[Archived] Kevin Hird

[ihateburnley]

OK, so the old caretaker at work starts talking to me about football. Again. He's always bloody boring and so I don't take much notice as usual - he prefers the local West Yorkshire football scene rather than the professional game.

Until one day he mentions Kevin Hird. My ears prick-up because I've heard the name but don't know much about him. Turns out he played with him for a while and then used to watch him play for Rovers and Leeds (I think), and then later in his mid-thirties at Barnoldswick Town and/or Kelbrook Town.

Any info on the guy? I had a quick look on the Rovers Wiki but that was as informative as my memory! All I know from this guy is that certainly from the point of view of someone that is used to watching non-league football, he was quick and his positioning was one of the best he'd ever seen.

[Florida Rover]

From Harry Berry's book I have The Men who made Blackburn Rovers FC since 1945 the following entry for Hird as follows:

5'7.5" 10 st 10 lb

Born Colne 11 Feb,1955

Debut 13 April 1974

Career Primet School;Sefton;Colne Dynamos,Blackburn Rovers Oct 1970 app Feb 1973;Leeds Mar 1979( £357,000);burnley Jun 1984 (free);Colne dynamos;Darwen;Barnoldswick United Sep 1991;Kelbrook

A youth team winger with paced and skill,he appeared out of place in the hustle of the Second division and his future appeared insecure when the club agreed to sell him to the New york Cosmos for a small fee.He turned the move down and played an inadvertant hand in his own future when in th last minute of the season he missed a penalty against Fulham.the rebound from the goalkeeper fell kindly but ,forgetting the rules,he assumed he could not touch the ball again.The extra point would have taken the club up the table sufficiently to avoid playing in the early rounds of the League Cup the following year.In this game John Waddington broke his wrist,Derek Fazackerley was subsequently moved back from th e right back spot and the unexpected recipient of the number 2 shirt was Hird.The ramifications were immeadiate.Hird proved sensational at right back.With the freedom to run from deep he carved swathes down the flanks and if opponents back off he shot explosively.His defensive qualities remained suspect,his headwork being near to nonexistent, but he improvised with flexibilty from the hip and unusual use of his feet.So impressive was he that departure wasw inevitable and a large fee took him to Elland Road where he established himself either at fullback or in midfield.Able to live at Colne throughout his career,he was made school liason officer for Colne Dynamos when the club was at its pinnacle.

FL 129+3 apps 20 gls

FAC 8 apps 0 gls

FLC 7+1 apps 1 gl

Total 144+ 4 21 gls

Hope that helps.remember that was Mr Berry's word verbatim not mine

[Exiled in Toronto]

One goal in every 6.5 games for a fullback - are you listening Bert???

Hird was a breath of fresh air at the time, along with John Bailey on the other flank. He benefited hugely from the passing ability of our left winger, David Wagstaffe, whose 60 yard crossfield passes made Tugay look like the Axe: pinpoint accuracy and with so much backspin they almost stopped dead. Hird also had a trademark cutback that he would employ liberally, turning many a fullback completely inside out before crossing or unleashing a shot.

Jim Smith was manager at the time and has remarked that if we had had a decent centre forward in that team we would have gone up to the top division - an accurate assessment in my view.

[1864roverite]

Yet another example of the qulaity we have seen at Ewood even during the dark olden days. Kevin Hird is a Rovers legend.

[Neil Weaver]

And when we sold him to Leeds, was it the most we'd ever received for a transfer? Couldn't have been far off.

[den]

And when we sold him to Leeds, was it the most we'd ever received for a transfer? Couldn't have been far off.

I think it was. £450K If I remember correctly.

[Threepenny Bit Foot]

I think it was. £450K If I remember correctly.

Yep, I think it was £333k and was a world record for a full back at the time

[den]

Yep, I think it was £333k and was a world record for a full back at the time

You were nearer than me. £375K if this interesting Leeds article is correct.

[RevidgeBlue]

You were nearer than me. £375K if this Leeds article is correct.

For some reason the rather specific figure of 357k stuck in my head as the fee! Perhaps got them the wrong way round.

Superb player, He and John Bailey were as good a pair of full backs as you could wish to see at any level, and certainly without equal as a pair of attacking full backs.

[Drummer Boy]

I understand he still lives in the area and was seen at a party I attended in Trawden last year. He looked well and has still got a big nose.

[den]

For some reason the rather specific figure of 357k stuck in my head as the fee! Perhaps got them the wrong way round.

Superb player, He and John Bailey were as good a pair of full backs as you could wish to see at any level, and certainly without equal as a pair of attacking full backs.

Oohhh, just realised that the article says £357K. Not like me to get something wrong. :ph34r:

[92er]

Absolutely superb player and delighted with him as a full back in the first tea. I had seen him in the youth set-up and the danger was he would not have found a position he could play in the first team.

If anyone saw Simon Garner's second testimonial, he played in that.

[DanLad]

I understand he still lives in the area and was seen at a party I attended in Trawden last year. He looked well and has still got a big nose.

Had you expected his nose to have fallen off?

I never saw him play, but I've heard mention of him on numerous occasions as a Rovers great.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

If only we chucked Ashley Ward at right back, we might have had a bargain on our hands, especially considering he couldn't hit a cows backside with a banjo!

