Kirk: Roy

1948-1952 (Player Details)

Centre Half

Born: Shuttlewood: 11-06-1929

Debut: v Blackburn Rovers (a): 10-02-1951

5’9 1/2” 11st 9 1/2lb (1951)

Kirk was spotted playing for Bolsover Colliery and signed for Leeds in October 1948. Maybe arriving at the same time as John Charles did not enhance his chances at centre half, but he took it in his stride.He played at Centre Half, Centre Forward, Right Half and Outside Right after being blooded in the Yorkshire Midweek League. After Tom Holley retired John Charles was the obvious choice, but as National Service, injury and the experiment with Charles as a centre forward took place Kirk made nine appearances in the late part of the 1950-51 season. He was the regular choice centre half until almost Christmas in the following season, then in January and February he was given the outside right or centre forward role as Charles once more became available.As an outside right he scored both goals as United won 2-0 at Rochedale in the Third Round of the FA Cup and he was at centre forward when he scored United’s goal in the Fifth Round Replay against Chelsea at Elland Road which finished up as a 1-1 draw. In March 1952 a £10,000 transfer took him to Coventry City, where he made three hundred and thirty League appearances, scoring six goals, in almost nine seasons. At Coventry he had the unwanted distinction of scoring two own-goals in a match, against Leyton Orient on 20th September 1954. He joined Southern League Club Cambridge United in June 1960. He became the Manager at Cambridge in 1967, helping lay the foundations of the club which Bill Leivers got into the football League. He died in 1983.