Kevin Hector
Encyclopedia
Kevin James Hector is an English former footballer who scored 268 goals from 662 appearances in the Football League
playing for Bradford Park Avenue
and Derby County
. His 486 League appearances for Derby County is a club record. He also played in the North American Soccer League
for the Vancouver Whitecaps
, and was capped twice for England
.
in 1966 and was a key player in their success under the management of Brian Clough
and Dave Mackay over the next few seasons, forming a formidable partnership with John O'Hare
. Hector played for the Rams for a total of 12 years, during which time they won the Football League First Division
championship twice (the first time in 1972 under Clough and the second time in 1975 under Mackay), the Football League Second Division
championship and promotion to the First Division in 1969, and reached the semi-finals of the European Cup
, FA Cup
and the League Cup. He rejoined the club for a brief spell in 1980, when they had been relegated back to the Second Division, and stayed with them for two years. He made a total of 486 league appearances, and scoring 155 goals. He was also capped twice for England
. His 486 league appearances is a record for a Derby County player.
He is regarded as one of the greatest players to ever wear a Derby County shirt and was nicknamed "The King" by the Derby fans.
Hector made his breakthrough with Bradford Park Avenue after having played in Leeds United's youth team.His goal scoring exploits for Avenue include 44 league goals in 1965-66, the season in which he became the third youngest player to reach 100 league goals, headed only by Jimmy Greaves and Dixie Dean. In September 1966 he was signed by then Derby County manager Tim Ward for the sum of £
34,500. He left Derby for Vancouver Whitecaps when Tommy Docherty
would not play him in the first team, scoring 15 goals for the Canadian outfit as they won the 1979 NASL title. He returned to Derby under Peter Taylor and scored in his final game. Hector then played for Burton Albion, a non-League club at the time, continuing to live in the Derby area.
On leaving football Hector became a postman, but was a regular player for Derby County charity events, including scoring his first overhead kick at age 59.
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
playing for Bradford Park Avenue
Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C.
Bradford Association Football Club, previously also known as Bradford and since its reformation in the 1970s now referred to as Bradford Park Avenue, is a football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England...
and Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
. His 486 League appearances for Derby County is a club record. He also played in the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
for the Vancouver Whitecaps
Vancouver Whitecaps (NASL)
The original Vancouver Whitecaps were founded on December 11, 1973 and during the 1970s and 1980s played in the North American Soccer League . The Whitecaps achieved success, winning the 1979 Soccer Bowl. The Whitecaps of that era included international players such as Alan Ball, but also "home...
, and was capped twice for England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
.
Career
After a successful start to his playing career in the lower leagues at Bradford Park Avenue, he signed for Derby CountyDerby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
in 1966 and was a key player in their success under the management of Brian Clough
Brian Clough
Brian Howard Clough, OBE was an English footballer and football manager. He is most notable for his success with Derby County and Nottingham Forest. His achievement of winning back-to-back European Cups with Nottingham Forest, a traditionally moderate provincial English club, is considered to be...
and Dave Mackay over the next few seasons, forming a formidable partnership with John O'Hare
John O'Hare
John O'Hare is a Scottish former footballer. His clubs included Sunderland, Derby County and also Nottingham Forest and was part of their European Cup victory in 1980, coming on as a substitute in the final. He also won thirteen caps for the Scotland national team, scoring five goals.- Career...
. Hector played for the Rams for a total of 12 years, during which time they won the Football League First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
championship twice (the first time in 1972 under Clough and the second time in 1975 under Mackay), the Football League Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
championship and promotion to the First Division in 1969, and reached the semi-finals of the European Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
, FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
and the League Cup. He rejoined the club for a brief spell in 1980, when they had been relegated back to the Second Division, and stayed with them for two years. He made a total of 486 league appearances, and scoring 155 goals. He was also capped twice for England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
. His 486 league appearances is a record for a Derby County player.
He is regarded as one of the greatest players to ever wear a Derby County shirt and was nicknamed "The King" by the Derby fans.
Hector made his breakthrough with Bradford Park Avenue after having played in Leeds United's youth team.His goal scoring exploits for Avenue include 44 league goals in 1965-66, the season in which he became the third youngest player to reach 100 league goals, headed only by Jimmy Greaves and Dixie Dean. In September 1966 he was signed by then Derby County manager Tim Ward for the sum of £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
34,500. He left Derby for Vancouver Whitecaps when Tommy Docherty
Tommy Docherty
Thomas Henderson "Tommy" Docherty , commonly known as "The Doc", is a Scottish former footballer and football manager.-Playing career:...
would not play him in the first team, scoring 15 goals for the Canadian outfit as they won the 1979 NASL title. He returned to Derby under Peter Taylor and scored in his final game. Hector then played for Burton Albion, a non-League club at the time, continuing to live in the Derby area.
On leaving football Hector became a postman, but was a regular player for Derby County charity events, including scoring his first overhead kick at age 59.