George Frederick Wheldon (1 November 1869 – 13 January 1924) was an English sportsman. He was sometimes known as Fred or Freddie Wheldon. In football, he was an inside-forward with good footwork and an eye for goal who played for England and several Football League clubs, in particular for Small Heath and Aston Villa. In cricket, he was a right-handed batsman and occasional wicket-keeper, who played county cricket for Worcestershire in their early seasons in the first-class game. After retiring from sport, he became a publican in Worcester, where he died at the age of 54. Personal life George Frederick Wheldon was born on 1 November 1869 in Langley Green, which was then in Worcestershire. He was the youngest of ten children of Eliza and Joseph Wheldon, who worked his way up to become manager of Albright and Wilson's phosphorus works at Langley Green, and attended Chance's infant school and Langley St Michael's school. Commonly known as Fred or Freddie, he completed a seven-year engineering apprenticeship at Albright and Wilson's, and was working as a steam engine fitter before becoming a full-time professional footballer. He was twice married and had at least five children. He went into the licensed trade while still a footballer, and continued after his retirement from the game. During the First World War, he was employed in munitions work. He died at home, the Farriers Arms pub in Worcester, on 13 January 1924 at the age of 54. Club career Wheldon played football for Oldbury-based club Rood End White Star, and by 1887 was representing his hometown club, Langley Green Victoria. A trial with West Bromwich Albion the following year came to nothing, but his performance in a January 1890 friendly match against an Aston Villa reserve team featuring Villa's new Scottish signings caused the Birmingham Daily Mail Football Notes column to suggest that if Villa were able to train him for six months he "would probably astonish some of the slow and not over-sure forwards at present identified with their first team", and five more like him would save them the bother of going to Scotland for reinforcements at all. Small Heath Despite a mutual admiration between club and player, Wheldon did not join the 1888–89 Football League runners-up but instead signed for another Birmingham-based club, Small Heath of the Football Alliance. It was later reported that a business relationship between Small Heath chairman Walter