Biography
Full back Wally Annables joined Hull City in June 1936 as manager David Menzies began to assemble a new squad to compete at Division Three North level following relegation the previous season. Annables was selected as first choice right back at the start of the season and remained ever-present in all competitions, despite Menzies’ tragic death in service in October 1937 and his subsequent replacement by former Wrexham boss Ernie Blackburn. Wally switched to left back for the last 3 months of the season, Welshman John Quantick filling in at right back, then was pushed into the forward line on the last day of the 1936/37 season when he scored his only goal for Hull City, the opener in a thrilling 4-3 victory over Darlington.
Annables was made club captain at the start of the 1937/38 season and started the first 14 fixtures of the season at right full back. However he suffered an injury in a Third Division Cup tie at Hartlepool in late October 1937, which opened to door for veteran Cliff Woodhead to claim the right back berth. Wally had one game at inside left in December 1937 then made four further appearances at full back at the end of the season, but his position in Blackburn’s Tigers team was lost. Annables remained with Hull City for the 1938/39 season but managed only three starts in the closing two months of the season – he left the club in May 1939.
Walter “Wally” Annables was born in Swinton in the Don Valley and began playing for local Midland League side Mexborough Athletic at the start of the 1930/31 season at the tender age of 17. He spent two years in Mexborough’s first team before transferring to Second Division side Grimsby Town in April 1932. Initially serving the Reserves, Annables made his first team debut in April 1933 against Bradford Park Avenue and added a second appearance five days later. However he was unable to break into the first team during the 1933/34 season as the Mariners won the Second Division title and promotion to the First Division. As Grimsby competed in the top six of the First Division during the 1934/35 season Wally made four senior appearances during April 1935, then was again consigned to the Reserves for the whole of the 1935/36 season ahead of his June 1936 move to Hull City. In four years Wally made just six senior appearances for the Mariners.
In June 1939 Wally joined Carlisle United, though he was still living in Grimsby. The start of World War Two led to the postponement of the Football League after just two starts for Carlisle, both of which were expunged from senior records. He played as a guest for Grimsby Town in wartime league fixtures during the War and remained in the Humber town for the rest of his life, dying in August 1979.
Details
Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 31 October 1912, Swinton
Hull City First Game: 29 August 1936, Port Vale A (Division Three North), 23 years, 303 days old
Hull City Final Game: 17 April 1939, Southport H (Division Three North), 26 years, 168 days old
Clubs
Mexborough Athletic (1930-1932), Grimsby Town (1932-1936), Hull City (1936-1939), Carlisle United (1939)
Hull City Record
Career: 66 apps, 1 goals
Wally Annables| Season | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1936/37 | 42 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 |
| 1937/38 | 17 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 0 |
| 1938/39 | 3 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |