Dave Hockaday

David Hockaday (born 9 November 1957) is an English former professional footballer who is currently Head of Male Football at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College. He has previously worked as a manager at Leeds United, Forest Green Rovers, Kidderminster Harriers and in a caretaker capacity at Coventry City.

David Hockaday
Hockaday as manager of Forest Green Rovers
Personal information
Full name David Hockaday[1]
Date of birth (1957-11-09) 9 November 1957[1]
Place of birth Sedgefield, England
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Position(s) Winger / Right-back
Youth career
Billingham Synthonia
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1975–1983 Blackpool 147 (24)
1983–1990 Swindon Town 245 (7)
1990–1993 Hull City 72 (2)
1993 → Stoke City (loan) 7 (0)
1993–1995 Shrewsbury Town 48 (0)
1995 Cirencester Town
Total 519 (33)
Teams managed
2009–2013 Forest Green Rovers
2014 Leeds United
2015 Coventry City (caretaker)
2015–2016 Kidderminster Harriers
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

A former professional footballer, Hockaday played for Blackpool, Hull City, Shrewsbury Town, Stoke City and Swindon Town. as a right-back. After his playing career ended he helped establish a football academy at Cirencester, as well as spending time as first team coach at Watford and as youth team coach at Southampton. He also spent four years as manager of Conference Premier side Forest Green Rovers.

In June 2014, Hockaday became the new head coach of Leeds United. On 28 August 2014, his contract was terminated by the owner of Leeds. During February 2015, Hockaday also had a short spell as caretaker manager of Coventry City. In October 2015, it was announced Hockaday would take over as head coach at National League side Kidderminster Harriers.

Playing career

Blackpool

Hockaday was born in Sedgefield, County Durham.[1] He started his career as a youth player with Billingham Synthonia. In June 1975, aged 17, he joined Blackpool, then playing in the Second Division. He made his first start for the Tangerines on 25 September 1976, in a 1–0 home loss to Chelsea. Aside from a League Cup second-round tie against Sheffield Wednesday, he sat out the entire 1977–78 campaign, but the following season he became a more regular first-team player as Blackpool slid down the leagues. He scored his first goal for the club in a 3–1 loss at Colchester United on 30 September 1978, and, later that season, scored both goals in Blackpool's 2–1 victory at Lincoln City.

Also on 30 September, this time in 1981, Hockaday was amongst the scorers in Blackpool's 7–1 rout of Halifax Town at Bloomfield Road. In his final season in Lancashire, he made 40 league appearances and scored eight goals, but was unable to prevent Blackpool from finishing fourth from bottom and needing to seek re-election. In his eight seasons at Blackpool he made over 190 first-team appearances, scoring 27 goals.[2]

Swindon Town

In June 1983, he moved on a free transfer to fellow Fourth Division side Swindon Town. He was a solid, dependable right-back and was part of the team managed by Lou Macari that gained the Fourth Division championship in the 1985–86 season, following this with promotion to Division Two in 1986–87. In 1988–89 Swindon reached the Second Division play-offs but failed in their attempt to gain promotion to the top flight. In 1989–90 Swindon won the Second Division play-off final but Sunderland were promoted instead after the Swindon board admitted a series of financial irregularities. Swindon were initially demoted to the Third Division and replaced by Tranmere Rovers, the division's losing play-off finalists, but this decision was later reversed on appeal. In September 1990, Hockaday moved to Hull City for a fee of £50,000 having made 308 appearances for Swindon, with 11 goals.

Later career

At Hull City he was part of the side which suffered relegation from the Second Division at the end of the 1990–91 season. He played 15 times for Hull the following season and spent the end of the 1992–93 campaign on loan at Stoke City where he played seven times helping the Potters win the Second Division title.[3] After a third season at Hull he moved on to Shrewsbury Town. He was a member of the Shrewsbury team who won the Third Division title at the end of his first season, before he dropped out of league football, moving to Cirencester Town in 1995.

Coaching career

In 1996, Hockaday established one of the first football academies in the country at Cirencester,[4] following the Thorp Arch model that Howard Wilkinson started at Leeds United in 1994.[5] The Cirencester Football Academy was created in conjunction with the local Sixth Form College. The Academy team soon built up a nationwide reputation by winning the National College Championship. In 2000, he joined Graham Taylor at Watford as the club's Under 18 coach. As Under 18 coach at Watford, Hockaday helped develop the careers of players such as Paul Robinson, Hameur Bouazza, Tommy Smith, Darren Ward, Ashley Young and Alhassan Bangura. In 2005, he was promoted to first-team coach and assisted the Hornets as the club won promotion to the Premier League in 2006.

