Derek Ufton
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Derek Gilbert Ufton | ||||||||||||||
| Born | 31 May 1928 Crayford, Kent, England | ||||||||||||||
| Died | 27 March 2021 (aged 92) | ||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 11+1⁄2 in (1.82 m)[1] | ||||||||||||||
| Batting | Left-handed | ||||||||||||||
| Role | Wicket-keeper | ||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||
| 1949–1962 | Kent | ||||||||||||||
| FC debut | 23 July 1949 Kent v Warwickshire | ||||||||||||||
| Last FC | 2 June 1962 Kent v Warwickshire | ||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Source: CricInfo, 27 March 2021 | |||||||||||||||
Derek Gilbert Ufton (31 May 1928 – 27 March 2021) was an English professional cricketer and footballer, and later a football manager. Playing professionally for Kent County Cricket Club as a wicket-keeper and Charlton Athletic Football Club, Ufton won a single international cap for the England national football team in 1953. He went on to manage Plymouth Argyle. At the time of his death, in March 2021 at the age of 92, he was England's oldest living international footballer.[2][3][4]
Ufton was born at Crayford in Kent in 1928. After winning a scholarship, he was educated at Dartford Grammar School[5] where his PE teacher was Joe Jagger, the father of future rock star Mick Jagger. Growing up during World War II, Ufton worked in a shipping office in London during the later part of the war. His mother was killed in an air raid in 1944.[4][5]
He completed his national service in the Royal Army Service Corps in Aldershot after the end of the war, playing cricket for the RASC[5] and football for Army teams alongside Jimmy Hill. He shared a flat with Hill in London after being demobilised and went on to meet Malcolm Allison, who he remained friends with. This meeting led to him signing as a professional for Charlton Athletic Football Club in 1949, having been also offered a trial at Cardiff City.[4][5][6]
Cricket career
A keen sportsman, Ufton played first-class cricket for Kent County Cricket Club between 1949 and 1962 as a wicket-keeper batsman.[3][7] He had first played for the county's Second XI in 1945 and was awarded his Second XI cap in 1946, but his period of national service meant he did not make his First XI debut until 1949.[5][8] He scored almost 4,000 runs for the team, keeping wicket as a replacement for England international wicket-keeper Godfrey Evans. In 1961, his most successful season statistically, he scored 668 runs for Kent and took 90 dismissals[3] and made his only first-class appearance for a non-Kent team, playing for an MCC team against Scotland.[8] His only first-class century, a score of 119 not out was made against Sussex at Hastings in 1952.[5][9]
Ufton was awarded his Kent county cap in 1956 and continued playing for he county's Second XI after he dropped out of the First XI during 1962, often captaining the team until 1966.[3][8] He was awarded a benefit season in 1963 and later served on Kent's General Committee and was the club's president in 1991.[3][5] He played club cricket for Dartford Cricket Club, continuing to be involved with the club throughout his life.[10]