Ken Sykes

For the college basketball player, see Kenny Sykes.
Ken Sykes
Personal information
Full name Kenneth Sykes[1]
Date of birth (1926-01-29)29 January 1926[1]
Place of birth Darlington, England
Date of death 2008 (aged 82)
Playing position Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1946–1947 Darlington 6 (2)
1947–1949 Middlesbrough 0 (0)
1949–1950 Hartlepool United 1 (0)
– Murton Colliery Welfare 0 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

† Appearances (goals)

Kenneth "Ken" Sykes (29 January 1926 – 2008) was an English footballer who played as a forward in the Football League for Darlington and Hartlepool United. He was also on Middlesbrough's books without playing League football for the club, and also played non-league football for Murton Colliery Welfare.

Life and career

Sykes was born in Darlington, County Durham,[1] where he attended Albert Road School and played for its football team.[2] He worked as a railwayman during the Second World War, and signed for Darlington in 1944 at the age of 18.[3] He also joined the Air Training Corps, playing football for Durham ATC against other counties[4] and for the North-East Command team that won the ATC National Shield; he scored twice in the final.[5][6]

When the Football League resumed after the war, Sykes, described as having "scored prolifically in the reserves",[3] was in Darlington's first team. He scored in a 3–3 draw with Chester on 14 September 1946,[7] and again two days later, in a 4–1 defeat at Hartlepools United.[8] He played six matches in all in the Third Division North before signing for First Division club Middlesbrough.[9] He never played for their first team,[1] and after one match back in the Third Division for Hartlepools in April 1950, a 1–0 home defeat against former club Darlington,[10] he moved into non-league football with Murton Colliery Welfare.[11] When he was 28, he gave up football.[3]

Sykes died in 2008 at the age of 82.[12]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Hugman, Barry J., ed. (1998). The PFA Premier & Football League Players' Records 1946–1998. Queen Anne Press. p. 528. ISBN 978-1-85291-585-8.
  2. ↑ "Darlington, Albert Road School, football team". The Durham Record. Durham County Council. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 "Memories in sound and text". Farewell to Feethams. Darlington Supporters' Trust. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  4. ↑ "County A.T.C. match". Yorkshire Post. 2 January 1945. p. 5 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
  5. ↑ "A.T.C. Shield final in Leeds". Yorkshire Post. 1 May 1945. p. 5 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
  6. ↑ "The A.T.C. must continue: its team spirit a national asset". Yorkshire Post. 7 May 1945. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
  7. ↑ "Saturday's football results and scorers". Yorkshire Post. 16 September 1946. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
  8. ↑ "Last night's results". Western Morning News (Plymouth). 17 September 1946. p. 5 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
  9. ↑ "Darlington: 1946/47–1988/89 & 1990/91–2009/10". Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Players Database. Neil Brown. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
  10. ↑ "Ken Sykes' Appearances". PoolStats. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  11. ↑ "Hartlepool United: 1946/47–2013/14". Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Players Database. Neil Brown. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
  12. ↑ "Sharks turn on the style". The Northern Echo (Darlington). 6 May 2008. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
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