkes approached his football with single-mindedness and determination. This hint of ruthlessness, together with a post-Munich moodiness, led some of the players to christen Foulkes ‘PB’ (popular Bill). The nickname preferred by the fans was ‘the cowboy’, apparently in reference to his bandy legs.

For many years, Bill Foulkes was the rock at the heart of the Manchester United defence. This won him much respect, as well as many honours.