Kevin_Hird
Kevin Hird
English footballer
Kevin Hird (born 11 February 1955) is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder or right back. He played in the Football League for Blackburn Rovers, Leeds United and Burnley. He started his career as a midfielder before being converted into a right back.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kevin Hird[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1955-02-11) 11 February 1955 (age 69) | ||
| Place of birth | Colne, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder, right back | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1973–1979 | Blackburn Rovers | 132 | (20) |
| 1979–1984 | Leeds United | 181 | (19) |
| 1984–1986 | Burnley | 83 | (23) |
| 1986–19?? | Colne Dynamoes | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Hird was born in Colne on 11 February 1955, and grew up as a Burnley fan.[3]
Hird developed through Blackburn Rovers's youth academy, joining as an apprentice in October 1970 and turning professional in February 1973.[4] He made his first team debut for the club towards the end of the 1973–74 season.[4] He was overlooked during the 1974–75 season as Blackburn were promoted from the Third Division as champions, but featured more frequently the following season.[4] Having started his career as a right-sided midfielder, he was successfully converted into a right back during the 1976–77 season by manager Jim Smith.[4]
Hird signed for First Division club Leeds United in March 1979 for a fee of £357,000, a record fee for both clubs and the highest fee paid for a full-back in British football at the time.[3][4] At Leeds, he was again used both as a midfielder and as a right back, and was noted for his "eye-catching" dribbling skills.[3] He was Leeds' top scorer for the 1979–80 season, albeit with just 8 goals, and held the responsibility of penalty-taker for three seasons.[5] In total, he made 200 appearances for Leeds and scored 21 goals.[3]
In summer 1984, Hird joined Third Division club Burnley.[4] He scored 16 league goals in his first season at the club as they were relegated to the Fourth Division.[3][4] He remained at the club for a further season before joining non-league Colne Dynamoes.[4]
In January 2008, Hird was accused of police assault after allegedly slapping a female police officer across the face after urinating in the street.[6] Hird admitted to the charge, and was conditionally discharged for six months and ordered to pay £60 costs.[7]
- "Kevin Hird". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
- Jarred, Martin (1986). Leeds United: a complete record, 1919-1986. Derby: Breedon. p. 324. ISBN 0-907969-17-8. OCLC 20934819.
- Jackman, Mike (1994). Blackburn Rovers: the official encyclopaedia. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 123. ISBN 1-873626-70-3. OCLC 32347139.
- "Kevin Hird". leedsunited.com. Leeds United F.C. 3 December 2003. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
- Bradshaw, Charlotte (9 January 2008). "Former pro footballer accused of police assault". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
- Magill, Peter (6 March 2008). "Former footballer urinated in street". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
- Profile at leeds-fans.org.uk
- Kevin Hird at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database