Micky Hazard

Micky Hazard
Personal information
Full name Michael Hazard[1]
Date of birth (1960-02-05) 5 February 1960 (age 64)[1]
Place of birth Sunderland,[1] England
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)[2]
Position(s) Central midfielder
Youth career
1976–1978 Tottenham Hotspur
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1978–1985 Tottenham Hotspur 91 (13)
1985–1990 Chelsea 81 (9)
1990 Portsmouth 8 (1)
1990–1993 Swindon Town 121 (17)
1993–1995 Tottenham Hotspur 28 (2)
Total 329 (42)
Managerial career
2014–2017 Hadley
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Michael Hazard (born 5 February 1960) is an English football coach and former professional footballer.

He played as a central midfielder notably in the top flight for Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea. He also played in the Football League for Portsmouth, Feyenoord in the Netherlands on loan, and Swindon Town. His second spell with Spurs brought numerous appearances in the Premier League.

Following retirement, he had a brief spell at Crystal Palace and later had a three-year spell as manager of non-league side Hadley.

Playing career

Growing up in Sunderland, Hazard began playing football with his friends and later joining his local school team. During one of these matches, he was spotted by a scout from London-based club Tottenham Hotspur but was too young to be offered a trial.[3]

He was initially invited to train with Spurs when aged 14 and continued to have week-long sessions with the club until, aged 16, he moved to London to join the youth squad as an apprentice. Prone to bouts of homesickness, Hazard ran home six times during the next two years until finally settling at the club.[3]

Hazard signed a professional contract with Spurs and made his League debut in a 3–0 victory versus Everton on 19 April 1980 aged 20. He was a member of the Tottenham side that won the 1982 FA Cup and UEFA Cup in 1984, where his crosses led to goals in both legs of the final against Anderlecht.[4]

Hazard was transferred to Chelsea in September 1985 for £300,000[5] and would remain at the club for the next five years, one of the team that won the 1986 Full Members Cup Final. He moved to Portsmouth in January 1990 before signing for Swindon Town in September 1990 for £130,000.

Hazard became an influential player in Swindon's play-off winning season of 1992–93 under Glenn Hoddle which saw them promoted to the Premier League. He was sold back to Tottenham in November 1993 for £50,000, where he would stay until his retirement on 23 April 1995.

Coaching career

Hazard has worked as a youth academy coach at Crystal Palace.[6]

He has said of his role at Crystal Palace – "I got my trophies and a whole sackful of terrific memories and now I've moved on helping the kids, and I love it. Playing was great but I still get the biggest buzz from seeing my lads do the best they can."[3]

In July 2011 it was announced that Micky would be assisting Chigwell Athletic in an advisory role alongside director of football Ben Richman.[7] In the summer of 2014, he became Manager of South Midlands League side Hadley.[8] He left the club in October 2017.

Personal life

He played in the Celebrity Soccer Six charity tournament in 2001 as a member of Damon Albarn's team and was eliminated in the Quarter-finals by Rod Stewart's "Vagabonds".[9]

It was reported in 2006 that he was a taxi driver.[10]

In July 2009, Hazard signed for Sevenoaks and District Football League team Dunton Green, adding "You never lose that buzz to want to play the game of football."[11]

Honours

Tottenham Hotspur

Chelsea

Swindon Town

Individual

References

  1. ^ a b c "Micky Hazard". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  2. ^ Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 122. ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5.
  3. ^ a b c "The Micky Hazard Column". My Eyes Have Seen The Glory. Retrieved 12 February 2007.
  4. ^ "When England conquered Europe". United's Euro Showdown. BBC News. 19 May 1999. Retrieved 12 February 2007.
  5. ^ Chelsea Football Club The Full Statistical Story 1905-1986 by Scott Cheshire and Ron Hockings ISBN 0-9511640-0-7
  6. ^ "Chris Hunt | Micky Hazard interview". Chrishunt.biz. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  7. ^ In the summer of 2014, he became Manager of Spartan South Midlands League club Hadley. "Hazard drafted in to boost Chigwell's Premier push". The Jewish Chronicle. 25 July 2011. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  8. ^ "Hazard drafted in to boost Chigwell's Premier push". The Jewish Chronicle. 25 July 2011. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  9. ^ "Six of the best". Funny Old Game. BBC Sport. 29 May 2001. Retrieved 12 February 2007.
  10. ^ Buckley, Will (2003). "Zola's strike of pure genius". London: The Observer. Retrieved 12 February 2007.
  11. ^ "Former Spurs ace joins Dunton Green". Sevenoaks Chronicle. 2009. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2009.
  12. ^ Lynch. The Official P.F.A. Footballers Heroes. p. 149.
  13. ^ Lynch. The Official P.F.A. Footballers Heroes. p. 149.