Walter Keeley

Walter Keeley (1 April 1921 – 1995) was an English footballer who played as an outside left in the 1940s and 1950s.

Walter Keeley
Personal information
Full name Walter Keeley[1]
Date of birth (1921-04-01)1 April 1921
Place of birth Manchester, England
Date of death 1995 (aged 7374)
Position(s) Outside left
Youth career
RAF
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1944–1946 Accrington Stanley (wartime) 54 (26)
1944–1946 Manchester United (wartime) 3 (1)
1946–1947 Accrington Stanley 48 (21)
1947–1948 Bury 7 (0)
1948 Port Vale 18 (3)
1948–1951 Accrington Stanley 101 (35)
1951–1952 Rochdale 4 (0)
Fleetwood
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Playing career

Keeley played for the Royal Air Force during the Second World War and guested for both Accrington Stanley and Manchester United, before joining Accrington Stanley permanently as a professional in 1946. Despite Keeley's healthy goal record, Accrington Stanley finished 20th in the 22-team Third Division North in 1946–47. He moved on to Bury of the Second Division in 1947–48, before he signed with Third Division South club Port Vale for 'a substantial fee', in exchange for Alf Bellis in January 1948.[2] He made an excellent debut, scoring twice in a 3–0 win over Leyton Orient at The Old Recreation Ground on 10 January 1948.[2] He played a further 15 games in 1947–48, but only scored the one goal (against Newport County), and so lost his place in August 1948, two games into the 1948–49 season.[2] He was sold on to old club Accrington Stanley for £1,500 the next month. They finished one place and three points above the re-election zone in 1948–49, rose to 13th in 1949–50, and then finished 21st in 1950–51, and were forced to apply for re-election. He played for Stanley's league rivals Rochdale in 1951–52, who finished 21st, one place above Stanley. He later turned out for non-league side Fleetwood.

Statistics

Source:[3]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Accrington Stanley 1945–46 006363
1946–47 Third Division North 3613213814
1947–48 Third Division North 12800128
Total 4821845625
Bury 1947–48 Second Division 700070
Port Vale 1947–48 Third Division South 16300163
1948–49 Third Division South 200020
Total 18300183
Accrington Stanley 1948–49 Third Division North 3013103113
1949–50 Third Division North 35900359
1950–51 Third Division North 3413103513
1951–52 Third Division North 200020
Total 101352010335
Rochdale 1951–52 Third Division North 401050
Career total 1785911418963

References

  1. "Walter Keeley". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  2. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 159. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  3. Walter Keeley at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
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