Famous Players – The 1950’s

Colin Askey

Right winger Colin came through the Vale junior squad to sign his first professional contract in 1949 and although only 17 he played 3 games for the first team that season.

Described as a good crosser of the ball with either foot, Colin would also track back and defend when necessary – a rare attribute for attackers of that time.

During the early fifties Colin was a regular in the team and was part of the 1953/54 squad that won promotion to the second tier and reached the semi-final of the FA Cup.  Colin claims that the equalising “goal” scored by Albert Leake in the semi-final should not have been ruled offside as the pass he made to set up the chance was definitely “pulled back”.

Following his stand-out performance for the Vale at Ninian Park in 1954, Cardiff City offered £30,000 for Colin but the Vale Board turned the offer down.  Cardiff subsequently made a blank cheque offer but this was also refused. Colin eventually moved to Walsall in 1958 for a “fairly substantial fee”.  He played there for 4 seasons before finishing his professional career with Mansfield Town in 1964.

He continued playing in non-league football and later worked for the Staffordshire FA. He is father of John Askey who managed the Vale between 2019 and 2021.

Colin was inducted into the Stoke-on-Trent sporting Hall of Fame in 2021. Now well into his 90’s he is the sole surviving member of Freddie Steele’s iconic 1953/54 team.