Bob Wilson

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Association footballers: Bob Wilson (footballer, born 1867) (1867–?), Irish international footballer of the 1880s; Bob Wilson (footballer, born September 1898) 1920s, Scottish footballer with Third Lanark and Fall River F.C. (USA); Bob Wilson (footballer, born 1928) (1928–2006), English footballer for Preston North End and Tranmere Rovers; Bob Wilson (footballer, born 1934) (1934–2025), Scottish footballer for Norwich City and Gillingham; Bob Wilson (footballer, born 1941), Scottish international football goalkeeper for Arsenal; later a broadcaster; Bob Wilson (footballer, born 1943) (1943–2020), English football goalkeeper; Bob Wilson (New Zealand footballer), New Zealand international football (soccer) player. Other sports players: Bob Wilson (basketball) (1926–2014), American professional basketball player; Robert Wilson (rugby league) (1879–1916), English rugby player of early 20th century; Bob Wilson (rugby union) (1926–1985), Scotland international rugby union player; Bob Wilson (baseball) (1925–1985), played for the 1958 L.A. Dodgers; Bob Wilson (footballer, born 1907) (1907–1982), Australian rules footballer for Richmond; Bob Wilson (footballer, born August 1898) (1898–1986), Australian rules footballer for Carlton; Bob Wilson (footballer, born 1945), former Australian rules footballer for Essendon; Bob Wilson (cricketer) (born 1928), English cricketer; Bob Wilson (American football) (1913–1999), American football player; Bob Wilson (ice hockey) (1934–2020), Canadian ice hockey player. Other: Bob Wilson (cartoonist) (born 1942), British cartoonist of the Stanley Bagshaw series of children's cartoons; Bob Wilson (economist) (born 1937), American economist and professor at Stanford University; Bob Wilson (sportscaster) (1929–2015), radio sportscaster for the Boston Bruins; Bob Wilson (politician) (1916–1999), U.S. Representative from California; Bob Wilson (singer) (born c. 1940), Californian singer-guitarist, first to record "(And Her Name Is) Scarlet"; Robert Tudawali (1929–1967), Australian actor also known as Bob or Bobby Wilson; The protagonist of Robert Heinlein's science fiction story "By His Bootstraps". See also: Bob Wilson (Fatal Fury), fictional character from the Fatal Fury series video games; "Bob Wilson - Anchorman", a 2001 song by English indie rock band Half Man Half Biscuit; Robert Wilson (disambiguation); Bobby Wilson (disambiguation)

In Their Own Story

The turning point of Wilson's career arrived in March 1968 during an FA Cup tie against Birmingham City. Longtime understudy Jim Furnell made a critical mistake, allowing Wilson to step into the starting lineup for the remainder of the 1967–68 season. He seized his opportunity with both hands, becoming ever-present throughout the 1968–69 campaign despite Arsenal's loss in the League Cup Final to Swindon Town. The following season, 1969–70, he recovered from a broken arm to win his first trophy: the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. His greatest triumph came in 1971 during the Double-winning season. Wilson played every single first-team match in both League and Cup, culminating in an FA Cup Final victory over Liverpool. His performance earned him Arsenal's Player of the Year award for 1970–71. Although a serious injury in the 1972 FA Cup semi-final against Stoke City cost him the final loss to Leeds United and much of the next season, he regained his spot and remained first-choice until his surprising retirement in May 1974.

Reader's Guide

This entry lists notable individuals named Bob Wilson, organized by category: association footballers, other sports players, and other fields. Each entry includes birth and death years where known, and brief identifying details.

Did You Know?

• Bob Wilson (footballer, born 1941) is a Scottish international football goalkeeper who played for Arsenal and later became a broadcaster.
• Bob Wilson (footballer, born 1934) lived to age 90 or 91, dying in 2025.
• Bob Wilson (baseball) played for the 1958 L.A. Dodgers.