Ken Wookey (footballer, born 1946)

Kenneth George "Ken" Wookey (30 December 1946 – 16 December 1992) was a Welsh footballer and football manager. A striker, he spent six years in the Football League. His father, also called Ken Wookey, was also a professional footballer.
He started his career with local club Newport County in 1964. After five years with County, he was loaned out to Lovell's Athletic, before signing permanently with Port Vale in 1969. After helping the "Valiants" to promotion out of the Fourth Division in 1969–70, he transferred to Workington. In 1971 he dropped into non-league football when he joined Yeovil Town. He later played for Salisbury, Barry Town, Westland Sports, Chard Town, Glastonbury, and Sturminster Newton. He later managed Sturminster Newton and Shaftesbury.

Wookey began his career at Newport County, as the "Exiles" posted a 16th-place finish in the Fourth Division in 1964–65. He helped Billy Lucas's side up to ninth place in 1965–66, before they dropped down to 18th in 1966–67. Leslie Graham then took charge at Rodney Parade, and led Newport to 12th in 1967–68 and then 22nd in 1968–69. Wookey also had a loan spell with Lovell's Athletic.

He signed with Gordon Lee's Port Vale in July 1969. He scored four goals in 29 games of the 1969–70 Fourth Division promotion winning season, but lost his first team place at Vale Park in February 1970 and was given a free transfer to Workington in May of that year. He scoured four goals in 16 Fourth Division games in 1970–71, before leaving Borough Park and the Football League to join Yeovil Town in the Southern League. He later played for Salisbury, Barry Town, Westland Sports, Chard Town and Glastonbury, before becoming player-manager of Sturminster Newton. After leaving Sturminste he then became the manager of Shaftesbury.

His father Ken was also a professional footballer.

Ken married Elizabeth Ann Cotterill in 1970, the next year they had a son, called Gary. In June 2008 Gary married Helen (née Minchington), and the pair raised three children together: Jacob Tomas Williams (stepson), Megan Olivia Wookey, and Owain George Wookey. Owain was so named for his Welsh heritage, and has his grandfathers middle name.

• Sourced from Ken Wookey profile at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)

with Port Vale

• Football League Fourth Division fourth place promotion winner: 1969–70

• Kent, Jeff (1990). "Surviving on a Shoestring (1969–1979)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 227–257. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.