Player Profile

A right-sided midfielder who was strong in tackle, had a good engine and was dangerous in attack. The 28-year-old was already an experienced player before arriving at Anfield, having played 101 League games for Tranmere in Third Division North and from 1951 to 1956, just over 200 games for first division Bolton. Wheeler played in the famous "Matthews final" in the FA Cup in 1953 which Bolton lost 4-3 after leading 3-1, due to Blackpool's Stanley Matthews' brilliance on the day. Liverpool manager, Phil Taylor, told the Daily Mail of his first big signing for the club: “I played against Johnny a number of times, and was always impressed by his forceful personality and fine club spirit. He is a man who will play anywhere.” Taylor put Wheeler's wealth of experience to good use as Liverpool tried to get promoted from the Second Division and made him club captain in the 1958/59 season. Wheeler was a versatile player who normally played at wing-half but many of his early appearances for Liverpool came as an inside-forward, including the remarkable day against Port Vale early in November 1956 when, after Billy Liddell had equalised Vale's first-half goal, Wheeler scored one of the fastest hat-tricks ever recorded, his goals coming in the 81st, 82nd and 85th minute.

During the 1960/61 season Wheeler had to share the No. 4 shirt with the young Gordon Milne. By the start of the following season Wheeler was out of the first-team picture altogether and was only selected for one more League game, covering for left-half Tommy Leishman when Plymouth Argyle visited Anfield on 9 December 1961. Wheeler was appointed player-manager of New Brighton in May 1963, but did not take up the post, becoming assistant-trainer at Bury instead where he stayed until 1969.

Wheeler died on 15th November 2019 at the age of 91. At the time he was the oldest living former captain of the club.