Walter Wilbert Swanson Bunch (15 August 1872 – 1937) was an English professional footballer who made 70 appearances in the Football League playing for Wolverhampton Wanderers, Walsall and Small Heath.[1]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Walter Wilbert Swanson Bunch | ||
| Date of birth | 15 August 1872 | ||
| Place of birth | Weston-super-Mare, England | ||
| Date of death | 1937 (aged 64–65) | ||
| Place of death | Somerset, England | ||
| Position(s) | Full back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Compton Colts | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| Willenhall Institute | |||
| Blakenhall | |||
| 1895–1899 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 7 | (0) |
| – | Eastville Rovers | ||
| 1899–1901 | Walsall | 61 | (0) |
| 1901–1902 | Small Heath | 2 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Bunch was born in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. A full back, he entered league football when he joined First Division side Wolverhampton Wanderers in August 1895. He made his Football League debut on 4 January 1896 in a 4–0 defeat at Bolton Wanderers. Only ever a reserve, he made just seven first-team appearances during four seasons with the club.[2]
He moved to Walsall in the 1899 close season,[3] and played regularly, making 61 appearances in two seasons.[1] At the end of his second season, Walsall failed to gain re-election to the Football League,[4] so he signed for a third Midlands club, Small Heath, in September 1901.[3] He played three times in the 1901–02 season, deputising for established full-backs Archie Goldie and Arthur Archer,[5] but was forced to retire in 1902, his career cut short by illness and injury.[3]
He went on to run a pub in Dudley,[3] and died in Somerset in 1937.[2]