Alf Oakes

Alfred William Oakes (22 July 1901 – 25 December 1967) was an English professional footballer who made 72 appearances in the Football League playing for Millwall, Birmingham, New Brighton and Wigan Borough. He played as an inside left.

Life and career Oakes was born in Wribbenhall, He played football for RAF Uxbridge, He scored both goals in the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup final replay in 1922, and the following season scored 25 goals from 26 Spartan League matches and a further 14 goals in cup competitions. In February 1927, Birmingham paid a fee of £300 for Oakes' services, but he played only once for their first team, shortly after joining the club, as deputy for Joe Bradford. At the end of the 1927–28 season Oakes returned to Rhyl Athletic. A year later he made a more successful return to the Football League, scoring 15 goals from 54 games for New Brighton in the Third Division North. Although the team's results from that season were expunged, Joyce includes the players' appearances in his totals. He finished the season in the Midland League as Frickley Colliery's "trickiest forward" and scorer of 20 goals. In July 1932 he signed for Barnsley, His last known club was Buxton.

The 1939 Register finds Oakes working as an aero engine fitter and living in Peache Road, Mangotsfield, Gloucestershire, with his wife, Gwyneth, and two school-age sons. The younger of the two, Donald, also became a footballer, and played professionally for Arsenal. Oakes was still resident at the same address at the time of his death, on Christmas Day 1967, which was registered in nearby Bristol.