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.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kenneth Oakley[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 9 May 1929 | ||
| Place of birth | Rhymney, Wales | ||
| Date of death | March 2017 (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 | |||
Early life edit
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 edit
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 edit
- ^ "Ken Oakley". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b Hayes, Dean (2006). The Who's Who of Cardiff City. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 144. ISBN 1-85983-462-0.