Albert Henry "Digger" Kettle (3 June 1922 – 1 March 1999) was an English footballer who played for
Colchester United.
Career
Born in
Colchester, Kettle served in the
Royal Air Force in
Rhodesia
Rhodesia (, ), officially from 1970 the Republic of Rhodesia, was an unrecognised state in Southern Africa from 1965 to 1979, equivalent in territory to modern Zimbabwe. Rhodesia was the ''de facto'' successor state to the British colony of S ...
and Italy during
World War II. After playing for
Stanway Rovers, Chapel and Wakes Colne and Arclight Sports as a teenager, he signed for
Colchester United in 1946. Remaining part-time, he played as a full-back for Colchester in the
Southern League and
Football League
The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, the league is the oldest such competition in the world. It was the top-level football league in Engla ...
whilst continuing to work for Woods, a fan manufacturer in Colchester.
After 23 appearances in the Football League, Kettle signed for
Sudbury Town in 1955. After two seasons with Sudbury he signed for Woods Athletic, where he ended his playing career.
He died in 1999.
Honours
Club
;
Colchester United
*
Southern Football League
The Southern League is a men's football competition featuring semi-professional clubs from the South and Midlands of England. Together with the Isthmian League and the Northern Premier League it forms levels seven and eight of the English fo ...
runner-up: 1949–50
*
Southern Football League
The Southern League is a men's football competition featuring semi-professional clubs from the South and Midlands of England. Together with the Isthmian League and the Northern Premier League it forms levels seven and eight of the English fo ...
Cup winner: 1949–50
*
Southern Football League
The Southern League is a men's football competition featuring semi-professional clubs from the South and Midlands of England. Together with the Isthmian League and the Northern Premier League it forms levels seven and eight of the English fo ...
Cup runner-up: 1947–48, 1948–49
References
External links
Digger Kettleat Colchester United Archive Database
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kettle, Digger
1922 births
Footballers from Colchester
Royal Air Force personnel of World War II
English men's footballers
Stanway Rovers F.C. players
Colchester United F.C. players
Sudbury Town F.C. players
1999 deaths
Men's association football defenders
British expatriates in Southern Rhodesia
British expatriates in Italy
Royal Air Force airmen
Military personnel from Colchester