Iain Hesford 1960-2014
Gerry Wolstenholme

Iain Hesford was born in Ndola, Zambia on 4 March 1960, the son of former Huddersfield Town goalkeeper Bob Hesford who was teaching in Lusaka at the time of his son’s birth. Returning to Britain, Iain was raised in Fleetwood and as a talented goalkeeper (like his dad) he was signed by Blackpool on Schoolboy terms during the 1974/75 season. He played his junior football with Millfield School, Thornton and it was there that Blackpool scout Jackie Wright spotted him. He also gained representative honours playing for Lancashire County.

Blackpool signed him as an apprentice professional prior to the 1976/77 season. and when regular goalkeeper Colin King had to drop out at the last minute, Hesford made his Central League debut against Newcastle United reserves on 21 August 1976 and he performed very creditably as Blackpool won 1-0. He went on to play 17 Central League games for Blackpool in the 1976/77 season. In that close season, May 1977, he was a member of the Blackpool six-a-side team that finished third in a tournament for northern clubs at Prestatyn.

Blackpool signed him as a professional in August 1977 but the club were still reportedly looking for a goalkeeper but were aware that they would have to 'pay through the nose unless Iain Hesford makes giant strides, good as he undoubtedly is'. However, Blackpool sold their regular goalkeeper George Wood so Hesford made his League debut in the opening game of the 1977/78 season against Oldham Athletic on 20 August 1977 when he became the youngest goalkeeper ever at that time to play for Blackpool in a League game. The game was drawn 1-1 and sponsors Hornsea Pottery gave him a coffee set for an excellent debut.

After a few more games, new signing Bob Ward was given the number one spot and Hesford returned to the Central League side. But his progress was still noted and in January 1978 he was named in the England Youth squad to face Crystal Palace Under-19 at Selhurst Park on 17 January 1978 when he had 'a successful outing', playing in the first half in a game drawn 0-0. He went on to win his first international cap for the England Youth side against France on 8 February 1978 at Crystal Palace’s ground. England won 3-1 and his watching father commented, 'He was in good form throughout and didn’t stand a chance with the goal the French scored.'

Once he replaced Bob Ward in the side against Peterborough United on 9 December 1978 in a game that ended in a 0-0 draw, he became Blackpool's first choice goalkeeper for the remainder of the season. He was due to make his England Under-21 debut against Holland on 21 February 1979 but the game was called off because of snow. 'It’s double Dutch,' said Hesford. He added, 'Being selected was something in itself and once you have been recognised you usually get another chance. I am disappointed, who would believe after all the snow we’ve had that once we got back playing again they would get snow over there?'

He was displaced by new signing Tom McAlister at the start of the 1979/80 season and had to revert to reserve team football. At the same time Blackpool manager Bob Stokoe was saying, 'Iain Hesford is possibly the only product of genuine quality that has been produced by the youth system in the last few years in terms of playing in the first team of a top side.' The club were arranging for former Manchester United and Northern Ireland goalkeeper Harry Gregg to have a look at him and Gregg commented, 'I’ve seen Iain and I think he can become a very good player. If I can help I will be delighted.'

In mid-August 1979 he turned down the early offer of a new contract when his expired at the end of June 1980 because he was hoping to find a new club at the close of the 1979/80 season. However, he earned a recall to the League side in place of McAlister against Chesterfield on 23 October 1979 when the game was drawn 0-0. Having shown excellent form on his return to League action, Blackpool’s new directors had a job on their hands to persuade him to stay at Bloomfield Road for there were said to be 'top clubs sniffing around'. A lot of hard talking took place and a three-year contract was offered in early November 1979. At the same time, former Liverpool manager Bill Shankly was rating Hesford as an England goalkeeper of the future and Blackpool talked of him being worth £500,000 in the transfer market. Ultimately he did remain at Blackpool.

Having been thwarted in his bid to play for England Under-21, the first time by fog in Holland in 1979 and then when John Lukic got the nod for a game against Norway, he was hoping to make his debut at that level against Romania on 14 October 1980. Having seen his friend Gary Bailey, with whom he had vied for the England Youth team goalkeeper’s spot, graduate to the full England squad he said, 'That’s my ambition, to keep goal for England.' But in March 1981 John Lukic was selected for the England ‘B’ squad and Blackpool manager Allan Brown felt that this was a slight on Hesford. He commented, 'He has all the natural attributes. And I hope Iain does not get disheartened because Lukic has been projected in this way.'

He was, however, in the England Under-21 side that won the European Under-21 Championship on 12 October 1982. He played seven times for the England Under-21 side in the 1982/83 season.

In January 1983 he requested a transfer and on 18 January 1983 manager Sam Ellis commented, 'Iain has expressed his wish to move as any young man with ambition would do. We understand his feelings and don’t want to stand in the way of a player of his calibre. We will listen to offers at the listed price and take it from there.' He was transfer-listed at a fee of £100,000 and all First and Second Division clubs were immediately circulated about his availability. It was a sad day for Blackpool fans when he was transferred to Sheffield Wednesday in August 1983 after having played 202 League games, 13 FA Cup ties, 14 League Cup ties, 41 Central League games and three other games for Blackpool during his time at the club.

Unfortunately he broke his finger in pre-season with the Owls, who then signed Martin Hodge, who had a long, unbroken run in the first team so consequently Hesford played no League football for Sheffield Wednesday, who loaned him out to Fulham in January 1985 and to Notts County in November 1985. He played three League games at Fulham and 10 League games at Notts County. Wednesday eventually transferred him to Sunderland for a fee of £80,000 in August 1986. He went on to play 97 League games for Sunderland, winning promotion from Division Three with the club in the 1987/88 season.

Sunderland transferred him to Hull City as part of a deal involving Tony Norman in December 1988 and he went on to play 91 League games for the Tigers, who transferred him to Maidstone United in August 1991. He played 42 League games, and scored one goal direct from a clearance, in his one season at Maidstone.

In 1992 he moved to Hong Kong and played for Eastern, winning five trophies, with the club in his four-year stay, Sing Tao, 1996/97, and South China, 1997/98, and on one occasion played against an England side for the Hong Kong Golden Select XI when his side lost 1-0. In 1992 he was voted the best foreign player of the year and he was in the Hong Kong FDL Team of the Year for three successive season, 1992/93 to 1994/95. In addition, while at Eastern he set a HKFDL record by going 827 minutes without conceding a goal.

On his return to England he did some coaching and after retirement from football he became a publican running the Queens and then the Sun Hotel in Littleborough. He returned to Blackpool to run a guest house in Charnley Road around 2012.

He died far too early on 18 November 2014 and will be sadly missed by friends, family and supporters.