Background
Sykes was born in Darlington, County Durham, where he attended Albert Road School and played for its football team
Sykes was born in Darlington, County Durham, where he attended Albert Road School and played for its football team
He was also on Middlesbrough"s books without playing League football for the club, and also played non-league football for Murton Colliery Welfare. He worked as a railwayman during the Second World War, and signed for Darlington in 1944 at the age of 18. When the Football League resumed after the war, Sykes, described as having "scored prolifically in the reserves", was in Darlington"s first team
He scored in a 3–3 draw with Chester on 14 September 1946, and again two days later, in a 4–1 defeat at Hartlepools United.
He played six matches in all in the Third Division North before signing for First Division club Middlesbrough. He never played for their first team, and after one match back in the Third Division for Hartlepools in April 1950, a 1–0 home defeat against former club Darlington, he moved into non-league football with Murton Colliery Welfare.
When he was 28, he gave up football. Sykes died in 2008 at the age of 82.