Graham Hawkins

Graham Hawkins

Personal information
Full name	Graham Norman Hawkins
Date of birth	5 March 1946 (1946-03-05)
Place of birth	Darlaston, England
Playing position	Defender
Youth career
1961–1964	Wolverhampton Wanderers
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1964–1967	Wolverhampton Wanderers	34	(0)
1967–1974	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. † Appearances (Goals).

Graham Norman Hawkins (born 5 March 1946 in Darlaston) is an English former football player and manager.

A defender, he began his career at Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1964, before he moved on to Preston North End three years later. In seven years with Preston he made 245 league appearances, and also served as their captain. 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 450 appearances in the 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 1984. Following this he coached in Saudi Arabia and then was made Head of Player Development at the Football League.

Playing career

Hawkins began his career with Wolverhampton Wanderers, making his debut in the Black Country derby against West Bromwich Albion on 10 October 1964. However, he failed to establish himself and moved to 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. He played over 250 games before moving to Blackburn Rovers in June 1974.

He later finished his playing career at Port Vale, signing as a player-youth coach for £6,000 from Blackburn in January 1978. He became a first team regular and was appointed as the first team coach in May 1978 before being promoted to assistant manager in September 1978. When manager Dennis Butler stepped down in August 1978 Hawkins was expecting to be appointed as caretaker manager. However the board appointed Alan Bloor in this role and he took up the position on a full time basis the following month. 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.

Coaching and Management career

Upon leaving Vale, he took up the assistant manager post at Shrewsbury Town before returning to Wolves as manager, 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 QPR.

However, life in the First Division was much tougher and the side were relegated after a disastrous campaign. Hawkins was dismissed in April 1984, after a run of just one win in fourteen games.

He later coached in Saudi Arabia.

He is currently the Football League's head of player development.

Honours

as a Player

Individual

• PFA Third Division Team of the Year: 1974–75

with Blackburn Rovers

• Third Division champion: 1974–75

as a Manager

with Wolverhampton Wanderers

• Second Division runners-up: 1982–83

References

• Matthews, Tony (2001). The Wolves Who's Who. West Midlands: Britespot. ISBN 1-904103-01-4.