2) David “Soldier” Wilson — 1906
Soldier earned his nickname as a teenager while serving with the Cameron Highlanders and the 1st Battalion, Black Watch. He also served in South Africa during the Boer War, so it’s less of a nickname and more of a statement of fact really.
He played for Midlothian and Dundee before moving to Hull where he impressed everyone royally. He scored 3 goals in 10 games and caught the attention of Leeds who paid the princely transfer fee of £150. That season he smashed out 15 goals in 13 matches. BOOM.
Whilst playing for Leeds City against Burnley on 27 October 1906, he left the pitch with intense chest pains. Later in the match two of his team mates sustained injuries and had to leave the field too; Soldier couldn’t let the boys down so he decided to bite the bullet and soldier on.
Soon after returning to play, however, he collapsed and was stretchered off. He died in the changing rooms of a heart attack, possibly from the amount of fags he smoked.
