Keetley Charlie Image 1 Leeds United 1929

Description

Derby born centre forward Charlie Keetley, the youngest of the famous footballing family which spawned fellow professionals Tom, Harry, Frank and Joe, began his football career with Alvaston & Boulton in 1926 where he scored 80 goals in their 1926-27 campaign to secure a place in the Derby and District League squad which toured Ireland, and from where he joined Second Division Leeds United in July 1927 by Leeds manager Dick Ray, who had previous signed four of his brothers for Doncaster Rovers.

Keetley made his Football League debut that New Year’s Eve against South Shields, scoring in a 3-0 victory. He scored in each of his next two games followed by a hat-trick in a 3-2 defeat of Bristol City, the first of three hat-tricks he would score in his debut season, the others against Notts County and Clapton Orient, with 18 goals in only 16 games as Leeds won promotion as Second Division runners up.

He went on to be the club’s top goalscorer in three of the next four seasons: in 1928-29, when he scored hat-tricks against Aston Villa, Leicester City and Manchester City; 1930-31 when Leeds suffered relegation and Manchester City were again on the other end of a Keetley treble; and 1931-32 when he scored a career best 23 goals to immediately return Leeds United to the top flight, again as Second Division runners up.

In his last full season at Elland Road he suffered from injury and lack of form, scoring 7 times in 16 appearances. In October 1934 he moved to Bradford City after 110 goals in 169 appearances for Leeds, but he played only 26 games for The Bantams, scoring six goals, but amongst these he scored twice as City upset Aston Villa in a third round FA Cup tie on 12th January 1935. Later in 1935 he moved to Reading, scoring 3 goals in 10 games, and in 1936 he moved to non league Stalybridge Celtic where he finished his playing days.

Charlie Keetley was the youngest of several brothers who played professionally, including Frank, who played for Derby County, Doncaster Rovers, Bradford City and Lincoln City, Harry who played for Doncaster Rovers and Mansfield Town, Joe who played for Bolton Wanderers, Accrington Stanley, Liverpool, Wolves, Wrexham and Doncaster, and Tom, who played for Bradford Park Avenue, Doncaster Rovers, Notts County and Lincoln City.