In January 2007, as Watford struggled to avoid relegation, he was sacked by manager Adrian Boothroyd.[6] In March 2007 he joined Martin Allen at Milton Keynes Dons until the end of the season,[7] where the team reached the League Two play-offs. In May 2007, Martin Allen moved to Leicester City and on 6 June it was announced that Hockaday would be joining the Leicester City coaching staff.[8]

On 19 June 2007, it was announced that he would be joining Southampton as youth team coach replacing Georges Prost,[9] he was put on gardening leave by the club in January 2009 and was released from his contract in May of the same year.[10] Hockaday again linked up with Martin Allen at his new club Cheltenham Town for a very short period on a non-contract basis however left the club when John Schofield was appointed as the club's assistant manager in March 2009.[11]

Managerial career

Forest Green Rovers

In September 2009 Hockaday became the first team manager at Forest Green Rovers.[12][13] The job was the first time he had been appointed to a managerial position. He led Forest Green Rovers to the third round of the FA Cup in his debut season as a manager after overcoming Bath City in the second round.[14] Rovers were knocked out in the third round however by League Two outfit Notts County meaning Forest Green missed out on the chance to face Premier League opposition in the shape of Wigan Athletic.[15]

His first season as manager ended with relegation from the Conference Premier.[16] However, Forest Green were reinstated following Salisbury City's failure in their appeal against demotion from the Conference for financial irregularities. Despite the team finishing in a relegation position and coming under fire from a number of the club's fans, Hockaday was offered a new one-year contract for the 2010–11 season.[17] In his second season as Forest Green boss the team narrowly avoided relegation to the Conference South the team lost their final day fixture, a 2–1 loss away at Tamworth, but stayed in the league on goal difference.[18]

In his third season as Forest Green manager the club finished the season in 10th place. Hockaday's fourth season as manager of the club again ended with another 10th-place finish in the Conference Premier despite reportedly having the largest transfer and wage budget in the division.[19] In February 2013, Hockaday dismissed rumours linking him with the vacant managerial post at former club Swindon Town after the departure of Paolo Di Canio.[20]

After a disappointing start to the 2013–14 season, and after a run which saw Forest Green suffer seven defeats in eight games, Hockaday left the club by mutual consent on 21 October 2013.[21]

Leeds United

On 19 June 2014, Hockaday was appointed as head coach of Leeds United on a two-year contract. Junior Lewis was hired as Hockaday's assistant. The appointment was both a surprise and a great disappointment to a large majority of Leeds United fans. Hockaday was widely ridiculed on social media and became known as "The Hock", partly due to the pronouncements of a fake Twitter account set up in his name.[22][23][24] His annual salary was reported as being about £90,000, compared to the £750,000 paid to his predecessor Brian McDermott.[25]

Hockaday took his team to Italy for a two-week training camp, and his first pre-season game as head coach resulted in a 16–0 victory against Italian amateur minnows FC Gherdeina. After the sixteenth goal had been scored, United's new goalkeeper Marco Silvestri was allowed to switch sides and play for the amateur team until the end of the game.[26] A second match in Italy was planned but failed to take place because the opposition did not show up. After returning to England, Leeds played several friendlies against lower league opposition, starting with a 2–0 win over local side Guiseley (who play in the sixth tier of English football) on 19 July, with goals coming from Matt Smith and Jason Pearce.[27] The final game of pre-season resulted in a creditable win over SPL side Dundee United at Elland Road. Hockaday referred to his team as a "work in progress", praised his players for "putting a shift in" and said that they were improving with every game.

However, Leeds lost their first game of the new season 2–0, away at Millwall on 9 August.[28] Hockaday's first and only league victory was against Middlesbrough at Elland Road on 16 August, with new striker Billy Sharp scoring a late winner on his debut.[29][30]

Two more defeats followed, 2–0 against Brighton and 4–1 against Watford – a game which Leeds finished with nine men.[31] After the Watford game, Leeds United's owner Massimo Cellino was reported to have made up his mind to sack Hockaday, but then had a change of heart, deciding to blame himself for the club's poor start to the season.[32] But Hockaday's reprieve did not last long. On 27 August 2014, Leeds were knocked out of the League Cup by League 1 side Bradford City. Leeds had to play most of the game with ten men after a red card was shown to Luke Murphy, who became the fourth Leeds player to be sent off in Hockaday's first six games in charge (the others being Gaetano Berardi in the previous round of the Cup against Accrington Stanley, and Giuseppe Bellusci and Sam Byram against Watford).[33]

