31 Facts About Keith Houchen

Keith Houchen started his professional career at Hartlepool United in February 1978, after failing to win a contract at Chesterfield.

Keith Houchen was coached by Billy Horner to become a strong centre-forward, using his natural strength and power to retain possession in attacking positions.

Keith Houchen featured in the 1987 FA Charity Shield, but he faded from the first-team picture at Highfield Road.

Keith Houchen was appointed as player-manager in April 1995 but endured a tough time at Victoria Park and left the club in November 1996.

Keith Houchen later coached at the Middlesbrough Academy and entered the property market.

Keith Morton Houchen was born in Middlesbrough to Ken and Vernie Houchen, who both worked in social clubs.

Keith Houchen grew up some five minutes from Ayresome Park.

Keith Houchen grew up with three brothers; Jimmy, Dennis, and Patrick, who all joined the Coldstream Guards; and one sister, Jackie.

Keith Houchen was not offered a professional contract at Chesterfield by manager Arthur Cox and so left the club without making a senior appearance at Saltergate.

However, having scored 65 goals in 170 league appearances, Keith Houchen wanted a move to a bigger club at a higher division; he regularly handed in transfer requests, but the club ignored all.

Keith Houchen scored one goal against Chelsea in 14 appearances, as the "O's" finished in last place and were relegated out of the Second Division in 1982.

Keith Houchen scored on his debut against Aldershot at the Recreation Ground, despite missing a penalty; he replaced Steve Senior in the second half, who had broken his leg.

The "Minstermen" went on to win the Fourth Division championship by a 16-point margin, with Keith Houchen featuring mostly as a substitute in the final seven games.

Keith Houchen quickly regretted the move, and despite getting along well with manager Frank Barlow he found himself hating everything at the club, from the supporters to the Old Showground itself.

Keith Houchen then scored two against Sheffield Wednesday in the quarter-finals, and one against Leeds United in the semi-finals, both games being held at Hillsborough.

However, Keith Houchen almost missed the match after catching food poisoning from a trout caught by reserve goalkeeper Jake Findlay.

The result was all the more remarkable considering that Coventry went on to finish seventh in the league and that Keith Houchen was one of ten Coventry players that day who had won the FA Cup less than two years previously.

Keith Houchen had come close to signing for Queens Park Rangers, but was not willing to move to London following his experience with Orient.

Already riled by a telling-off from manager Alex Miller, Keith Houchen had a run-in with his own supporters following a defeat to Raith Rovers at Stark's Park.

Keith Houchen made his last appearance for the club in a Scottish Cup game against St Johnstone, during which he was sent off for kicking Tommy Turner.

Keith Houchen later said that he liked Scotland but did not enjoy Scottish football, and was particularly critical of the standard of refereeing; referees were unwilling to punish fouls from defenders but quick to brandish cards for attackers who reacted poorly to being kicked.

Keith Houchen fell out with manager John Rudge, and the two stopped speaking to each other.

Keith Houchen later admitted that "I should have knocked on the door and said, 'This is stupid'".

Keith Houchen left Vale Park on a free transfer in June 1993 and turned down a move to Cyprus club AC Omonia to return to former club Hartlepool United.

Keith Houchen was a coach at the club, but quickly fell out with temporary 'advisory coach' Sandy Clark.

Keith Houchen scored a hat-trick against Bury, though was later sent off in the match for allegedly swearing at referee Kevin Lynch; at the time of the incident Keith Houchen was receiving treatment for knee ligament damage which would keep him out of action for six weeks.

Keith Houchen appointed his former boss Billy Horner as youth team coach and employed Brian Honour and Mick Tait.

Keith Houchen continued to bemoan refereeing decisions which seemed to go against Hartlepool consistently.

Billy Horner compared him with Malcolm Poskett, and stated the only quality missing in Keith Houchen's game was aggression.

Keith Houchen married his wife, Yvonne, on 17 July 1982.

Keith Houchen appeared as one of the players selected for the new Wembley Stadium's 'Walk of Fame' before the venue's first FA Cup final in May 2007.