Bert Williams (footballer, born 1920)
A goalkeeper with feline reflexes, he anchored Wolverhampton's golden era and became a beloved, long-living symbol of English football.
1920–2014 (age 94)·English footballer·Birthday: January 31·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Bert Williams, born in Bradley, Staffordshire, in 1920, emerged from wartime football to become the last line of defense for a formidable Wolverhampton Wanderers side. His agility and calm command of the penalty area earned him the enduring nickname 'The Cat,' a testament to his seemingly preternatural saves. Between the posts for Wolves from 1945 to 1959, he was the bedrock upon which the club built its first great dynasty, securing the league title in 1954 and the FA Cup in 1949. His 24 caps for England, though fewer than his talent deserved due to the era's competitive landscape, were marked by the same unflappable consistency. In his long retirement, Williams remained a revered figure, his wit and warmth making him a favorite storyteller until his passing in 2014 as England's oldest former international.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Bert was born in 1920, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bert Was Born
The biggest hits of 1920
#1 Movie
Way Down East
Bert's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1920Born
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1925Started school
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1933Became a teenager
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1936Could drive
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1938Could vote
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1941Turned 21
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1950Turned 30
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1960Turned 40
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1970Turned 50
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1980Turned 60
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 70
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 80
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2014Died at 94
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
Key Achievements
- Won the English First Division championship with Wolverhampton Wanderers in the 1953–54 season.
- Secured an FA Cup winner's medal with Wolves in 1949, defeating Leicester City in the final.
- Earned 24 caps for the England national football team between 1949 and 1955.
- Awarded an MBE in 2010 for his services to football and charity.
Did You Know?
He was a talented cricketer in his youth and played a single first-class match for Warwickshire in 1946.
His professional football career began not with Wolves, but with Walsall, whom he joined in 1937.
He served as a physical training instructor in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.
For decades after his retirement, he held the record for the most consecutive appearances for Wolverhampton Wanderers (139 games).
“A goalkeeper's job is to make the difficult look simple.”
