Ken Armstrong

Infobox Football biography
playername = Ken Armstrong


fullname = Kenneth Armstrong
dateofbirth = 3 June 1924
cityofbirth = Bradford, Yorkshire
countryofbirth = England
dateofdeath = death date and age|1984|6|13|1924|6|3|df=yes
cityofdeath = Unknown
countryofdeath =
height =
nickname =
currentclub =
position = Wing-half
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1946-57
????-??
????-??
clubs = Chelsea
Eastern Suburbs
North Shore United
caps(goals) = 362 (25)
nationalyears = 1955
1958-1962
nationalteam = England
New Zealand
nationalcaps(goals) = 0010(0)
0090(3)
manageryears =
managerclubs = Mount Wellington

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

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.

International career

Armstrong was a member of the 1954 World Cup England squad [cite web|url=http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/edition=9/teams/team=43942.html|title=1954 FIFA World Cup Switzerland - England Squad|author=|publisher=FIFA|date=|accessdate=2008-07-29] but did not travel to Switzerland, remaining in England as one of 5 players on reserve status. [cite web|url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/cmpwc/CmpWCPlyrsAlph.html|title=England's World Cup Final Tournament Players|author=|publisher=England Football Online|date=|accessdate=2008-07-29] 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.cite web|url=http://www.englandstats.com/playerreport.php?pid=25|title=Ken Armstrong England Stats|author=|publisher=EnglandStats.Com|date=|accessdate=2008-07-29]

He played a significant part in developing football in his adopted country and played 13 times for the national side, including 9 A-internationals [cite web|url=http://www.ultimatenzsoccer.com/NZRepSoccer/id1708.htm|title=A-International Appearances - Overall|author=|publisher=The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website|date=2008-06-01|accessdate=2008-07-29] in which he scored 3 goals. [cite web|url=http://www.ultimatenzsoccer.com/NZRepSoccer/id1842.htm|title=A-International Scorers - Overall|author=|publisher=The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website|date=2008-06-01|accessdate=2008-07-29] In 1991 he was posthumously inducted into the New Zealand Soccer Media Association Hall of Fame. [cite web|url=http://www.ultimatenzsoccer.com/NZRepSoccer/id171.htm|title=Hall of fame|author=|publisher=The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website|date=2008-06-01|accessdate=2008-07-29]

Death

Armstrong died in 1984 and his ashes were scattered at Stamford Bridge.

References

*reflist

External References

*Englandstats|id=25|name=Ken Armstrong