Alan Hawley (footballer)
English footballer (1946–2025)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alan James Hawley (7 June 1946 – 7 October 2025) was an English professional footballer who played in the Football League as a right-back. He made over 340 appearances for Brentford and was added to the club's Hall of Fame in 2013.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alan James Hawley[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 7 June 1946 | ||
| Place of birth | Woking, England | ||
| Date of death | 7 October 2025 (aged 79) | ||
| Position | Right-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1962 | Brentford | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1962–1974 | Brentford | 317 | (4) |
| 1971 | → Fulham (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 1974 | → Hillingdon Borough (loan) | ||
| 1974 | → Aldershot (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 1974–1976 | Hillingdon Borough | ||
| 1976 | Wimbledon | 1 | (0) |
| 1976–1977 | Kingstonian | ||
| 1978–1979 | Walton & Hersham | ||
| Ruislip Manor | |||
| Managerial career | |||
| 1975–1976 | Hillingdon Borough (player-manager) | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Playing career
Brentford
Hawley began his career at Fourth Division club Brentford as an apprentice in June 1962,[2] earning £7 a week.[3] When he made his debut at home to Barrow on 29 September 1962 at the age of 16 years, 3 months and 22 days, Hawley was the youngest player to make his debut for Brentford,[4] but he was unable to break into the team on a regular basis.[5] Hawley had to wait until the 1964–65 season to make his breakthrough and won his first piece of silverware, the London Challenge Cup.[1] Either side of a long spell out with a cartilage problem, Hawley was an ever-present during the 1967–68 and 1969–70 seasons.[1]
After a period on the transfer list,[2] the highlight of Hawley's career came during the 1971–72 season, when he helped the club to a third-place finish, which saw the Bees promoted to the Third Division.[1] He succeeded Bobby Ross as captain of the club in 1972,[2] but gradually fell out of favour at Griffin Park and spent time on loan at Hillingdon Borough and Aldershot in 1974.[6] Hawley was awarded a testimonial in May 1974 against Leyton Orient,[4] earning him £1,732.[7] Hawley departed the club at the end of the 1973–74 season, having made 343 appearances and scored four goals for the club.[1] Hawley was added to the Brentford Hall of Fame in 2013, alongside fellow inductees and former teammates Jackie Graham and Bobby Ross.[8]
Non-League football
After his departure from Brentford, Hawley played on in non-League football for Hillingdon Borough, Wimbledon, Kingstonian, Walton & Hersham and Ruislip Manor.[9][10]
Managerial and coaching career
Hawley was named as caretaker manager of Southern League Premier Division club Hillingdon Borough in August 1975 and was named player-manager the following month.[9] He remained in the role until his dismissal in November 1976.[9] Hawley returned to Brentford in the early 1990s, working under Joe Gadston in the club's youth system.[9] He also served as a youth coach at Bedgrove Dynamos.[11]
Personal life and death
Hawley was born in Woking on 7 June 1946.[10] He was married with two sons and a daughter.[12] After retiring from football, he taught at the London Oratory School and met his wife, who owned a fish and chip shop.[12] After a period working at Heathrow Airport and at a second fish and chip shop in Earls Court, Hawley began working full-time in the shops.[12] He and his wife took over the running of the Hi-Tide fish and chip shop in Aylesbury in 1997.[12]
Hawley died on 7 October 2025, at the age of 79.[11]
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Brentford | 1962–63[13] | Fourth Division | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1963–64[13] | Third Division | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | |
| 1964–65[13] | Third Division | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | |
| 1965–66[13] | Third Division | 36 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 40 | 0 | |
| 1966–67[13] | Fourth Division | 37 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 43 | 0 | |
| 1967–68[13] | Fourth Division | 46 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 49 | 2 | |
| 1968–69[13] | Fourth Division | 10 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | |
| 1969–70[13] | Fourth Division | 46 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 50 | 1 | |
| 1970–71[13] | Fourth Division | 26 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 0 | |
| 1971–72[13] | Fourth Division | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | |
| 1972–73[13] | Third Division | 43 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 45 | 0 | |
| 1973–74[13] | Fourth Division | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 0 | |
| Career total | 317 | 4 | 13 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 343 | 4 | ||
Honours
Brentford
- Football League Fourth Division third-place promotion: 1971–72[1]
- London Challenge Cup: 1964–65[1]
Individual