Derek Kevan

Derek Kevan

Personal information
Full name	Derek Tennyson Kevan
Date of birth	6 March 1935 (1935-03-06) (age 76)
Place of birth	Ripon, England
Playing position	Centre-forward
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1952–1953	Bradford Park Avenue	15	(8)
1953–1963	West Bromwich Albion	262	(157)
1963	Chelsea	7	(1)
1963–1965	Manchester City	67	(48)
1965–1966	Crystal Palace	21	(5)
1966	Peterborough United	17	(2)
1966–1967	Luton Town	11	(4)
1967–1968	Stockport County	40	(10)
1968	Macclesfield Town
1968	Boston United
1968–1969	Stourbridge
1969–1970	Ancell's
National team
1957–1961	England	14	(8)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Derek Tennyson Kevan (born 6 March 1935, Ripon) is a retired English footballer. He played for West Bromwich Albion as an attacker. He earned 14 caps for the England national football team, scoring a total of eight goals, including two in the 1958 FIFA World Cup. During his Albion career, he earned the nickname "The Tank".^[1] In 1961–62 he was joint leading scorer in Division One – alongside Ray Crawford of Ipswich Town – with 33 goals.^[2]

Career

Although everyone, including the most dedicated Albion supporter, knew he lacked finesse, Kevan made up for it with pure strength and commitment, often bulldozing his way through both First Division and international defences. Referred to as ‘The Tank’ he certainly thrilled the Baggies’ fans with his all-action style and his goalscoring ability. Kevan was the first signing made by the former Tottenham Hotspur full-back Vic Buckingham after he had taken over from Jesse Carver as manager at The Hawthorns in February 1953. Secured for what was to be prove a bargain fee of just £2,000, Kevan completed his National Service in the Army before actually bedding himself in at The Hawthorns.

He recalled: “I was based initially at Yeovil and then at Preston and played a few games for my battalion and when on leave I also turned out occasionally for Albion’s second and third teams. During this time I first met up with Don Howe and Duncan Edwards.”

Kevan, who was being coached by the former Baggies’ goalscoring hero from the 1930s, ‘W.G.’ Richardson, eventually made his League debut (with Howe) in Albion’s 2–0 home win over Everton in August 1955. Replacing the injured Ronnie Allen, he impressed that evening by scoring twice but it wasn’t until just after the start of the 1956–57 season that he finally established himself in the first team. And once in, he stayed to become a legend at The Hawthorns! Standing well over six feet, weighing 13 stones, Kevan was as strong as an ox and despite his bulk, was pretty quick off the mark. He was predominantly right-footed and was exceptionally good in the air. His tank-like thunderings down the middle of the pitch gave opposing goalkeepers (and centre-halves) nightmares more than once.

During the early part of his Albion career Kevan had Bobby Robson and Allen alongside him in attack while Jimmy Dudley and Ray Barlow supplied the passes from wing-half. Then after Robson had switched to wing-half, a young Bobby Hope came in to thread the ball through to him from centre-field.

He thrived on the ball placed ahead of him and given enough space, he was onto it like a flash, often trying a shot at goal whenever possible. He didn’t bother about passing to a colleague – his aim was to score for his club – and he did that regularly. His boss at The Hawthorns, Buckingham agreed that Kevan's control was really no more than adequate at best and he tended to be a shade slow on the turn. But his presence out on the pitch always made defenders think twice, especially when the ball was pumped into the air.

Kevan and his team-mates, were devastated when Albion lost to Aston Villa in the semi-final of the FA Cup in March 1957. Recalled Kevan “We led twice in the first game at Molineux but were pegged back to 2–2 late on. And then, right at the end, I should have won the tie but missed when clean through with only the keeper to beat. Allen was injured in the replay and we lost 1–0.”

Kevan scored 20 goals that season, added 23 more in 1957–58, netted 28 the following term, weighed in with 29 in 1959–60 (including a wonderful five-time in a 6–2 home League won over Evberton), notched 18 in 1960–61 and then claimed a total of 34 in 1961–62, finishing joint top scorer in the First Division with Ipswich’s Ray Crawford with 33, the highest post-WW2 League haul by an Albion player to this day.

One of the most controversial players to play for his country and one of the most unfairly abused, Kevan's bustling tactics were not viewed with unalloyed approval by some critics, but no one could deny he made his presence felt on the international circuit. He scored eight goals in 14 appearances, starting off with a great header on his debut against Scotland at Wembley in April 1957 and after being selected ahead of Brian Clough, netted twice in the 1958 World Cup finals in Sweden, his first past the great Russia goalkeeper Lev Yashin, his second against Austria. Kevan also gained under-23 honours and netted a hat-trick for the Football League against the Scottish League in 1958.

In March 1963 Kevan was stunned when he was told that Albion were transferring him to Chelsea. He had already bagged 16 goals 28 appearances that season, including hat-tricks against Fulham and Ipswich and a four-timer against Bolton when, out of the blue, he was sensationally (and that’s not exaggerating) sold to the London club for £50,000.

Kevan said that he never wanted to leave Albion. He had made so many friends and had enjoyed almost 10 years with the club. Indeed, it came as a huge shock when he left. His manager at the time was Archie Macaulay who had never really appreciated his work-rate and several times Kevan had confronted him. Then, following a board meeting in March 1963, Kevan was told by Chairman H. Wilson Keys that Albion had accepted an offer from Chelsea and we’re selling him. Obviously upset he later spoke to Macaulay and said “Thanks very much. I gather you don’t want me then?” And off he went to Stamford Bridge, bitterly annoyed. He had scored 173 goals for Albion in 291 games – a superb record. And to make things worse, some Albion players were still in shock as they lost their next match 7–0 to Wolves at Molineux, with Kevan looking on from the stands!

Remembered Kevan “When I arrived at Chelsea I immediately fell out with manager Tommy Docherty. I told him to his face that I’m not going to play for him and after seven games I was sold to Manchester City.” Kevan did well at Maine Road, his 30 goals in 1963–64 helping City gain promotion to the top flight. Relatively unsuccessful spells at Selhurst Park, Peterborough and Luton followed before he finally gained a medal when Stockport won the Fourth Division title in 1967. After winding down his career in non-League football, Kevan worked in a pub and was a delivery driver before returning to The Hawthorns in 1983 to work as a Lottery agent as well as playing for the Albion All Stars charity team whom he later managed. He now lives with his wife Connie in Castle Bromwich.

References

1. ^ Our Favourite Players – Final List
2. ^ "English League Leading Goalscorers 1889–2007". RSSSF. 2007-06-14. http://www.rsssf.com/tablese/engtops.html. Retrieved 2007-09-02. 

External links

• Derek Kevan – FIFA competition record
• Englandstats.com profile

Persondata
Name	Kevan, Derek
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1935-03-06
Place of birth	Ripon, England
Date of death
Place of death