Colin Askey

Askey was a ground-staff boy at Port Vale in 1947.[2] Askey came through the Port Vale juniors to sign professional forms in October 1949.[1] He had the option of signing with Stoke City or Bolton Wanderers, but felt he had more chance to win a first team place at The Old Recreation Ground.[3] He played four Third Division South games for Gordon Hodgson's "Valiants" in 1949–50 after making his debut in a 2–1 defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion on 18 March, though spent much of his time serving his conscription with the RAF.[1] He featured seven times in 1951–52 and ten times in 1952–53, and scored his first senior goal on 6 April 1953, in a 2–2 draw with Chester City at Sealand Road.[1] He scored six goals in 53 appearances in 1953–54, as Freddie Steele's side won the Third Division North title and reached the FA Cup semi-finals.[1] Following his performance in a win at Ninian Park, First Division club Cardiff City made a blank cheque offer which was refused in January 1954.[4] Cardiff made the blank cheque offer after Vale initially rejected an offer of £30,000.[3] Vale also recorded a win over Stanley Matthews' Blackpool on the way to the semi-finals, and were only denied a place in the final itself after some debatable refereeing decisions handed West Bromwich Albion victory in the semi-finals.[3] He later recalled that Albert Leake's equalising goal was incorrectly ruled out for offside as "I'd pulled it back to him".[5]

Askey scored four goals in 39 Second Division games in 1954–55.[1] He made 26 appearances in 1955–56, before he scored five goals in 39 games in 1956–57, as Vale suffered relegation under new boss Norman Low.[1] He scored seven goals in 37 games in 1957–58, before he departed Vale Park when he was sold to Walsall for 'a fairly substantial fee' in July 1958.[1] However, he continued to train at Vale Park until 17 December 1960, when he angered Norman Low by "celebrating too much" after helping Walsall beat Vale 6–2.[3] Following that incident he trained at the Victoria Ground.[3]

The "Saddlers" finished sixth in the Fourth Division in 1958–59, just six points outside the promotion places. Bill Moore's side went on to win the league title in 1959–60, before winning a second successive promotion with a second-place finish in the Third Division in 1960–61. The Fellows Park outfit posted a 14th-place finish in the Second Division in 1961–62, before Askey moved on to Mansfield Town.

Askey joined Mansfield Town on a free transfer in 1962.[6] He had spent 18 months on the sidelines after a horrific challenge from Port Vale's Roy Pritchard.[3] The "Stags" won promotion out of the Fourth Division in fourth place in 1962–63 under Raich Carter's stewardship, and then finished seventh in the Third Division in 1963–64 under Tommy Cummings.

Askey then departed Field Mill and went on to play for Wellington Town (Southern League), Stafford Rangers, Winsford United, Macclesfield Town, Milton United, and pub teams 'The Ancient Briton' and 'The Miner's Arms' (in Milton).[1]