Ken Griffiths
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kenneth James Griffiths | ||
| Date of birth | 2 April 1930 | ||
| Place of birth | Abbey Hulton, Stoke-on-Trent, England | ||
| Date of death | 9 August 2008 (aged 78) | ||
| Playing position | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Abbey Hulton Youth Club | |||
| Northwood Mission | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1945–1958 | Port Vale | 179 | (52) |
| 1958–1959 | Mansfield Town | 42 | (7) |
| Stafford Rangers | |||
| Wellington Town | |||
| Sankeys | |||
| 1961 | Macclesfield Town | 6 | (0) |
| Northwich Victoria | |||
| Nantwich Town | |||
| Total | 227+ | (59+) | |
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
Kenneth James "Ken" Griffiths (2 April 1930 – 9 August 2008) was an English footballer. A forward, he scored 59 goals in 221 games in the Football League.
With Port Vale between 1945 and 1958, a bright period of the club's history, he scored 56 goals in 196 appearances in league and cup competitions. He helped the club to the Third Division North title and the semi-finals of the FA Cup in 1953–54. He moved on to Mansfield Town in January 1958, before moving into non-league football with Stafford Rangers, Wellington Town, Sankeys, Macclesfield Town, Northwich Victoria, Nantwich Town and Wolstanton United. Griffiths died in August 2008, at the age of 78. He was survived by wife Nancy and daughter Valerie, grandchildren Andrea, Nicola, and Tracey, and five great-grandchildren. He died days apart from former teammate Selwyn Whalley.
Griffiths started playing football for Abbey Hulton Youth Club and then with Basil Hayward for Northwood Mission. During World War II he joined the Royal Air Force. He played inside-left for his unit's team.
He joined Port Vale as an amateur in June 1945 and signed professional forms in February 1950, making his debut under Gordon Hodgson two months later in the 1949–50 season. He scored his first goal at Vale Park on 31 March 1951 in a 4–3 win over Gillingham, and finished 1950–51 with two goals in nine games. He hit eight goals in 21 games in 1951–52, rising to prominence in the latter half of the season under the tutelage of Freddie Steele. He hit 14 goals in 47 games in 1952–53, as the "Valiants" finished second in the Third Division North, one point behind Oldham Athletic.
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