Biography
Kenneth “Ken” Smales was raised off Holderness Road, close to the Hull & Barnsley Railway timber yard where his father was employed as a foreman. Ken came to professional football via local junior side Brunswick Institute, joining the Tigers in May 1953. A versatile defender who could play at full back and half back – he even played in the forward line a few times later in his career – Ken was a stalwart for the Tigers’ Reserves and A team for several years but made only one first team start when deputising for Viggo Jensen at left back in September 1956.
Smales spent the 1958/59 season with Scarborough then joined Bridlington Town in the 1959 close season. He spent four seasons played for the Bridlington Town first team then was appointed first team manager in 1963, a post he held until 1969. He went on to have a second career in the fruit wholesale trade and later in life he retired to Cherry Burton near Beverley.
Details
Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 3 May 1932, Hull
Hull City First Game: 17 September 1956, Bradford Park Avenue A (Division Three North), 24 years, 137 days old
Hull City Final Game: 17 September 1956, Bradford Park Avenue A (Division Three North), 24 years, 137 days old
Clubs
Brunswick Institute, Hull City (1953-1958), Scarborough (1958-1959), Bridlington Town (1959-1963)
Hull City Record
Career: 1 apps, 0 goals
Ken Smales| Season | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953/54 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1954/55 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1955/56 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1956/57 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1957/58 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |