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Hard Cell

Trevor Hockey

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Great to see Trevors name being mentioned in such a good way by a few old''uns on another thread. Thought I''d share a note I put together for a group of guys who knew him well from his Sheff Utd days who were preparing a tribute to him.

*****************

"Lest We Forget

Trevor Hockey (born May 1, 1943 in Keighley, Yorkshire – April 2, 1987)

Trevor has always been my favourite Norwich City player even though he was only with us from his first appearance on 24th February 1973 to his last on 28th April the same year. Yes, only 13 appearences and only 9 points won but those 9 points kept us in the top division when all semed lost before he arrived.

While I will never forget how fortunate we were to have Martin Peters playing for little old Norwich, Martin and others who joined during a golden era (Super Mac & Phil Boyer et al) were all known quantities. We hoped and expected a level of performance from them but with “the bearded one” we were not too sure what to expect. Was it a panic buy? Could this firey and ferocious ex Blade add anything to aid City’s plight at the bottom of the league? We would soon know the answer.

Having moved out of the Barclay at the start of the 1973/74 season, to join a growing band of lads standing in the middle of the old South Stand, I would surge forward to greet the players running onto the pitch at the start of the game. Trevor would come charging out of the City Stand and raise both fists to us in a gesture meaning “if we’re going down then let’s go down fighting”.

With his leadership, tough tackling, and endless energy, he was a thorn in the side of every team we played. No opposition player was safe on the ball with Trevor snapping at his heels. Looking back I guess you could describe him as a smaller version of a Vinnie Jones sort of player. Surprisingly talented for somebody so commited to the cause. It’s when I now see players with more height, weight, and skill (such as Dickson Etuwho) wasting their talent by hiding and taking it easy during a game that I realise just how special Trevor was. He was not graced with silky skills, but could pass to a yellow shirt (more than our current crop of midfielders) and had a dynamo for a heart and pistons for legs.

He charged around the pitch driving his teammates forward. He never gave up on a lost cause and set an example to everyone around him. A manager’s dream. He would bark encouragement to his fellow team mates throughout a game.

Needless to say he became an instand cult hero. His short but stocky stature with his shock of long thick black hair (with headband), plus the bushy beard, made him a fearful sight for any opposition player. Many of them moved the ball on in haste when Trevor came biting at their legs.

He looked like a pirate but played a controlled Captain’s role in steering City clear of the rocks of relegation. Indeed, allowing for our far inferier goal difference, we were just one point ahead of Palarse and West Brom at the end of the season following our dramatic 2-1 win at Carrow Road (against Palarse) for Trevor’s penultimate game in a city shirt, but his last in front of nearly 37,000 adoring fans that night.

His professional career spanned 16 years, seven clubs and almost 600 appearances.

Born in Keighley, Trevor turned professional with Bradford City in May 1960. He left Valley Parade for Nottingham Forest in November 1961 but after just two years at the City Ground, he was on the move again, this time to Newcastle United where he collected a Second Division winners medal in 1965.

Now transformed from a winger into a central midfielder, Trevor joined Birmingham City in November 1965 in a £25,000 deal. He went on to make 231 appearances for the Blues scoring 13 goals. He was also the club captain when he was transferred to Sheffield United for £40,000 in January 1971.

He made his debut in a 2-1 away victory against Oxford United and, following instructions "to battle, to win the ball, and give it to Currie" he instantly became a Bramall Lane cult figure on the pitch with his beatle-style haircut, beard and tough tackling.

He played a large part in ensuring that United were promoted that year, including scoring the first goal in a 2-0 win, against Millwall on April 13, while sitting down after colliding with the goalkeeper.

His United career virtually ended with a broken leg against Manchester City on February 12, 1972. Struggling to regain his place in the first team, he made his final appearance on December 30 before Norwich City secured his services in February 1973, swapping him for Scottish striker Jim Bone.

However, after just six months with The Canaries, Trevor was back playing his football in Birmingham, this time for Aston Villa. After just a year at Villa Park he was on the move again, this time returning to his first club Bradford City.

In March 1976 Trevor became player-manager at Athlone Town before taking his footballing talents across the pond and a spell with San Diego Jaws in the North American Soccer League.

Trevor returned to England the following year and took on the managers role at non-league Stalybridge Celtic before another spell in the States as coach with both San Jose Earthquakes and Los Angeles Quicksilvers.

In a distinguished career Trevor won 9 international caps for Wales.

He died of a heart attack shortly after taking part in a five-a-side tournament in Keighley on 2nd April 1987, aged 43. What a waste.

God rest your soul dear Trevor. Rest in peace. Oh, and thanks mate.

PS. Wouldn’t mind betting those angels get rid of the ball a bit sharpish if you’re still playing!

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Thanks for the tribute, Hard Cell. Brings back such great memories; I was in the South Stand for his Norwich debut, and remember him fouling one of the opposition before he actually kicked the ball for Norwich ! But what a signing by Ron Saunders: having looked certain to be relegated, he brought in the "bite" of Trevor Hockey, along with the skill of Colin Suggett and Spider Mellor, and managed to keep us up - thanks to that final great victory over Palace. Oh happy days !

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i''ve heard of Trevor Hockey from Norwich fans around at the time and all i have heard is positive stuff. a fighter for the cause. Some people i know even go so far as to put him in their all time best city 11... because even though he made just 13 appearences his tenacity, heart and spirit secured him a place in City folklore... had we of kept hold of him longer what could he have been at the club?at a time where fans always seem to want to single some one out or find a scape goat it is interesting that every word i have heard spoken or read of Trevor has been positive despite his brief time here.He may not end up in a club hall of fame or be a named club legend. But to many Norwich fans supporting the club in 73 Trevor Hockey is a hero... perhaps thats the way to remember him in history.

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For someone who played so few games for City he''s an absolute legend.I remember him saying before one vital match that he didn''t care if he was booked as long as City stayed up and he was true to his word. He was booked in four consecutive games and that was in the day when you practically had to hospitalise an opponent to get your name in the ref''s little notebook.Somehow he never got sent off playing for us but were he to be playing for anyone now I reckon he''d be permanently banned.Those were the days......

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It was his passion above everything else

Those who watched the game in those dats will also remember Jim Bone in the same light.

Can''t imagone any player standing feet away fron the Barclay shouting and urging the fans on or being allowed to

Happy days - RIP Trevor and Jimmy

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yep, he sure is

can''t think who I was confusing him with

apologies to all

(especially Jim who I mistakenly consigned to that great early bath in the sky)

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"following our dramatic 2-1 win at Carrow Road (against Palarse) for Trevor’s penultimate game in a city shirt, but his last in front of nearly 37,000 adoring fans that night."

I was a 12 year old kid at that match and can recall the atmosphere like it was yesterday! Didn''t realise it was Trevor Hockey''s penultimate match for us. He certainly left an impression on me - to be considered the Norwich hard man when Big Dunc was still kicking seven shades of ordure out of the opposition

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[quote user="City1st"]It was his passion above everything else [/quote]

His passion for the game remained right through to his dying day. It was only a few games but all of us who remember those few games regard him a a legend. He played 13 times for Norwich and 9 times for Wales, 4 of those 9 while he was a City player! He was the first Anglo to play for Wales. His father was born there.

Later I was to meet him when he was coaching kids at Pontins. His passion for the game shone through and he had the full respect of each and every kid he coached. He was proud of his career and especially of his international caps. In his time in the game he swapped shirts with many of the worlds greatest players and he was proud of them too. I have a phot of my son wearing one of those caps beside Trevor Hockey. My son was a real youngster at the time and Trevor took to him because of his enthusiasm.

He lived for football and died in his football kit. In our house he will never be forgotten.

 

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I don''t know Mister and I can''t really be sure what was said at the time. He went on to play a year for Villa and then 44 games for Bradford before playing for 3 clubs in the States in about as many months including the aptly named Las Vegas Quicksilvers and San Jose Earthquakes.

When I met him he spoke really highly about Duncan Forbes and Dave Stringer and obviously had huge respect for them.

Another Hockey stat was that while he was at Bradford he became the youngest man to have played on all 92 Football League grounds of his day.

 

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Mr Chops: my understanding at the time was that Trevor Hockey was brought in to do a job - i.e. help keep Norwich in the First Division - and that, having achieved that successfully, he moved on. He was never part of Ron Saunders'' longer term team plan. Does anyone else remember this, or otherwise ?

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I saw every game he played for us in that season when we just avoided relegation thanks largely to his efforts. He looked like the wild man of Borneo and played like it tearing around all over the pitch. I used to wince at the tackles he threw himself into, all with his socks rolled down and no shin pads. Right up there with the best of my heroes in forty-five years of watching City. Totally gutted when he passed away so young.

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I don''t remember that John but it could well be. What I do remember was that we got cash plus Hockey from Sheffield United for Jimmy Bone.

 

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John. That was my take on the situation at the time. Saunders had his own ideas and Hockey moved on. What a real old time player and I remember him fondly.

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only in my 2nd season of watching Norwich back then but can still recall him,hard as nails,footnote great days in the old South Stand silk scarf and perched on a milk crate trying to watch the game

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[quote user="a loadofpunctuation"]As another that would put Trevor in my All-time City squad thanks for a great tribute Hard Cell. Again my memory is vague but I remember there was an outcry that he wasn''t to stay but that both parties said it was only ever meant to be a short term fix.[/quote]

Thanks Punc....

I knew one of our older posters would come good with tthe memories[Y]

[;)]

 

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I had been watching Norwich about three years when we signed him, and remember being a bit suprised.

The best I can describe it to younger supporters is like we had signed Vinnie Jones or Robbie Savage in more recent times.

He took no prisoners but I remember him as being very quick into the tackle making him a good ball winner.

I think its fair to say we probably would have been relegated if we had not signed him.

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Simply a one off, I only saw him a few times, and I think he was sent off everytime, talented, ''fiery'' does not do him justice. I believe he died straight after a five a side game. To this day we still laugh and exaggerate about him, because once seen never forgotten.

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I was lucky enough to be coached by him as a kid, probably about the same age as my son is now. I can''t speak highly enough of him, a real football man. I still remember that we had a league referee come in to talk to us on that course, I was only about 7, I was late arriving and Trevor had saved me the seat next to him. He''d been coaching us that day and it was belting down with rain, I was the only kid who wanted to carry on playing. I can''t be sure, I was too young to think that way, but I hope it was because he could see how much I loved the game. Whatever, there are some pictures somewhere with me wearing one of his welsh caps, I''m proud to have been lucky enough to do so, at the time I was gutted because a couple of the other kids got to hold the shirts of Pele and Cruyff!!

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As well as the defeat of Palace where Hockey played a major part victor at West Brom, the other relegated club that season, the game before ensured we stayed up. I can remember the headline in the Daily Mirror after the West Brom game being ''The Bite of the Warewolf'' highlighting Hockey''s influence on procedings.

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what brilliant memories. i was abroad in the raf at the time and never saw him play, only reports through the pink''un which i had sent to me wherever i was. it seems i missed a legend.

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[quote user="PKC"]As well as the defeat of Palace where Hockey played a major part victor at West Brom, the other relegated club that season, the game before ensured we stayed up. I can remember the headline in the Daily Mirror after the West Brom game being ''The Bite of the Warewolf'' highlighting Hockey''s influence on procedings.[/quote]

I remember us singing ''Hockey''s a Werewolf!'' but I can''t remember if that was when he was playing for us or when he was an opposition player.  Absolute legend despite his short stay with the club.

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Trevor Hockey was the biggest single reason for us staying up. Absolutely no doubt. One thing I always smile about all these years later, is that Saunders'' team had a tag of being hard and determined. Gritty. I think when Hockey arrived he actually gave new meanings to those words ! It was obvious he had plied his trade in this manner for a long time. And whilst I don''t argue with the comparison with Jones and Savage in more modern times, I am not actually sure whether even they would have survived 90 minutes with Trevor Hockey - the bearded buccaneer.

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