Keith Ball

Keith Ball
Personal information
Full name	Keith Ball
Date of birth	26 October 1940 (age 83)
Place of birth	Walsall, England
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years	Team
1958–1962	Walsall
1962–1966	Worcester City
1966–1968	Walsall
1968–1972	Port Vale
1972	Stourport
1972–1973	Walsall
	Darlaston
	Nuneaton Borough
	Kidderminster Harriers
Total
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Keith Ball (born 26 October 1940) is an English former footballer. He was a short but agile goalkeeper who made 145 league and cup appearances for Port Vale and enjoyed three spells with Walsall. He also played non-league football for Worcester City, Stourport, Darlaston, Nuneaton Borough, and Kidderminster Harriers. He was a squad player as Walsall won back-to-back promotions in 1959–60 and 1960–61, and was an ever-present for Port Vale as they won promotion out of the Fourth Division in 1968–69.

Playing career

Ball began his career at hometown club Walsall, as the "Saddlers" posted a sixth-place finish in the Fourth Division in 1958–59. Bill Moore's side then went on to win the divisional title in 1959–60, before winning a second successive promotion with a second-place finish in the Third Division in 1960–61. The Fellows Park outfit then settled in the Second Division with a 14th-place finish in 1961–62. Having only featured in 11 league games, Ball was allowed to join Southern League side Worcester City. City finished one point above the relegation zone in the 1962–63 campaign, before rising to 13th place in 1963–64 and then third place in 1964–65, before dropping to eighth position in 1965–66. Ball returned to Walsall, now managed by Ray Shaw, to play 34 Third Division games in the 1966–67 and 1967–68 campaigns.

He was bought by Gordon Lee's Port Vale in November 1968 for 'a small fee', to replace the injured Stuart Sharratt.^[1] He was immediately the first choice keeper for the "Valiants" after being preferred ahead of Milija Aleksic.^[1] Ball played 38 matches in the 1968–69 season and played all 52 matches in the 1969–70 Fourth Division promotion winning campaign.^[1] He made 30 appearances in the 1970–71 season and 35 appearances in the 1971–72 season, as Sharrat battled to win back his first team place.^[1] Ball was given a free transfer in May 1972, as experienced Bolton Wanderers stopper Alan Boswell was signed to take over goalkeeping duties at Vale Park.^[1] He moved on to Stourport before making another return to Walsall. He played two Third Division games under the stewardship of John Smith in the 1972–73 season, before moving into non-league football with Darlaston, Nuneaton Borough and Kidderminster Harriers.

Statistics

Source:^[2]

Club	Season	Division	League		FA Cup		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Walsall	1958–59	Second Division	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
	1959–60	Fourth Division	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
	1960–61	Third Division	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	1961–62	Second Division	5	0	0	0	1	0	6	0
	Total		11	0	0	0	1	0	12	0
Walsall	1966–67	Third Division	15	0	0	0	0	0	15	0
	1967–68	Third Division	19	0	0	0	2	0	21	0
	Total		34	0	0	0	2	0	36	0
Port Vale	1968–69	Fourth Division	25	0	3	0	0	0	28	0
	1969–70	Fourth Division	46	0	5	0	1	0	52	0
	1970–71	Third Division	28	0	1	0	1	0	30	0
	1971–72	Third Division	31	0	3	0	1	0	35	0
	Total		130	0	12	0	3	0	145	0
Walsall	1980–81	Third Division	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0

Honours

with Walsall

Football League Fourth Division champion: 1959–60
Football League Third Division runner-up: 1960–61

with Port Vale

Football League Fourth Division fourth-place promotion winner: 1968–69^[3]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 15. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
^ Keith Ball 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 Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 15. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.

[2] Keith Ball 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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