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Ken Oakley

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Ken Oakley
Personal information
Full name Kenneth Oakley[1]
Date of birth (1929-05-09)9 May 1929
Place of birth Rhymney, Wales
Date of death March 2017(2017-03-00) (aged 87)
Place of death Monmouthshire, Wales
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
Rhymney Boys
Abertysswg Boys
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1950–1951 Cardiff City 5 (1)
1951–1953 Ebbw Vale
1953–1954 Cardiff City 2 (0)
1954–1955 Northampton Town 13 (6)
1955–1965 Ebbw Vale
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Kenneth Oakley (9 May 1929 – March 2017) was a Welsh professional footballer who played as a forward. He played in the Football League for Cardiff City and Northampton Town.

Early life

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Born in Rhymney, Oakley was raised in Butetown. He attended Bargoed Technical School but left school at the age of 14 to take up a job in a factory in Dowlais.[2]

Career

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Oakley began playing football at the age of 14 for Rhymney Boys before joining Abertysswg Boys two years later. He was selected for the Wales under-18 side twice, playing in matches against England and Scotland. He was spotted by Cardiff City at the age of 18 and signed for the club in 1950, being paid £7 a week during the season.[2] He played in the opening five matches of the 1950–51 season, scoring once, before losing his place in the side.[3]

At the end of the season, Oakley was called up to complete his national service. Given the option of working as a miner or joining the armed forces, he chose to join the Royal Air Force where he was a storeman.[2] During his service, he played for Welsh league side Ebbw Vale. He returned to Cardiff in 1953, making two further league appearances before joining Northampton Town.[3] He returned to Ebbw Vale in 1955 where he played for over ten years, retiring at the age of 35 after suffering a cracked femur.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "Ken Oakley". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d Moffett, Liam (29 August 2013). "Former player gets a kick from old team's victory". WalesOnline. Media Wales. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
  3. ^ a b Hayes, Dean (2006). The Who's Who of Cardiff City. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 144. ISBN 1-85983-462-0.