Graham Hawkins

Graham Norman Hawkins (5 March 1946 – 28 September 2016) was an English football player and manager.

Graham Hawkins
Personal information
Full name Graham Norman Hawkins[1]
Date of birth (1946-03-05)5 March 1946[1]
Place of birth Darlaston, England[1]
Date of death 27 September 2016(2016-09-27) (aged 70)
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[2]
Playing position(s) Defender
Youth career
1962–1964 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1964–1968 Wolverhampton Wanderers 34 (0)
1967 → Los Angeles Wolves (loan)
1968–1974 Preston North End 245 (3)
1974–1978 Blackburn Rovers 109 (4)
1978–1979 Port Vale 62 (3)
Total 450 (10)
Teams managed
1982–1984 Wolverhampton Wanderers
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

A defender, he began his career at Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1964, and helped the club to win promotion out of the Second Division in 1966–67. He moved on to Preston North End in December 1967. In seven years with Preston he made 245 league appearances, and also served as their captain as they won the Third Division title in 1970–71. He signed with Blackburn Rovers in 1974, playing over 100 games in a four-year spell, helping the club to the Third Division title in 1974–75. He was sold to Port Vale in January 1978, where he first entered into coaching, before his departure in late 1979. He made a total of 502 league and cup appearances in the English Football League.

Serving as Shrewsbury Town's assistant manager, he was given the top job at Wolves in 1982. He led the club to promotion out of the Second Division in 1982–83, before he lost his position in April 1984. Following this he was made Head of Player Development at the Football League.

Playing career

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Hawkins began his career with Wolverhampton Wanderers, making his debut in the Black Country derby against West Bromwich Albion on 10 October 1964. Under the stewardship of Andy Beattie, Wolves suffered relegation out of the First Division in 1964–65. Following a sixth-place finish in the Second Division in 1965–66, the club were returned to the top-flight after new manager Ronnie Allen secured a second place in 1966–67. In three years as a senior professional at Molineux, Hawkins made 34 league appearances.

Preston North End

He moved to Jimmy Milne's Preston North End in December 1967. After a slow start to his Deepdale career, primarily due to injury, he became a regular and was appointed captain at the young age of 22. The "Lambs" finished the 1967–68 season just one place above the Second Division relegation zone, before rising to 14th place in 1968–69 under the stewardship of Bobby Seith. Preston finished bottom of the division in 1969–70, though finished just three points short of safety. Under new manager Alan Ball, the club made an immediate return to the second tier, winning the Third Division championship by a one-point margin over Fulham in 1970–71. Preston flirted with relegation in 1971–72 and 1972–73, but failed to avoid the drop in 1973–74 despite being led by former World Cup winner Bobby Charlton. Hawkins had played a total of 245 league games for Preston in his seven seasons at Deepdale.

Blackburn Rovers

Hawkins moved to Blackburn Rovers in June 1974. Under the stewardship of Gordon Lee, he formed a strong central defensive partnership with Derek Fazackerley, and Rovers won the Third Division title in 1974–75.[3] For his performances that season, Hawkins was named on the PFA Team of the Year. Now managed by Jim Smith, the club finished mid-table in the Second Division in 1975–76 and 1976–77, before launching an unsuccessful promotion bid in 1977–78. Hawkins featured in 109 league games in his four seasons at Ewood Park, before giving way to a young Glenn Keeley.[3]

Port Vale

He later finished his playing career at Bobby Smith's Port Vale, signing as a player-youth coach for £6,000 from Blackburn in January 1978.[1] He scored one goal in 16 Third Division appearances in the 1977–78 relegation campaign, and was appointed as the first team coach in May 1978, before being promoted to assistant manager by new boss Dennis Butler in September 1978.[1] Hawkins scored twice in 46 games in 1978–79, missing just three Fourth Division matches all season long.[1] When Butler stepped down as manager in August 1979, Hawkins was expecting to be appointed as caretaker-manager.[1] However, the board appointed Alan Bloor in this role, and Bloor took up the position on a full-time basis the following month.[1] Feeling slighted by this, Hawkins resigned his position and took out an unfair dismissal claim, but dropped the claim in April 1980 when the club offered compensation.[1]

Coaching and management career

Upon leaving Vale Park, Hawkins coached the reserves at Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City.[3] He was appointed as Graham Turner's assistant at Shrewsbury Town. He returned to Wolverhampton Wanderers as manager, having been appointed after the Derek Dougan-led takeover saved the club from extinction in August 1982. He guided Wolves to promotion back to the top-flight at the first attempt, finishing runners-up to Queens Park Rangers in the Second Division in 1982–83. However, life in the First Division was much tougher, and the side were relegated after a disastrous 1983–84 campaign. Hawkins was dismissed in April 1984, after a run of just one win in fourteen games.

He returned to Blackburn Rover as chief scout in 1990.[3] He went on to coach in Kuwait before his time in the Middle East was ended by the Invasion of Kuwait by Iraq.[3] He later worked as the Football League's head of player development.[4]

Later life

Hawkins was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in August 2009.[5] He died on 27 September 2016 at the age of 70.[6][7][8]

Career statistics

Playing statistics

Source:[9]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season Division League FA Cup Other[A] Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1964–65 First Division 10000010
1965–66 Second Division 1000000100
1966–67 Second Division 1600010170
1967–68 First Division 70000070
Total 3400010350
Preston North End 1967–68 Second Division 1100000110
1968–69 Second Division 3801030420
1969–70 Second Division 4132110444
1970–71 Third Division 4602030510
1971–72 Second Division 3801060450
1972–73 Second Division 3902010420
1973–74 Second Division 3200020340
Total 2453811601694
Blackburn Rovers 1974–75 Third Division 4213040491
1975–76 Second Division 3010070371
1976–77 Second Division 3121020342
1977–78 Second Division 600050110
Total 1094401801314
Port Vale 1977–78 Third Division 1610000161
1978–79 Fourth Division 4321020462
1979–80 Fourth Division 30002050
Total 6231040673
Career total 4501013139050211
A. ^ The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals in the League Cup, Football League Trophy, Football League play-offs and Full Members Cup.

Managerial statistics
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team From To Record
PWDLWin %
Wolverhampton Wanderers August 1982 April 1984 90 26 28 36 028.9
Total 90 26 28 36 028.9

Honours

as a Player
Individual
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Preston North End
Blackburn Rovers

as a Manager
Wolverhampton Wanderers manager

References
  • Matthews, Tony (2001). The Wolves Who's Who. West Midlands: Britespot. ISBN 1-904103-01-4.
  1. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 131. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  2. Rollin, Jack (1980). Rothmans football yearbook. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 299. ISBN 0362020175. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  3. Jackman, Mike (1994). Blackburn Rovers : the official encyclopaedia. Derby: Breedon. p. 119. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  4. "Crewe boss voices academy fears". BBC Sport. 8 February 2007. Retrieved 31 May 2009.
  5. "Come Dine With Us – Hawkins". wolvesheroes.com. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  6. Harrison, David. "Wolves are sad to announce the death of former player and manager Graham Hawkins who passed away on Tuesday, aged 70". Wolves Official Website. EFL Digital Limited. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  7. "Former Wolves manager Graham Hawkins dies, aged 70". Express and Star. 28 September 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  8. "Graham Hawkins Passes Away". Preston North End FC. 28 September 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  9. Graham Hawkins at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
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