BIO
Linley Wilson was a Prince Alfred College sportsman who served Norwood well in two full seasons as a wingman.
Born at Riverton on 20 February 1901, he was the son of Linley Campbell Wilson, storekeeper, pillar of the Methodist Church and a member of the North team which lost to South in a ground-breaking country football match played at Adelaide Oval in 1893.
Young Linley inherited his father's football genes. In The Prince Alfred College Chronicle of August 1917, he earns praise as the school's new goalkeeper: " Good mark and has kicked out splendidly. Saves well, using good judgment in running out." He was not much needed in the intercollegiate match, Prince Alfred beating St Peter's 14.16 to 4.6. He also had his moments with the ball as a member of the First XI.
Linley was a regular player for Norwood in 1919 and 1920, mainly on the wing. He impressed against Port Adelaide on May Day 1920, delighting fans as he sped forward in a particularly smart passage of play during Norwood's 11.12 to 7.10 defeat of the old enemy at Norwood Oval in the opening match of the season.
It was a different story a year later. Norwood again beat Port, 9.7 to 5.1, in the May 9 holiday game, but according to 'Spectator' in The Express and Telegraph "Wilson evinced signs of timidity". A report in the same paper said Wilson was going on a farm and would be lost to Norwood.
Linley displayed his cricketing talents in helping the soon-to-be Test allrounder Arthur Richardson's Colts upset East Torrens in November 1923. Linley took three wickets, and Norwood centreman Alick Lill two, in helping to dismiss East Torrens for 236. Wilson batted freely for 25 but the match was in the balance with the Colts at 8/225 before a forceful innings of 49 not out by Lill took the score to 289.
Arthur Richardson was coaching in WA in February 1928 when he reported that Linley Wilson had arrived in Perth to live. Linley married Dora Camm at the Methodist Church, Claremont, on 3 September 1932. He died on 6 April 1970.
P Robins April 2018