Iain Hesford (4 March 1960 – 18 November 2014)[2][3] was an English professional footballer. He played as a goalkeeper for teams including Blackpool, Eastern, Sunderland and South China.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 4 March 1960 | ||
| Place of birth | Ndola, Northern Rhodesia | ||
| Date of death | 18 November 2014 (aged 54) | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1+1⁄2 in (1.87 m)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1977–1983 | Blackpool | 202 | (0) |
| 1983–1986 | Sheffield Wednesday | 0 | (0) |
| 1985 | → Fulham (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 1985 | → Notts County (loan) | 10 | (0) |
| 1986–1988 | Sunderland | 97 | (0) |
| 1988–1991 | Hull City | 91 | (0) |
| 1991–1992 | Maidstone United | 42 | (1) |
| 1992–1996 | Eastern | ||
| 1996–1997 | Sing Tao | ||
| 1997–1998 | South China | ||
| International career | |||
| 1978 | England Youth | 1 | (0) |
| 1981–1982 | England U21 | 7 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Early career
editHesford began his career at Blackpool, where he played more than 200 games and won seven caps for the England Under-21 team. When he made his debut, against Oldham Athletic on 20 August 1977, aged 17, he became the youngest goalkeeper ever to play for Blackpool in a League game.[4] As he ran out for the second half, he offended the Latics support by flashing them a "V" sign.[4] In 1983, he was signed by Sheffield Wednesday, but didn't play a single game for the Owls. In 1986, he moved to Sunderland, where he played for two and a half seasons, before he moved to Hull City in December 1988, in a deal that saw Tony Norman move in the opposite direction. He was part of the Hull side that were relegated from the old Division 2 in 1991. He left the club, whereupon he signed for Maidstone United, who were also struggling at the time. He scored the winner in a 3–2 home win for Maidstone against Hereford United on a windy day in 1991, with a massive drop-kick from his own penalty area.
Career in Hong Kong
editHesford's career in Hong Kong started in July 1992 when he joined Eastern. He played for the club for 4 years before he moved to Sing Tao in 1996–97 season and later South China in 1997–98. During his time at Eastern, the club captured 5 trophies including the Hong Kong Senior Shield, FA Cup and the league championship. He was elected as the best foreign player in the league in 1992.[citation needed] He was also in the HKFDL Team of the Year for three seasons (1992–93, 1993–94 and 1994–95). While at Eastern, he went 827 minutes (over ten games) without conceding a goal, setting a HKFDL record before Loh Wai Chi scored for South China in a second round match.
He played for Hong Kong XI ('Hong Kong Golden Select') against England in a friendly which the visitors won 1–0.
He left Hong Kong in 1998 and started his career as a coach in England. He ran a hotel in Littleborough, near Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England.
Death
editOn 20 November 2014, the body of Hesford was discovered.[5] The local newspaper, the Blackpool Gazette, noted a "suspected heart attack."[6]
References
edit- ^ Rollin, Jack, ed. (1980). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1980–81. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 70. ISBN 0362020175.
- ^ "Obituary News - Blackpool Gazette". Blackpool Gazette. Archived from the original on 26 November 2014. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
- ^ "Iain Hesford: 1960-2014". Hullcitytigers.com. Archived from the original on 21 November 2014. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
- ^ a b Gillatt, Peter (30 November 2009). Blackpool FC on This Day: History, Facts and Figures from Every Day of the Year. Pitch Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1-905411-50-4.
- ^ "Sad News". Blackpoolfc.co.uk. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
- ^ "Tributes to 'larger than life' Pool legend". Blackpool Gazette. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
External links
edit- HKFA website (in Chinese) 聯賽不失球紀錄的保持者─希福特
- Iain Hesford at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database