[a] The team finished top of the table, a point ahead of Sheffield United,[14] but promotion was not automatic even for champions; they had to play a test match at a neutral venue against the First Division's bottom club, Newton Heath.

The test match, again at Stoke, was level at 1–1 against Darwen until late goals from Billy Walton and Wheldon secured the victory and with it promotion.

[21][22] In October 1894, Small Heath played West Bromwich Albion in a benefit match for Wheldon; his left-wing partner, Tommy Hands, and a triallist goalkeeper were both injured during the game, and only 2000 supporters were present.

[24] He missed a fixture for the first and what would remain only time in a six-year professional career with Small Heath, on 11 February 1895, when his sister died on the morning of a match.

[29] On 4 June 1896, Wheldon signed for League champions Aston Villa, reportedly the only club to meet Small Heath's valuation.

[31] Villa beat Everton 3–2 in the 1897 FA Cup Final at the Crystal Palace, and Wheldon made the score 2–2 before Jimmy Crabtree secured a 3–2 victory.

[16] Wheldon, a professional cricketer with Worcestershire during the summer months, failed to report for training ahead of the 1898–99 football season.

He did not return, and then took part in Worcestershire's match against Surrey Second XI beginning on the 23rd, so Villa's committee suspended him sine die and requested an explanation.

He expressed regret for his absence, but told them that he thought playing cricket was an adequate alternative to pre-season football training.

[18] At the end of that season, Wheldon asked Villa's permission to take a public house, the Railway Tavern at Langley Green.

[47] Over the next two seasons he made 63 appearances in all competitions,[48] and then signed as club captain of Worcester City, where he played out the rest of his career,[1] scoring at least 39 goals in the Birmingham and District League.

His command of the ball, his adaptability to prevailing conditions, combined with his dodging, his swerving, and his deadly shooting, made him a great player in the highest company.

Brilliant with head and foot alike, he has always been an ornament to the game.Wheldon was first selected for the Football League XI in the 1893–94 season, while still a Second Division player with Small Heath.

Some reports however, say Wheldon's free kick took a deflection off teammate Ernest Needham for 2-0 and also a James Barron own goal made it 4–0.

[64] The following season Wheldon had a rather thinner year, averaging under 20 despite making exactly 100 against Hampshire and in the process sharing in a sixth-wicket stand of 186 with William Lowe.

[67] Wheldon passed 900 runs again in 1904; he also collected 40 catches, by far the most in a season in his career,[64] and scored a century before lunch on the second day of the match against Leicestershire.

[70] He did return for 1906, but again his form was poor and though he made an unbeaten 89 batting at number nine against Warwickshire (out of 633; again Wheldon kept wicket) his next highest score was 31 and he played no more first-class cricket after the end of the season.