Wolves legend Bert 'The Cat' Williams' shirts up for auction

Memorabilia from the career of one of the Black Country's most decorated football stars is going under the hammer at auction.

Items from Wolves legend and England cap Bert Williams' career will be up for sale with Mullocks Auctions at Ludlow Racecourse.

Goalkeeper Williams, who was nicknamed The Cat in his playing days because of his extraordinary agility and reflexes, passed away at the beginning of last year aged 93.

Bert Williams on the pitch in 1953 in his heyday

His illustrious 20-year career saw him turn out 420 times for Wolves and 24 times for England, winning the league and FA Cup and playing in the World Cup in 1950.

Up for auction will be his England blazer issued by the Football Association for the victory internationals of 1945/46 with a guide price of £400-500.

Also going under the hammer will be his inter-league yellow wool goalkeepers jersey from 1952/3 in Denmark, which is expected to fetch between £250 and £300.

An outfield England jersey of Mr Williams, which was worn by him underneath his goalkeeper top in several internationals, is likely to go for around £500-600, and an international shirt badge from 1954 stating 'Germany 1954' which was removed from the shirt in a game that England won 3-1 has a guide price of £200-250.

Other football items available at Ludlow will be a 1904 Manchester City FA Cup winners medal, expected to fetch £8,000-£10,000, a gold FA Challenge Cup winners medal from 1965, priced at £6,000-£7,000, while more Wolves programmes and other memorabilia from Black Country teams is also expected to feature.

An England shirt of Bert's is expected to fetch around £600

Ben Jones, from Mullocks, said: "We are delighted to be able to offer such unique items that previously belonged to Wolverhampton and England goalkeeping legend Bert Williams. The goalkeeper shirts of this era are particularly sought after and we are thrilled to have this together with other personal belongings of Bert Williams included in the auction on Thursday."

Born in Bradley, Bilston, Williams began his career with Walsall in 1937 and made 28 appearances for the Saddlers.

The Second World War interrupted his career but he signed for Wolves in 1945 – despite interest from?Chelsea – and became one of their most illustrious players, forever associated with the halcyon days of Wolves' most successful years in the 1950s.

He played in the famous floodlit matches against Honved, Spartak and Moscow. After making a few guest appearances for Chelsea during the war years, he played in two wartime internationals, and won his first full cap for England against France in May, 1949. His international career was under way following his contribution to the rise of Wolves under Stan Cullis.

The auction is on Thursday.