Walter Bettridge was an English footballer who made over 200 appearances for Chelsea

Chelsea F.C.

Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...

. He was a "lightweight" right back

Defender (football)

Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....

 who was "fearless in stopping forwards

Striker

Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...

."

Club career

Bettridge had played for Burton United but in 1909 he joined Chelsea. He was a member of the Chelsea side that reached the FA Cup final in 1915

1915 FA Cup Final

The 1915 FA Cup Final took place on 24 April 1915 and was contested by Sheffield United and Chelsea. It was the last FA Cup final to be staged before competitive football was abandoned in Britain because of the First World War...

. He played in a total of 254 games for Chelsea (including FA Cup appearances). In 1922, aged 36, he joined Gillingham

Gillingham F.C.

Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...

 of the Third Division South

Football League Third Division South

The Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....

, where he spent one season, before moving on to Peterborough & Fletton United

Peterborough & Fletton United F.C.

Peterborough & Fletton United F.C. was an English football club based in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. The club existed from 1923 until 1932 and played at London Road.-History:...

. He died in December 1931, aged 45.