Keith Ripley (footballer, born 1935)

Keith Ripley
Personal information
Full name Stanley Keith Ripley[1]
Date of birth (1935-03-29)29 March 1935
Place of birth Normanton, England
Date of death 5 November 2012(2012-11-05) (aged 77)
Place of death Normanton, England
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[2]
Position Wing half
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1954–1958 Leeds United 67 (15)
1958 Norwich City 12 (6)
1958–1960 Mansfield Town 31 (5)
1960–1962 Peterborough United 82 (12)
1962–1966 Doncaster Rovers 128 (7)
Total 320 (45)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Keith Ripley (29 March 1935 – 5 November 2012) was an English professional footballer, who played primarily as a wing half. During his career, Ripley played for Leeds United, Norwich City, Peterborough United, Mansfield Town and Doncaster Rovers.

Career

Ripley was born and raised in Normanton.[3][2] He played with the Normanton Town schoolboy side and was invited to trial with West Bromwich Albion in 1950, and joined the groundstaff at Leeds United in summer 1950,[4] before signing with the club as a player in April 1952.[1] He completed his National Service at Catterick Garrison, and was given his first first-team involvement at Leeds United in September 1954,[2] starting a 1–0 win over Stoke City.[5] He won promotion to the First Division with Leeds in the 1955–56 season.[1] He played 67 league matches for Leeds and scored 15 goals,[3] having "bobbled in and out of the team without securing a permanent place" during his time at the club.[6]

He transferred to Norwich City in August 1958,[6] but after 12 matches, in which he scored 6 goals in 12 starts at centre-forward,[1] he transferred to Mansfield Town in November for a fee rumoured to be £4,000.[7] He requested a transfer away from Mansfield in summer 1959,[8] and again in November 1959,[9] but went on to make a total of 31 league appearances for Mansfield, in which he scored 5 goals.[3]

In July 1960, Ripley was signed by new Football League club Peterborough United for a "small fee", alongside fellow Mansfield player John Taylor.[10] He was part of the Peterborough team that won the 1960–61 Fourth Division with a record 134 goals.[1] He captained the club for the first time in October 1961 for a match against Newport County,[11][12] and later became club captain on a permanent basis.[13] He scored 12 times in 82 matches across two seasons at Peterborough.[3]

He joined Doncaster Rovers in August 1962 for a fee in excess of £2,000.[14][13] He spent four years at Doncaster, and scored 7 goals in 128 league games.[1][3]

Style of play

Ripley was primarily a wing half, but was noted for his versatility.[1] He was described as a utility player during his time at Mansfield Town, having played at centre back, wing half and centre forward for the club,[10]

Personal life

He married in May 1954 to Rita Hudson.[15] He had four sons and three daughters,[1] with one of his sons, also named Keith Ripley, being a footballer.[16] He died in November 2012 aged 77, following a long illess with myasthenia gravis.[1][17][18]

Honours

Leeds United

Peterborough United

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Shaw, Phil (2 January 2013). "Keith Ripley: Footballer who played alongside John Charles". The Independent. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  2. ^ a b c Ulyatt, Richard (8 September 1954). "Directors want to see Burden". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. p. 6. Retrieved 4 February 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Keith Ripley profile". Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Transfer Database. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  4. ^ "Normanton boy joins Leeds United staff". Yorkshire Evening Post. 3 June 1950. p. 12. Retrieved 4 February 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ Ulyatt, Richard (14 September 1954). "United turn the tables on Stoke City". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. p. 8 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ a b Holden, Bill (9 August 1958). "Norwich land two men in one day". Daily Mirror. p. 13. Retrieved 4 February 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ "Mansfield sign Keith Ripley". Nottingham Guardian. 6 November 1958. p. 6. Retrieved 4 February 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ "Keith Ripley for transfer". Nottingham Guardian. 11 June 1959. p. 6. Retrieved 4 February 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ "Leaving Mansfield". Daily Mirror. 4 November 1959. p. 31. Retrieved 4 February 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ^ a b "Hagan continues search in effort to strengthen team". Peterborough Standard. 22 July 1960. p. 20. Retrieved 4 February 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ "Ripley is skipper Number 3". Peterborough Evening Telegraph. 3 October 1961. p. 10. Retrieved 4 February 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. ^ Curling, Alan (5 October 1961). "Sporting chatter". Peterborough Evening Telegraph. p. 10. Retrieved 4 February 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. ^ a b "Ripley goes". Peterborough Advertiser. 10 August 1962. p. 16. Retrieved 4 February 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. ^ "Ripley decides—signs for Doncaster Rovers". Peterborough Evening Telegraph. 7 August 1962. p. 12. Retrieved 4 February 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. ^ "Leeds United player weds". Bradford Observer. 10 May 1954. p. 2. Retrieved 4 February 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  16. ^ "Ripley's chance in the league". Gainsborough Evening News. 9 August 1978. p. 16. Retrieved 4 February 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  17. ^ Cuffley, David (15 November 2012). "Former Norwich City and Peterborough player Keith Ripley dies, 77". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  18. ^ "Leeds United | News | News | News | KEITH RIPLEY". www.leedsunited.com. Archived from the original on 15 November 2012.
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