Ken Wookey (footballer, born 1946)

Ken Wookey
Personal information
Full name	Kenneth George Wookey
Date of birth	30 December 1946
Place of birth	Newport, Wales
Date of death	16 December 1992 (aged 45)
Place of death	Taunton, England
Position(s)	Centre-forward
Senior career*
Years	Team
1964–1969	Newport County
1969	→ Lovell's Athletic (loan)
1969–1970	Port Vale
1970–1971	Workington
	Yeovil Town
	Salisbury
	Barry Town
	Westland Sports
	Chard Town
	Glastonbury
	Sturminster Newton United
Total
Managerial career
	Sturminster Newton United
	Shaftesbury
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Kenneth George Wookey (30 December 1946 – 16 December 1992) was a Welsh footballer and football manager. A striker, he spent six years in the Football League. His father, also called Ken Wookey, was also a professional footballer.

He started his career with local club Newport County in 1964. After five years with County, he was loaned out to Lovell's Athletic, before signing permanently with Port Vale in 1969. After helping the "Valiants" to promotion out of the Fourth Division in 1969–70, he transferred to Workington. In 1971, he dropped into non-league football when he joined Yeovil Town. He later played for Salisbury City, Barry Town, Westland Sports, Chard Town, Glastonbury Town, and Sturminster Newton United. He later managed Sturminster Newton and Shaftesbury.

Playing career

Wookey began his career at Newport County, as the "Ironsides" posted a 16th-place finish in the Fourth Division in 1964–65. He helped Billy Lucas's side up to ninth place in 1965–66, before they dropped down to 18th in 1966–67. Leslie Graham then took charge at Somerton Park, and led Newport to 12th in 1967–68 and then 22nd in 1968–69. Wookey also had a loan spell with Lovell's Athletic.

He signed with Gordon Lee's Port Vale in July 1969.^[1] He scored four goals in 29 games of the 1969–70 Fourth Division promotion winning season, but lost his first team place at Vale Park in February 1970 and was given a free transfer to Workington in May of that year.^[1] He scoured four goals in 16 Fourth Division games in 1970–71, before leaving Borough Park and the Football League to join Yeovil Town in the Southern League.^[1] He later played for Salisbury City, Barry Town, Westland Sports, Chard Town and Glastonbury Town, before becoming player-manager of Sturminster Newton United. After leaving Sturminster he then became the manager of Shaftesbury.^[1]

Family

His father Ken was also a professional footballer.

Statistics

Source:^[2]

Club	Season	Division	League		FA Cup		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Newport County	1963–64	Fourth Division	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	1964–65	Fourth Division	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	1965–66	Fourth Division	11	3	0	0	0	0	11	3
	1966–67	Fourth Division	15	1	0	0	1	0	16	1
	1967–68	Fourth Division	17	2	0	0	1	0	18	2
	1968–69	Fourth Division	19	0	2	0	0	0	214	0
	Total		63	6	2	0	2	0	67	6
Port Vale	1969–70	Fourth Division	24	4	4	0	1	0	29	4
Workington	1970–71	Fourth Division	17	4	0	0	1	0	18	4

Honours

Port Vale

Football League Fourth Division fourth place promotion winner: 1969–70^[3]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 316. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
^ Ken Wookey at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
^ Kent, Jeff (1990). "Surviving on a Shoestring (1969–1979)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 227–257. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.

[kent-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 316. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.

[2] Ken Wookey at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)

[Kent6970-3] Kent, Jeff (1990). "Surviving on a Shoestring (1969–1979)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 227–257. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.

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