Keith Houchen

Keith Morton Houchen (born 25 July 1960) is an English former professional footballer and football manager.

A forward, he scored 184 goals in 687 league and cup games.

After an unsuccessful trial with Aston Villa, he became an apprentice at Chesterfield in 1977.

He was not offered a professional contract at Chesterfield by manager Arthur Cox and so left the club without making a senior appearance at Saltergate.

However, he was soon spotted playing amateur football in Nunthorpe by Hartlepool United manager Billy Horner.

He scored further goals against Darlington, Rochdale and Newport County to end the 1977–78 campaign with four goals in 13 games.

He started his professional career at Hartlepool United in February 1978, after failing to win a contract at Chesterfield.

He was coached by Billy Horner to become a strong centre-forward, using his natural strength and power to retain possession in attacking positions.

Houchen joined the "Monkey Hangers" on non-contract terms, before turning professional in February 1978, signing a one-year contract on £30 a week.

When he arrived at the Victoria Park, Hartlepool were a struggling Fourth Division club.

He made his debut in a 1–1 home draw with Crewe Alexandra.

Though grateful for the opportunity and training, Houchen lamented that "we used to have a mad rush to the bank to cash our cheques. Only about six of them would go through and the rest would bounce."

He scored his first senior goal against Barnsley on 24 March 1978.

He played regular first team football in 1978–79, and scored 13 goals in 42 games to become the club's top scorer.

He then went on to score 14 goals in 44 games in 1979–80, as the club finished 19th, just two points above the re-election zone.

His goalscoring record attracted the attention of bigger clubs, however, club chairman Vince Barker told Reading that even if Houchen was available then they would not be able to afford him.

His exploits continued into the following season, and the club rejected bids of up to £80,000 from Plymouth Argyle and Cardiff City.

He scored 17 goals in 48 appearances in 1980–81, yet again becoming the club's top scorer, as Hartlepool were in the promotion hunt until a late spell of bad form sent them down the table to ninth.

He hit 19 goals in 38 games in 1981–82 to become the club's top-scorer for a fourth consecutive season.

However, having scored 65 goals in 170 league appearances, Houchen wanted a move to a bigger club at a higher division; he regularly handed in transfer requests, but all were ignored by the club.

Financial difficulties forced the club to sell him on to Leyton Orient for £25,000 in March 1982.

Hartlepool United were in dire financial straits by March 1982, and were £60,000 in debt to the Inland Revenue.

This crisis at the club allowed Leyton Orient manager Ken Knighton to take Houchen to Brisbane Road for a bargain price of £25,000.

He signed a four-year contract on £225 a week with a £1,000 signing on fee.

He scored one goal against Chelsea in 14 appearances, as the "O's" finished in last place and were relegated out of the Second Division in 1982.

He missed the start of the 1982–83 campaign due to injury, but managed to hit ten goals in 38 games by the end of the season.

His ten goals included one against Sheffield United on the last day of the season, in a win which kept Orient in the Third Division.

He played seven games in the club's Fourth Division title winning season in 1983–84, before transferring to Scunthorpe United for £40,000 in March 1986.

He did not settle at the club, but in the summer he was fortunate enough to win a £60,000 move up through three tiers to First Division side Coventry City.

After failing to impress in his two years in London, he was moved on to York City for £15,000 in March 1984.

Though never a prolific player for the "Sky Blues", he scored a spectacular headed goal in the 1987 FA Cup final at Wembley, which earned him Match of the Day's Goal of the Season award.

He featured in the 1987 FA Charity Shield, but faded from the first team picture at Highfield Road, and in March 1989 he joined Scottish Premier Division side Hibernian for a fee of £325,000.

He returned to England in August 1991 when he was sold to Port Vale for £100,000.

After falling out with manager John Rudge he returned to Hartlepool on a free transfer in June 1993.

He was appointed as player-manager in April 1995, but endured a tough time at Victoria Park, and left the club in November 1996.

He later coached at the Middlesbrough Academy and entered the property market.

Keith Morton Houchen was born in Middlesbrough to Ken and Vernie Houchen, who both worked in social clubs, and grew up some five minutes from Ayresome Park.

He grew up with three brothers; Jimmy, Dennis, and Patrick, who all joined the Coldstream Guards; and one sister, Jackie.

He attended St Mary's College as a youth.

A promising athlete and gifted footballer, as a youngster he travelled to London for a trial with Crystal Palace along with John and Terry Fenwick, but was told he was too lightweight at the time.