Walter Bartley Wilson (3 January 1870 – 19 November 1954) was an English lithographic artist and the founder of Cardiff City Football Club. Born in Bristol, he moved to Cardiff in 1897 where he became involved with Riverside Cricket Club. Encouraged by the increasing popularity of football, he helped found Riverside A.F.C., the club that would eventually become Cardiff City F.C. Wilson was instrumental in the club moving from local amateur league to being a fully professional football club in 1910 by joining the Second Division of the Southern Football League. He also led the club's efforts to secure ground on which to build a home stadium, which went on to become Ninian Park, and was appointed manager in 1933 for a brief spell. Early life Wilson was born on 3 January 1870 in St Mary Redcliffe, Bristol. The son of Thomas Wilson, a former publican who had become a brushmaker, and Sarah Hathaway, a teacher, Wilson was orphaned in his youth. He was born with a clubfoot and was unable to walk without using sticks. Along with his cousin, Arthur Spurll (who would go on to become editor of the Bristol Evening Post), he was brought up by his grandmother Jane Hathaway in Barossa Place, Bristol. Establishment of Cardiff City F.C. Early years In 1897, Wilson left Bristol and moved to Cardiff. He was a fan of cricket and soon became involved with the Riverside Cricket Club. He and the club's officials were worried that the cricket team would become separated during the winter months. Wilson noted that association football had taken root within his home of Bristol; Bristol City and Bristol Eastville Rovers both turned professional in 1897. Wilson came up with the idea of forming a football team in his now adopted city of Cardiff and advertised the idea in the Riverside Pavilion. The first meeting took place at 1 Coldstream Terrace but drew a poor turnout with only five attendees. However, a second meeting drew around a dozen members and subsequently Riverside A.F.C was formed in 1899. The Committee with Bartley Wilson elected as Secretary was made up of A.J. Stone, George Pearce, Jimmy Redfern, Stanley Barrett, Andrew Sheen, E.W. Holder, Billy Canter and Frank Burfitt. The group decided on a kit of chocolate and amber quartered shirts and set an annual membership fee of 2s 6d. The club was formed too late to join the