On 28 August 2014, Hockaday and assistant Lewis were sacked by Cellino, having been in the job for only 70 days.[34][35]

Swindon Supermarine

In November 2014, he was appointed to an advisory role at non-league side Swindon Supermarine.[36] Later that month, he took on the role of assistant manager at Swindon Supermarine on a temporary basis, with club director Jez Webb describing Hockaday's appointment as "humbling."[37][38][39]

Coventry City

Following his temporary role with Swindon Supermarine, Football League One side Coventry City announced on 2 February 2015 that Hockaday had been appointed professional development coach for the rest of the 2014–15 season. Manager Steven Pressley said that Hockaday would be working with the first team in addition to his duties coaching the Under-21s.[40]

On 23 February following the departure of Steven Pressley, Hockaday took on the role of joint caretaker manager with Neil MacFarlane. They were in charge of two games, a 2–1 victory over Milton Keynes Dons and a 1–0 defeat at Barnsley.[41] On 3 March 2015, Tony Mowbray was appointed manager of Coventry City on a deal until the end of the 2014–15 season.[42]

Kidderminster Harriers

In October 2015, National League side Kidderminster Harriers announced Hockaday had been appointed as new head coach.[43] He guided them to their first league win in 22 games, when they beat Woking FC 1–0 on 31 October 2015.[44] Hockaday was sacked on 7 January 2016 with the Harriers bottom of the league having won only two games in charge of the team.[45]

After leaving Kidderminster he opened his own football academy for young footballers based in Wiltshire.[46] In October 2016, he was appointed the new head of male football at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College.[47]

Career statistics

Source:[48]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other[A] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Blackpool 1976–77 Second Division 5000202090
1977–78 Second Division 0000100010
1978–79 Third Division 184105030274
1979–80 Third Division 71201030131
1980–81 Third Division 364224041467
1981–82 Fourth Division 417502010497
1982–83 Fourth Division 408205000478
Total 1472412220013119227
Swindon Town 1983–84 Fourth Division 363502130464
1984–85 Fourth Division 221101000241
1985–86 Fourth Division 371204121453
1986–87 Third Division 402404090572
1987–88 Second Division 430304051551
1988–89 Second Division 440402030530
1989–90 Second Division 200104000250
1990–91 Second Division 3000000030
Total 245720024222231111
Hull City 1990–91 Second Division 351002000371
1991–92 Third Division 120100020150
1992–93 Third Division 251202120312
Total 722304140833
Stoke City (loan) 1992–93 Second Division 7000000070
Shrewsbury Town 1993–94 Third Division 320304010400
1994–95 Second Division 160102020210
Total 480406030610
Career total 5193339254342365441
A. ^ The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals in the Anglo-Scottish Cup, Football League Group Cup, Football League Trophy, Football League play-offs and Full Members Cup.

Managerial statistics
As of 7 January 2016.[49] Forest Green League Managerial Record confirmed by Sky Sports Yearbook[50]
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team From To Record
PWDLWin %
Forest Green Rovers 9 September 2009 21 October 2013 189 64 50 75 033.9
Leeds United 19 June 2014 28 August 2014 6 2 0 4 033.3
Coventry City (caretaker) 23 February 2015 3 March 2015 2 1 0 1 050.0
Kidderminster Harriers 9 October 2015 7 January 2016 13 2 1 10 015.4
Total 205 68 50 87 033.2

