Ken Fish Explained

Ken Fish
Fullname:Kenneth Henry Albert Fish
Birth Date:20 February 1914
Birth Place:Cape Town, South Africa
Death Date:[1]
Death Place:Stoke-on-Trent, England
Position:Forward
Youthclubs1:Railway Association
Years1:1937
Clubs1:Aston Villa
Years2:1937–1938
Clubs2:Port Vale
Caps2:5
Goals2:1
Years3:1938–1939
Clubs3:Young Boys
Years4:1939
Clubs4:Port Vale
Caps4:0
Goals4:0
Nationalteam1:South Africa
Nationalcaps1:4
Manageryears1:1951
Managerclubs1:Port Vale (caretaker)

Kenneth Henry Albert Fish (20 February 1914 – 4 August 2005) was a South African footballer who played for English club Port Vale and Swiss side Young Boys. He later served behind the scenes at Port Vale, Birmingham City, and Oxford United.

Playing career

Fish played for the Railway Association (in South Africa) before moving to England to play for Aston Villa in January 1937.[2] He signed with Port Vale of the Third Division North for a sizeable fee in November 1937. He scored his first goal in a 3–1 defeat to Carlisle United at Brunton Park on 20 November. He played just six games (five in the Football League and one FA Cup) and was sold to Swiss side Young Boys in October 1938. He returned to Vale as the assistant trainer in July 1939 and re-signed as a player the following month.

World War II and post-war coaching career

World War II disrupted football in 1939, and as a result, Fish enlisted in the Army in September 1939. He served as a warrant officer and a remedial specialist.[1] He guested for Stafford Rangers during the war and, after its conclusion, was appointed as Port Vale's trainer in July 1946. He was temporarily in control of team affairs in November and December 1951 after Ivor Powell's unsuccessful tenure, winning one game.[3]

In March 1958 he moved on to Birmingham City as trainer-coach, a position he later held at Oxford United.[4] Fish worked at Oxford United for more than twenty years. At the end of the 1986 League Cup final at Wembley, in which Oxford beat QPR 3–0, the manager, Maurice Evans, insisted that Fish go up to the royal box to receive the medal that would usually have gone to the manager.[5]

Career statistics

Source:

ClubSeasonDivisionLeagueFA CupOtherTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Aston Villa1936–37Second Division00000000
Port Vale1937–38Third Division North51100061

Notes and References

  1. Book: Sherwin, Phil. Men of Steele. 2013. Pass. Hanley, Staffordshire. 978-0-9926579-1-8. 14.
  2. Web site: Aston Villa Player Database . www.astonvillaplayerdatabase.com . 28 October 2022.
  3. News: Cult Hero 48: Ken Fish . 1 June 2020 . onevalefan.co.uk . 22 June 2015.
  4. Book: Kent, Jeff. Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. 102. 1996. 0-9529152-0-0.
  5. Web site: SportsFile: Caught in Time: Oxford United win the League Cup, 1986. Struthers. Greg. 11 January 2004. The Times. 7 May 2009.