William Oakley (footballer)
William John Oakley was an English footballer who, during the Victorian era, played as a full-back for the renowned amateur clubs, the Corinthians and Casuals, and captained the England team once, in a match against Ireland in 1901. In 1894, he was also the English long jump champion.
Born at Shrewsbury, Shropshire, Oakley was educated at Shrewsbury School and Christ Church, Oxford.
Oakley played, in total, 121 games for Corinthian FC, in which he scored just 1 goal. Playing games against all the great professional sides of the era, Oakley was an assured defender whose peak years for the club were the 1898/99 season and the 1899/1900 season, during which he rarely missed a match.
Oakley was awarded a total of 16 England caps between 1895 and 1901, and won his only game as captain by the score of 3–0.
Oakley also played cricket at club level for Shrewsbury and appeared at county level for Shropshire in one match in 1900 when he made 20 runs.
He was a close friend of the England centre forward G. O. Smith, with whom he worked as a schoolmaster, and eventually as joint headmaster, of Ludgrove School after retiring from football.
He died at Carlisle, Cumberland, in September 1934 aged 61.