Honours

Swindon Town

Stoke City

Shrewsbury Town

  • Football League Third Division champions: 1993–94

References
  1. "David Hockaday". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  2. Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992. Breedon Books Sport. ISBN 1-873626-07-X.
  3. Lowe, Simon (2000). Stoke City The Modern Era – A Complete Record. Desert Island Books. ISBN 1-874287-39-2.
  4. http://www.cirentownfc.com/centurion-football/academy/
  5. https://www.leeds.gov.uk/docs/thorp%20arch%20parish%20plan%20and%20vds.pdf%5B%5D
  6. Mail, Simon (9 September 2009). "Former Watford coach David Hockaday lands Forest Green job". Watford Observer. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  7. "Hockaday capture delight's Allen". Milton Keynes Citizen. 22 March 2007. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
  8. "Allen raids MK Dons for key trio". BBC Sport. 6 June 2007. Retrieved 23 June 2007.
  9. "Hockaday added to Saints backroom". BBC Sport. 19 June 2007. Retrieved 23 June 2007.
  10. "Hockaday placed on gardening leave". Daily Echo. 20 January 2009. Retrieved 8 September 2011.
  11. "Allen appoints assistant manager". Gloucester Citizen. 20 March 2009. Archived from the original on 15 June 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
  12. "Hockaday given Forest Green job". BBC Sport. 9 September 2009.
  13. "Hockaday named as Forest Green Rovers manager". thisisgloucestershire. 9 September 2009. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013.
  14. "Forest Green Rovers keep Cup dream alive". thisisgloucestershire. 30 November 2009. Archived from the original on 31 May 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2011.
  15. "Notts County 2–1 Forest Green". BBC Sport. 20 January 2010. Retrieved 5 July 2011.
  16. "Grays Athletic 2–1 Forest Green Rovers". BBC Sport. 24 April 2010.
  17. "Dave Hockaday pens new deal at Nailsworth as Forest Green boss". Gloucester Citizen. 19 May 2010. Archived from the original on 15 June 2014.
  18. "Tamworth 2–1 Forest Green Rovers". BBC Sport. 30 April 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  19. "Hockaday pays the price for Forest failure". www.thesecretfootballer.com. 23 October 2013. Archived from the original on 21 June 2014.
  20. "Forest Green: Dave Hockaday not interested in Swindon Town job". BBC Sport. 20 February 2013.
  21. "Dave Hockaday leaves Forest Green Rovers by mutual consent". BBC Sport. 21 October 2013. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  22. "David Hockaday named as new head coach…". Leeds United A.F.C. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
  23. "Leeds United: I can be a success – Hockaday". Yorkshire Evening Post. 20 June 2014. Archived from the original on 6 February 2015. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
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  25. Katwala, Amit (18 April 2018). "Wait, what? 9 times clubs made bizarre managerial appointments". FourFourTwo. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  26. "Leeds United hammer Italian minnows FC Gherdeina 16–0". Yorkshire Evening Post. 11 July 2014. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
  27. http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/latest-whites-news/match-report-guiseley-0-leeds-united-2-1-6739172
  28. "Millwall v Leeds". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
  29. "Leeds 1 Middlesbrough 0". BBC Sport. 16 August 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
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  31. "TWO OFF IN WATFORD DEFEAT". Leeds United. 23 August 2014. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
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  33. "United edged out at Bradford". Leeds United. 26 August 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  34. "Club statement: David HOCKADAY". Leeds United. 27 August 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  35. "Leeds United owner Massimo Cellino sacks manager David Hockaday after just six games in charge". The Daily Telegraph. 27 August 2014. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
  36. "Hockaday returns to football with Swindon". Leeds Vital Football. 21 November 2014. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
  37. "Leeds United: Axed boss Hockaday bids for League return". Yorkshire Evening Post. 2 December 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  38. Matthew Edwards (30 November 2014). "SOUTHERN LEAGUE: Supermarine in search for assistant coach with Hockaday taking the role temporarily". Swindon Advertiser. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  39. Dan Coombs (25 November 2014). "'To have Dave Hockaday join us is humbling' – Ex-Leeds United boss finds new club". Here Is The City. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  40. "Leeds United: Former head coach Hockaday joins Coventry City". Yorkshire Evening Post. 2 February 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  41. "As it happened: Barnsley 1–0 Coventry City – New manager Tony Mowbray watches Sky Blues fall to defeat at Oakwell". Coventry Telegraph. 3 March 2015. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  42. "Coventry City: Tony Mowbray named new Sky Blues manager". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  43. "Dave Hockaday named new Kidderminster Harriers Head Coach". Kidderminster Harriers. 9 October 2015. Archived from the original on 10 October 2015. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
  44. "Match Report Harriers 1–0 Woking". Kidderminster Harriers. 31 October 2015. Archived from the original on 30 January 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
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  46. "Former Forest Green and Leeds United boss David Hockaday starts his own academy". The Northern Echo. 10 February 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  47. "Dave Hockaday on why he is stepping away from professional game after taking role at SGS College". Bristol Post. 14 October 2016.
  48. Dave Hockaday at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  49. "Dave Hockaday's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
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