Joe Wade

Who was Joe Wade?

Joseph Samuel "Joe" Wade was an English footballer and manager.

Wade was born in Shoreditch, London and joined Arsenal as an amateur in 1944. Wade was serving in the Royal Air Force during World War II; stationed at RAF Credenhill in Herefordshire, he guested a few times for Southern League side Hereford United during this period as well.

Wade was a reserve full back and only played in a handful of matches during the 1940s; he made his debut in an FA Cup match against West Ham United on 5 January 1946; a mainly reserve Arsenal side were thrashed 6-0, which remains to this day Arsenal's worst FA Cup defeat in modern times. Wade continued to be a bit-part player; he made his league debut in a 4-2 win over Leeds United on 16 November 1946, but in all he only made sixteen appearances between 1946 and 1952; the likes of Walley Barnes and Laurie Scott keeping him out of the side. Arsenal won the old First Division in 1947-48 but he only made three league appearances all season.

Barnes had badly injured his knee in the 1952 FA Cup Final, and Wade duly filled in for him for the whole of the 1952-53 season.