Five decades in football – a new book on Wolves favourite Graham Hawkins

Born in Darlaston and growing up a boyhood Wolves fan, Hawkins had an incredible career over 50 years as a player, manager and scout.

He made 35 first-team appearances for Wolves, helping them win promotion to the top flight in 1967, before leading them to promotion as manager in the 1982/83 season.

He also spent time as assistant manager at Shrewsbury – among several other jobs that also saw him work in Bahrain – before his death in 2016 aged 70.

Now, daughter-in-law Kirstie Hawkins, with help from Graham’s wife Jane, has published her first book, titled ‘A Marriage Made in Football: The Story of Graham and Jane Hawkins’.

Kirstie said: “It’s lovely to hear from people who’ve enjoyed reading it. I hope his friends and family feel like it is a fitting tribute to a really special man. He was obviously so well-loved and admired.

“I love the picture on the cover – it’s a painting by Wolves artist Louise Cobbold from a photograph of Graham in the dugout at Molineux. If anyone ever wondered what it feels like to manage a team in the top flight when things aren’t going your way, then those blue eyes tell a story on their own.

“Graham and all of his family are Wolves through and through. Signing as a Cullis Cub and playing with his childhood heroes was a dream come true and coming back to his club as manager was a massive honour for him. He gave his all to the club – if funds had been available for players in that first season in the top flight, there could have been a very different story to tell.

“Beating giants Liverpool at Anfield in January 1984 for the first time in 33 years was a feat that took 27 years to repeat and a career highlight for Graham, as was winning promotion of course.

“He’s right out of the Wolves golden era, yet his career in the game spanned five decades. I wanted to understand how football has evolved over that time and especially what football values Graham has passed on to his son, my husband Richard.

“He did a lot in football and the book charts the history of the game over his lifetime as well as what that meant for family life.”

When asked what the inspiration for the book was, Kirstie added: “I only met Graham once before he died in 2016 and I wanted to get to know him, to find out who he was. When lockdown hit, it struck me that it would be a good project to do together with my mother-in-law Jane to keep her entertained – none of us knew how long she would be stuck home alone. Plus I’m ‘married to football’ as well, and whilst husband Richard is a football sports scientist rather than a player/manager like his dad Graham, it’s not the kind of job you ever leave behind at the office and I was interested in what that meant for Jane over the years.

“It’s great to think that Graham and Jane’s four grand-daughters will be able share their Grandad’s story with their children.

“I think that he would be happy to know that his family were all taking care of his beloved wife Jane and proud that his grand-daughters will know about his life in football. All of the profits from the book will go to Head for Change, a charity supporting ex-players and their families suffering from dementia and as he did so much for charity over his life, I think he would be pleased that his name was being used for a good cause.”

The book is available to buy now on Amazon.