Jim's column 26.8.23

Ken Brown (18.10.1933-12.8.2023)

                                    Ken pictured at 2015 Legends Day

Ken Brown, who passed away on 12^th August after a short illness, was not only a former Coventry City player but also involved with local football at many levels for most of his life. Although he never played a first team game for the club he was a regular 'number 12' in the 1955-56 season in the days before substitutes when clubs would have an extra man on matchday duty in case of an injury or illness in the pre-match warm up.

Ken, a Cov kid, was a regular at City and was Sky Blue through and through and will be sadly missed by his large family and many friends inside and outside of football.

Born in Coventry in 1933 Ken was a part-time professional at Highfield Road in the days when the club had 40 or more professionals. He was a regular for the A team for a couple of seasons before he broke into the reserve team early in the 1955-56 season. He made a scoring debut in a 3-0 win at Norwich in the Football Combination playing on the left wing. His team-mates included Peter Wyer, who stayed a close friend for life, Charlie Dutton and Bill Patrick and a young George Curtis joined the club that season and also became a good friend. His performance at Carrow Road earned him a regular place and on Boxing Day 1955 he netted both goals in a 2-1 home win over Birmingham City reserves. A few trips as 12^th man gave him the taste of first team football but as one of four left wingers at the club he had limited opportunities and in February 1956 he went on loan to Corby Town for three months. 

At the end of the season he was granted a free transfer by Coventry and joined Hinckley Athletic, then a Birmingham Combination side. Some dazzling performances soon attracted league scouts and in November 1956 he signed for Nottingham Forest for 'a four figure sum'. Ken scored on his Forest reserve debut at Grimsby and was a regular in the team without getting a first-team chance. One of his team-mates was future Coventry legend Ron Farmer and Ken and Ron started a beautiful friendship which lasted until Ron's death last year. After less than a year at Forest he was on the move to Third Division Bournemouth who had been FA Cup giant-killers the previous season, defeating Tottenham and Wolves in a famous run. Within a month Ken got his first-team debut and scored in a 4-0 win at Shrewsbury but after six starts he was back in the reserves.

After one year at Bournemouth he moved further along the south coast, signing for Fourth Division Torquay United, scoring one goal in nine appearances and at the end of the season he was released and moved back to Hinckley. In a dazzling return debut Ken scored two goals in a 8-1 thrashing of Ashford Town but within months he was on the move again, to Lockheed Leamington. Brakes manager Syd Ottewell converted Ken to a striker and he scored prolifically for the exciting Lockheed team over the next 18 months playing with other former City youngsters Mick Lane and Ernie Ward. Southern League Burton Albion is believed to be his last club and by this time he was working at the Standard car factory in the City as well as rearing a young family with his wife Jean.

Football-mad Ken was soon running and coaching the Triumph Athletic works team in the Coventry leagues and worked at the Standard until the factory closed in 1980 as well as helping Jean run a general store in Dunchurch. After the Standard he became a postman in the Tile Hill area before retiring in 1998. In 2007 he was one of the early members of the newly formed Former Players Association and loved meeting up with other City ex-players. He never missed a Legends Day and was a regular at Golf Days as well as lunching regularly with other club veterans. Ken remained sprightly, cheerful and active supporting Sky Blues In the Community's Walking Football initiative and forging a close friendship with Dave Busst.

Dave told me: Ken was a great charcter who always had a smile and loved talking about his journey. He was one of the original walking footballers and at 81 he was still demanding the ball. Off the pitch he was happy to share his experiences with all the other players and he became a close friend personally and to all the staff at SBITC.

Ken is survived by three children, son Ken and daughters Lynn and Lorraine, six grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

The funeral is to be held at Canley Crematorium at 2.30 pm Wednesday 30^th August and afterwards at the Standard Triumph Club, Herald Avenue.