Biography
Right back Arthur Wigglesworth joined the Tigers in August 1916, with the country in the throes of the First World War. With the Football League suspended, City were involved in the wartime Midland Section league and Wigglesworth was a near ever-present for three seasons between September 1916 and April 1919, making 101 wartime appearances. When the Football League resumed in 1919 Wigglesworth was selected for the first four league games, but was then usurped at right back by new signing Matt ‘Ginger’ Bell. Wigglesworth made three more appearances for City, filling in when Bell was absent, before leaving the club in the 1920 close season.
Born in the Sculcoates area of Hull, Wigglesworth was an occasional reserve player for Hull City during 1911 and 1912 – a rarity in the pre-WW1 era when only a handful of the 99 players to play for City’s first team were born in the East Riding. He signed for Goole Town in March 1912, spending four years with The Vikings before rejoining the Tigers in 1916.
Wigglesworth signed for Midland League side Doncaster Rovers in 1920 and spent five seasons at Belle Vue (though in his first two seasons Donny played at a temporary home in Bennetthorpe after Belle Vue was used as a depot during the war). He took over the captaincy of the club for 1921/22 season and in 1922/23 he helped Rovers finish runners-up, which led to the club being elected back to the Football League (the club had previously spent three seasons in the Second Division: 1901/02; 1902/03; and finally 1904/05, when they were replaced by three sides including Hull City). During the season Wigglesworth lost his father, a ship’s captain based in Hull, after his ship ran ashore in February 1923 during a gale. He played two seasons in the Division Three North between 1923 and 1925, and in total made 202 starts for Rovers. In September 1925 Doncaster Rovers played a benefit match for Wigglesworth, shortly afterwards he returned to Goole Town.
After his football career Wigglesworth remained in Hull, living near East Park, and worked as an aircraft fitter. He died in Spring 1974.
Details
Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 26 October 1891, Hull
Hull City First Game: 30 August 1919, Birmingham City A (Division Two), 27 years, 308 days old
Hull City Final Game: 18 March 1920, Huddserfield Town H (Division Two), 28 years, 144 days old
Clubs
Hull City, Goole Town (1912-1916), Hull City (1916-1920), Doncaster Rovers (1920-1925), Goole Town (1925-1926)
Hull City Record
Career: 7 apps, 0 goals
Arthur Wigglesworth| Season | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1919/20 | 7 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |