Derek Stokes

Derek Stokes (13 September 1939 – 24 May 2022) was an English professional footballer who played for Bradford City and Huddersfield Town during the 1950s and 1960s, as a striker.

Derek Stokes
Personal information
Full name Derek Stokes[1]
Date of birth (1939-09-13)13 September 1939
Place of birth Normanton, England
Date of death 24 May 2022(2022-05-24) (aged 82)
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
Bolton Wanderers
Snydale Road Athletic
1956–1957 Bradford City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1957–1960 Bradford City 94 (44)
1960–1966 Huddersfield Town 153 (65)
1966–1967 Bradford City 32 (11)
1966–1970 Dundalk 62 (29)
1970 Drogheda United
Total 331 (149)
International career
1962–1963 England U23s 4 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Early life

Born in Snydale near Normanton, Stokes was the youngest of 11 children, 10 boys and 1 girl.[2]

Career

Stokes began his career with Bolton Wanderers and Snydale Road Athletic,[3] before moving from Snydale to Bradford City in May 1956.[4] He had two spells with the club which saw him score 55 goals in 126 league games.[5] He scored in 8 consecutive matches between 26 December 1959 and 6 February 1960, scoring a total of 14 goals; the record was later matched by Nahki Wells.[4]

His time at Bradford City was split by a spell with Huddersfield Town.[2] In total, he scored 120 goals in 279 Football League appearances for the two clubs.[6] He scored on both of his debuts for Bradford City and on his debut for Huddersfield.[4]

He later played in Ireland with Dundalk, scoring 58 goals in 122 goals in all competitions for the club, before finishing his career with Drogheda United.[7]

He also played for England under-23s.[5]

Later life and death

After retiring in 1970 he worked as a golf steward and publican. Stokes was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, a form of dementia in 2019.[2] He retired to Charmouth in Dorset, then moved up to Wyke in Bradford.[4] He died on 24 May 2022, aged 82.[2]

References
  1. "Derek Stokes". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  2. Gray, Charles (25 May 2022). "'Hero' ex-Huddersfield Town and Bradford City player Derek Stokes dies". YorkshireLive.
  3. Derek Stokes at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  4. "Bradford City: Putting the record straight after glaring miss". Bradford Telegraph and Argus.
  5. "Former Bradford City striker Stokes dies aged 82". Bradford Telegraph and Argus.
  6. Derek Stokes at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database
  7. "Derek Stokes | History of Dundalk F.C." www.dundalkfcwhoswho.com.
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