Derek Ufton RIP
Charlton club legend Derek Ufton has passed away peacefully at the grand age of 92.
Long before my time but a name synonymous with the history of our club playing between 1949/50 and 1959/60 seasons, making 277 appearances plus winning an England cap in 1953.
He wasn’t only a great footballer, but he was a great sportsman playing wicketkeeper for Kent for pretty much the same time making 149 first class appearances.
And for those that had met him and knew him, he was also a great man. My condolences on this sad day to Derek’s family and friends.
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Chicago Addick 
I saw Derek play many times. I was at the Valley when the famous 7-6 victory over Huddersfield was played…I was 12 and waiting outside for autographs when Bill McGarry the Huddersfield captain came outside and gave us kids a load of tickets for the grand stand. Watching the game when Derek was taken off very early was a nightmare as we went down 5-1…then magic happened. Johnny Summers whacked in 5 goals and Buck Ryan and Stuart Leary another to give us that famous 7-6 victory…it was a pity that Derek was not there for the whole match but I managed to get his autograph (and still have it) a few weeks later and had a small conversation with him…He was a great player for us and I will miss his memory….R.I.P. Derek,
I also saw Derek play at the Valley in the 50s. I missed the Huddersfield game but saw the game against Leeds and the great John Charles when I think Derek also suffered a shoulder dislocation early in the game. I am a follower of Kent CCC and saw Derek play many times. I met Derek a couple of times at Dartford CC when Kent 2nd XI played there. I think Dartford CC was his club and his wife did the catering for the players. A lovely couple. I don’t know whether it is still available but Derek did 2 interviews for the Kent CCC website where he discussed both his football and cricket careers.
Lovely stories @racewalkrick @rierti
Good post on a great club servant.
My first game was Notts County Home game 1958 (before the final game against Blackburn that consigned us to Division 2 for 33 Years).
I recall seeing Ufton in several games (cannot recall if he played in the Notts County and Blackburn games, But I would be surprised if he didn’t).
There was a good obituary in the Times today. But I felt it lacked some important facts, e.g. his regular collar bone dislocations and the probable negative impact that had on finishing his England appearances. The obituary suggested, probably unfairly, that it was just his poor performance in his one match for England.
I recall that his collar bone was such a problem that it was regularly popping out during games.
On most occasions a teammate or the trainer just helped him pop it back in, and he played on,.
They don’t make them like it these days!!!
Well done Derek: RIP.
The Times obituary is behind a paywall but is here if you have access: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/derek-ufton-obituary-d7qxfb9bv
They do not Mike. That is for sure. In recent memory I can only think of Viv Richards, Ian Botham and Phil Neale who played both to some sort of level. Denis Compton was probably before Ufton.