Mansfield Town

City’s FA Cup winning manager Peter O’Rourke shook the young goalkeeper by the hand. “In all the time you play football, you will not let as many goals in again”. In a wartime fixture City had just lost 9-1 at York.
Shipping nine goals was hardly the stuff of dreams for debutant keeper Ken Teasdale, but the warm words of O’Rourke went some way to tempering his disappointment. However, one month later Ken was between the sticks when City lost 10-0 at home to Bradford Park Avenue!
Ken Teasdale, one of the great characters of Bradford sport, recently passed away. Ken was Bradford City’s wartime goalkeeper, but will be best remembered by generations of local league players as a football referee and cricket umpire.
Ken played 71 games for City during World War Two. His debut in the nine-goal thrashing at York on 14 November 1942 warrants some explanation. York were one of the strongest wartime teams due to the close proximity of Catterick army barracks. Teams could field guest players and those who had service bases nearby often fielded several internationals.
City struggled to field a consistent team throughout the war as the majority of the players were scattered all over the world in the armed forces. However, results did improve and Ken retained his place until the end of the conflict when he returned to his job as a postman.
In 1996 Ken was one of Bradford City’s guests of honour when footage of wartime football was screened at Pictureville Cinema. He spoke fondly of his days at Valley Parade and caused much laughter with his story about letting nine goals in on his debut.
Ken was England’s longest serving and oldest football referee before he finally retired at the age of seventy-five. On the cricket field Ken was associated with the Bradford Central League as a wicket keeper, umpire and secretary between 1943-2007.
The thoughts of everyone at Valley Parade are with Ken’s family during this difficult time. Bradford has lost one of its truly remarkable sporting sons.