Kenny King
​Kenny King played in the hugely successful Mexborough Tech Old Boys team in the 1950's and was a prolific goal scoring centre forward. They won the Montagu Cup in 1957 and were finalists in 1956.
Kenny King past finalist guest at the Montagu Cup Final 2022 (125th Anniversary)
KENNY KING FOOTBALL CAREER PROFILE
Born at Denaby in 1936.
Attended Denaby Balby Street Junior School and played for the school football team. In 1947 the team reached the final of the Totty Cup played in Darfield and lost 0-1 to Darfield Council Junior School. Two weeks later they defeated Darfield Council Junior School 1-0 to win the final of the Totty Shield played on the same ground and Kenny scored the only goal. The Totty Shield was a play-off between the top two teams in the Don and the Dearne Junior Leagues.
Attended Conisbrough Secondary Modern School 1947 to 1949. Kenny played for the school football team in the Don & Dearne Intermediate League.
Denaby Balby Street Junior School team 1947 Totty Cup Finalist and Totty Shield Winners. Kenny is seated, second from the left.
More at : tottycup.co.uk/1950s/1947-2/
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Was a student at Mexborough Schofield Technical School from 1949 to 1952. He represented the school at football and cricket. In season 1951-1952 Kenny played in the under 18 football team which won the South Yorkshire Technical Schools League Cup for the first time ever. The physical education teacher Clarrie Mason nicknamed Kenny “Congo”.
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He joined Mexborough Tech Old Boys football team on leaving school aged 16 and Kenny played at centre-forward in the Mexborough Association Under 18 League in seasons 1952-1953 and 1953-1954. He also played centre forward for Doncaster Rovers in the Northern Intermediate Under 18 League and Yorkshire League, the team included 15 year old Alick Jeffrey from Rawmarsh (who went on to make his debut in Doncaster’s first team in the Football League Division 2 in 1954 age 15 years 229 days and then played for England Under 23 team when he was 17). Doncaster Rovers were managed by Peter Doherty (Northern Ireland International).
In season 1954-1955 Kenny played at centre forward for Mexborough Tech Old Boys in the Mexborough Association League. The team won two trophies: Mexborough Challenge Cup and Invitation Cup. Kenny also played a few games with Doncaster Rovers reserve team in the Midland League, this team included goalkeeper Harry Gregg (Northern Ireland International) and defender Charlie Williams (both became regular first team players in 1956). Gregg was transferred to Manchester United in 1957. Kenny also a trial with Aston Villa.
In season 1955-1956 Mexborough Tech Old Boys won four trophies: Mexborough Association League Cup, Mexborough Association Cup, Mexborough Challenge Cup and Invitation Cup. This team won every local honour except the Montagu Cup, in which they were beaten 1-2 in the final against Dearne Community Miners Welfare on Denaby United’s ground. Kenny was a prolific goalscoring centre-forward with 68 goals in 34 games which included 14 hat-tricks and a double hat-trick. These goals included 7 in the Montagu Cup competition. He had a run of scoring in 10 successive games.
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Mexborough Schofield Technical School Under 18 team 1951-1952 Winners of South Yorkshire Technical Schools League Cup
Kenny King with trophies and replicas 1956
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Kenny King holding the Montagu Cup 1957
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In the following season 1956-1957 Mexborough Tech Old Boys won the Montagu Cup, after a nail biting extra time, defeating Hickleton Main 3-2 at Hampden Road, Mexborough in which Kenny scored the second goal. The team also won the Yorkshire Old Boys Shield, defeating Beverley Old Grammarians (Hull) 2-1 under floodlights on Doncaster Rovers Belle Vue ground. The team finished second in the Mexborough Association League to Hickleton Main and reached the semi-final of the Rotherham Charity Cup, losing 0-3 to Parkgate Welfare in a replay after drawing 3-3. Kenny at centre forward was the leading goalscorer with 35 goals in 34 games which included 4 hat-tricks. These goals included 10 in the Montagu Cup competition. Kenny played twice for Aston Villa (in season 1954-1955 he had a trial with Aston Villa 'A team. In 1956 he played twice for Aston Villa second team).
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Mexborough Tech Old Boys Montagu Cup Winners 1957. Kenny seated third from the left. More at 1957.
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In season 1957-1958 Kenny played as centre forward for Denaby Tom Hill Old Boys in the Doncaster Senior League. Later in the season he played 5 games for Mexborough Tech Old Boys in the West Riding Old Boys League.
Mexborough Tech Old Boys played in the Sheffield Hatchard League for the first time in season 1958-1959 and finished in 5th position. Kenny played inside right and scored 13 goals in 25 games.
In the first half of the following season 1959-1960 Kenny continued to play inside right for Mexborough Tech Old Boys in the Sheffield Hatchard League. He scored 22 goals in 12 games which included 2 hat-tricks and a double hat-trick. Kenny then played the remainder of the season with Denaby United in the Midland League as centre forward.Kenny continued to play for Denaby United in seasons 1960-1963. However, the Midland League was disbanded in 1960 and Denaby United were forced to play season 1960-1961 in the Central Alliance League. The Midland League was reformed in 1961 and Denaby United re-joined for season 1961-1962 and finished in 5th position. In season 1962-1963, Denaby United team included goalkeeper Harry Hough (ex Barnsley F.C) and winger Jack Grainger (ex Rotherham United F.C) and finished in 13th position.
Kenny King Mexborough Town 1963-1964 Yorkshire League Division 1
Denaby United team 1962-1963 Midland League
In season 1963-1964 Kenny moved to Mexborough Town in the Yorkshire League Division 1 and played as centre forward, the team finished in 2nd position. (Mexborough Town were founded in 1962 and played their first season 1962-1963 in the Yorkshire League Division 2, finishing in 2nd position and were promoted to Division 1).
Kenny joined Worksop Town in the Midland League in season 1964-1965 and played as inside right for two seasons. They finished top of the Midland League in season 1965-1966.
Skegness Town signed Kenny as an inside forward for the season 1966-1967 in the Midland League.
Kenny played as a semi-professional with Denaby United, Mexborough Town, Worksop Town and Skegness Town.
Prepared by Brian Hill July 2022
For more detail and team photograhs of Kenny with Mexborough Tech Old Boys : https://www.montagucup.com/mexborough-tech-old-boys
The 1957 Montagu Cup winning story : https://www.montagucup.com/1957
The 1956 Montagu Cup final story : https://www.montagucup.com/1956