34 Facts About Graham Hawkins

Graham Norman Hawkins was an English football player and manager.

Graham Hawkins spent fourteen years coaching and eight years in management and spent the later years of his life working as a football administrator.

Graham Hawkins served Shrewsbury Town as assistant manager from June 1980 until he was appointed as manager of Wolverhampton Wanderers in August 1982.

Wolves were relegated out of the First Division the following season, and Graham Hawkins was sacked in April 1984.

Graham Hawkins then spent six years coaching in the Middle East, with Bahrain SC, Al Hala SC and Al-Arabi SC.

Graham Hawkins later worked as Head of Player Development at the Football League and retired in March 2011.

Graham Hawkins attended Addenbrooke Street Primary, Slater Street Secondary Modern Boys School and Wednesbury Technical College.

Graham Hawkins represented both Staffordshire Boys and Birmingham Boys, playing as a full-back.

Graham Hawkins married Jane on 26 June 1967, a secretary from Wolverhampton, who he had first met at the age of 16.

Graham Hawkins died on 27 September 2016, at the age of 70.

Graham Hawkins picked up the nickname "Harry the Horse" after manager Ronnie Allen criticised his running technique during pre-season, comparing his face with that of a tired horse.

Graham Hawkins had to spend three months on the sidelines after tearing his ankle ligaments in a clash with Derby County's Kevin Hector.

Graham Hawkins was appointed captain by manager Jimmy Milne at the young age of 21.

Graham Hawkins was selected by Jimmy Armfield to tour Asia and New Zealand with an England "A" team in the summer of 1969, taking the place of the absent Alan Bloor, for five uncapped matches in Hong Kong, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Tahiti and New Zealand.

Graham Hawkins put in a transfer request, as did many of his teammates, but the board asked him to reconsider.

Graham Hawkins missed the match with an injury, and Ball stated that Preston could have got a positive result if Graham Hawkins had played.

Graham Hawkins was upset at Ball's sacking and felt that his successor, Frank Lord, confused the players with his tactics.

Graham Hawkins credited Lee with teaching him the concept of playing the ball out from the back, permitting him to use flair and patience rather than direct football tactics.

Graham Hawkins won the club's Player's Player of the Year award, though lost out the Fan's Player of the Year award after receiving only one vote fewer than winner Tony Parkes.

Graham Hawkins was appointed the first-team coach in May 1978 before being promoted to assistant manager by new boss Dennis Butler in September 1978.

When Butler stepped down as manager in August 1979, Graham Hawkins was expecting to be appointed as caretaker manager.

Graham Hawkins was a defender with a commanding presence and excellent ability to read, play, and organise the backline.

Graham Hawkins was appointed as Graham Turner's assistant at Second Division Shrewsbury Town in June 1980.

Graham Hawkins returned to Wolverhampton Wanderers as manager, having been appointed after the Derek Dougan-led takeover saved the club from extinction in August 1982.

Graham Hawkins installed Jim Barron as his assistant, whilst Frank Upton was put in charge of the youth team on the understanding that young players would be important to the first-team due to the club's tight budget.

Graham Hawkins got the players to devise their own bonus structure, which rewarded them for winning matches; he told the press that "they must stay in the top bracket if they want to earn their corn".

However, veteran centre-half Joe Gallagher left in acrimonious circumstances as Graham Hawkins tore up his contract after Gallagher made disparaging remarks in the press and refused to appear in the team photograph.

Graham Hawkins successfully applied for the management position at Al Hala SC.

Graham Hawkins returned to Blackburn Rovers as chief scout in 1990, though left this position to take up the lucrative management post at Kuwait club Al-Arabi SC, before his time in the Middle East was ended by the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait during pre-season training.

Graham Hawkins later did part-time scouting for Blackburn Rovers, as the chief scout post had been filled in his absence.

Graham Hawkins took up employment at John Ritchie's wholesaler business as a door-to-door salesman.

Graham Hawkins ran the pub for seven years, at which stage he became a gardener and warehouse worker.

Graham Hawkins re-entered the football industry after being employed by Elite Sports, helping the company to earn screening contracts to prevent the sudden cardiac death of athletes.

Graham Hawkins retired in March 2011, at the age of 65.