Ken Armstrong (footballer born 1924)

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Ken Armstrong
Personal information
Full name	Kenneth Armstrong
Date of birth	3 June 1924
Place of birth	Bradford, Yorkshire, England
Date of death	13 June 1984 (aged 60)
Place of death	New Zealand
Playing position	Wing-half
Senior career1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
1946–1957 ????–???? ????–????	Chelsea Eastern Suburbs North Shore United	362 (25)
National team
1955 1958–1962	England New Zealand	0010(0) 0090(3)
Teams managed
1958-1964[1]	Mount Wellington New Zealand
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. * Appearances (Goals)

Kenneth Armstrong (3 June 1924 – 13 June 1984) was an English footballer who represented both England and New Zealand at national level.

[edit] Club career

Born in Bradford, and serving in the RAF during the Second World War, Armstrong was a versatile, tough-tackling and energetic midfielder who played mainly for Chelsea. He was signed for the club from Bradford Rovers in 1946 for a fee of 100 guineas. Armstrong was a key member of Ted Drake's 1954–55 Championship-winning Chelsea side, making 39 appearances that season. He played in over 400 games (including a then-club record 362 league games) for the West London club and scored 30 goals.

He emigrated to Gisborne, New Zealand in 1957 and continued to play football there for several local clubs, including Eastern Suburbs and North Shore United, and won four Chatham Cups. He then took over as manager at Mount Wellington, winning two league titles (in 1972 and 1974) and another Chatham Cup, in 1973. He played his last game in 1971, aged almost 47. Armstrong was later appointed chief coach of the national side.

[edit] International career

Armstrong was a member of the 1954 World Cup England squad^[2] but did not travel to Switzerland, remaining in England as one of five players on reserve status.^[3] He won a solitary England cap, against Scotland at Wembley in England's famous 7–2 win in the British Home Championship in April 1955.^[4]

He played a significant part in developing football in his adopted country and played 13 times for the national side,^[4] including nine A-internationals^[5] in which he scored three goals.^[6] In 1991 he was posthumously inducted into the New Zealand Soccer Media Association Hall of Fame.^[7]

[edit] Family

Armstrong's family is well represented in international football. Sons Ron and Brian also represented the All Whites, while Ron's daughter Bridgette Armstrong represented New Zealand at the 2008 FIFA U-17 and FIFA U-20 Women's World Cups.^[8]

[edit] Death

Armstrong died in 1984 and his ashes were scattered at Stamford Bridge.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] References

[edit] External References

• Ken Armstrong England profile at Englandstats

v • d • e England squad – 1954 FIFA World Cup 1 Merrick • 2 Staniforth • 3 Byrne • 4 Wright • 5 Owen • 6 Dickinson • 7 Matthews • 8 Broadis • 9 Lofthouse • 10 Taylor • 11 Finney • 12 Burgin • 13 Green • 14 McGarry • 15 Wilshaw • 16 Quixall • 17 Mullen • 18 Chilton • 19 Armstrong • 20 Jezzard • 21 Haynes • 22 Hooper • Coach: Winterbottom