Ken Sykes

Kenneth 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.

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 27 April 2008(2008-04-27) (aged 82)[1]
Place of death Darlington, England
Position(s) Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1946–1947 Darlington 6 (2)
1947–1949 Middlesbrough 0 (0)
1949–1950 Hartlepools United 1 (0)
– Murton Colliery Welfare 0 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

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 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 United in April 1950, a 1–0 home defeat against 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 Darlington in 2008 at the age of 82.[1]

References
  1. "Ken Sykes". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
  2. "Darlington, Albert Road School, football team". The Durham Record. Durham County Council. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  3. "Memories in sound and text". Farewell to Feethams. Darlington Supporters' Trust. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  4. "County A.T.C. match". Yorkshire Post. 2 January 1945. p. 5 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. "A.T.C. Shield final in Leeds". Yorkshire Post. 1 May 1945. p. 5 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. "The A.T.C. must continue: its team spirit a national asset". Yorkshire Post. 7 May 1945. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. "Saturday's football results and scorers". Yorkshire Post. 16 September 1946. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. "Last night's results". Western Morning News. Plymouth. 17 September 1946. p. 5 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  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.
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