Former Charlton Athletic and England footballer Derek Ufton has died on the age of 92.
The doubly proficient sportsman – he additionally scored 3,915 runs and claimed 313 scalps as wicketkeeper for Kent over three many years – was a one-club man in each careers.
Crayford-born Derek had gone to Dartford Grammar School the place he was taught PE by Joe Jagger, Mick’s father.
His enjoying heyday was between the late Forties and early Nineteen Sixties, and he went on to handle Plymouth Argyle between 1965 and 1968.
He won a sole England soccer cap in 1953 towards a Rest of the World group.
Derek dislocated his shoulder at the very least 20 instances throughout his enjoying days, most notably throughout an epic encounter with Huddersfield Town at The Valley in December 1957.
He was pressured off the sphere with simply 17 minutes performed – however his facet went on to return from 5-1 behind to earn a legendary 7-6 victory.
Derek additionally served as supervisor of Plymouth Argyle for a three-year interval from 1965, taking cost of 115 video games in whole.
Ufton won his county cricket cap in 1956 and made 149 first-class appearances for Kent in his whites.
Left to proper from again: Alf Ramsey, Derek Ufton, Gilbert Merrick, Stanley Matthews, Stan Mortensen and Billy Wright
He was understudy behind the stumps to Godfrey Evans however with the bat his 3,915 runs had been at a mean of 20.01.
Of his 313 victims, 269 had been caught and 44 stumped.
His most profitable season was 1961, when he scored 668 runs and accounted for 90 opponents behind the stumps.
In later life he served as nationwide chairman of the Lord’s Taverners cricket charity.
The 92-year-old died peacefully in his sleep.
After his enjoying days, Derek continued to offer to each sports activities.
As properly as serving Charlton as a director for 25 years, he was a common at The Valley till lockdown prevented him from attending video games in 2020.
He was a member of Kent Cricket’s essential committee from 1978 to 1983, and from 1985 to 2000, and have become president of the membership, in succession to Colin Cowdrey, in 2001.
“I’ve by no means heard anybody say a unhealthy phrase about him,” mentioned Charlton membership ambassador Keith Peacock.
“He was a fantastic man and a gentleman – considerate, type and really clever.
“Derek was so distinctive in that there have been only a few individuals who might play at a very excessive stage in soccer or cricket and he managed each, which reveals you what an all-round sportsman he was.
“He had so many tales that he might keep in mind, even till lately, and he was simply attention-grabbing to talk to.
“He additionally all the time had his opinion on the gamers of in the present day, notably the centre-halves!
“It was an honour simply to be round him and to have him be such a huge a part of Charlton and he’ll all the time be remembered.”
A Kent cricket assertion mentioned: “Derek and spouse Judy had been very common guests to The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence from their dwelling in Eltham, and all of the many individuals who needed to cease and discuss to him had been greeted with a cheery smile and a large fund of tales.
“Kent will likely be a a lot poorer place with out him.”
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