[gumboots]

Both my sons attended Kevin Hird soccer schools at Ribblesdale School here in Clitheroe when they were at primary school. Great value and the lads really enjoyed them. They thought Kevin was great.

[Uddersfelt Blue]

For some reason the rather specific figure of 357k stuck in my head as the fee! Perhaps got them the wrong way round.

Superb player, He and John Bailey were as good a pair of full backs as you could wish to see at any level, and certainly without equal as a pair of attacking full backs.

Does anyone know what John Bailey is doing now?

As well as being a good attacking full back I know he was also a good boxer.

[deryck guyler's spoon]

One goal in every 6.5 games for a fullback - are you listening Bert???

Hird was a breath of fresh air at the time, along with John Bailey on the other flank. He benefited hugely from the passing ability of our left winger, David Wagstaffe, whose 60 yard crossfield passes made Tugay look like the Axe: pinpoint accuracy and with so much backspin they almost stopped dead. Hird also had a trademark cutback that he would employ liberally, turning many a fullback completely inside out before crossing or unleashing a shot.

Jim Smith was manager at the time and has remarked that if we had had a decent centre forward in that team we would have gone up to the top division - an accurate assessment in my view.

Didn't we sell John Bailey to Everton for £300k + at around the same time?

Would I be right in thinking we paid peanuts to replace both with messrs Rathbone and Brannigan?

I remember a cup game at Anfield when King Kenny dumped us out. There were thousands of Rovers fans in the Anfield Road End, amongst them a bedsheet banner proclaiming "Kevin Hird is God!".

[USABlue]

One goal in every 6.5 games for a fullback - are you listening Bert???

Hird was a breath of fresh air at the time, along with John Bailey on the other flank. He benefited hugely from the passing ability of our left winger, David Wagstaffe, whose 60 yard crossfield passes made Tugay look like the Axe: pinpoint accuracy and with so much backspin they almost stopped dead. Hird also had a trademark cutback that he would employ liberally, turning many a fullback completely inside out before crossing or unleashing a shot.

Jim Smith was manager at the time and has remarked that if we had had a decent centre forward in that team we would have gone up to the top division - an accurate assessment in my view.

Bailey and Hird, outstanding. Remember classic Hird goal at Hull or Huddersfield, picked up the ball at halfway jinked forward and unleashed a rocket.

I believe Jim Smith actually said that that was one of the best teams he had ever managed.

[92er]

Bailey and Hird, outstanding. Remember classic Hird goal at Hull or Huddersfield, picked up the ball at halfway jinked forward and unleashed a rocket.

I believe Jim Smith actually said that that was one of the best teams he had ever managed.

Was that just before he went off to manage big club?

[berkshireblue]

Hird and Bailey were the full backs when I was a youngster on ewood great players, think they played in the Boxing Day 3-0 up at Turd Moor by half time around 1977 ish I think...though that day deserves its own thread

[SuperStella]

I used to work with his wife.

[philipl]

Hull- was at that game with some Palace fans and when the ball was passed out wide to Hird who beat his man on the half way line leaving lots of space for him to run into, I simply said goal.

Sure enough he repeated what I'd seen him do twice previously that season- sprint forwards and smash a screamer from 25 yards into the far top corner.

My Palace friends were most impressed!

When I lived in Leeds, I occasionally went to Elland Road to watch first division and European football. Leeds were awful to watch with incredible boring crab like passing. Hird tended to be played more as a central midfielder by them but even so, he was usaully the classiest player on the Leeds side although never able to show what he could do for Rovers.

One memory of young John Bailey (I wasn't at the Southampton game where Peter Osgood nutted him). Unlike Kevin Hird, Johny B hardly ever scored. But when he did it was a bit special- against Mansfield if Div 2 if I remember correctly. Bailey went up the touchline and from a point wide left level with the penalty spot he drove the ball. Keeper came out of goal to take what he thought was a driven cross only for the ball to swerve behind him and into the net!

[Fife Rover]

Hird and Bailey were the full backs when I was a youngster on ewood great players, think they played in the Boxing Day 3-0 up at Turd Moor by half time around 1977 ish I think...though that day deserves its own thread

You are dead right there Berks Blue.

Dec 26th 1977 Rovers won away at the Turf 2-3 with goals from Wagstaffe, Fear, and Brotherston. Att 27,427 I was there with my 2 sons, and this was the match that was memorable for me because of Jim Smith coming out at half-time and conducting the singing of the Rovers fans in the Cricket Field End. Fantastic!

Oh yes, and if anyone is wondering who Fear is; he was a short term loan striker from Bristol City (I think). Big Jim had been trying to buy a CF from Grimsby called Lewis (again I think) but Rovers could not afford the £20,000 Grimsby wanted so that had fallen through; hence the loan.

But on Dec 26th 1978 Rovers lost at the Turf 2-1 with Rovers goal scored by Kevin Hird. Att 23,133 We were there again.

[broadsword]

Was it John Bailey got sold to Bristol Rovers then?

My memory is playing up.

[philipl]

They coloured the white quarters blue and Everton coughed up £300K for John Bailey.

Have we ever sold a player to Bristol Rovers?