A strange one this - and not just for his middle name of "East". He
scored 17 goals in his one season at Elland Road, and yet found
himself sold to Sunderland at the end of the year - whereupon Leeds'
other players stopped scoring any goals themselves. Injury caught up
with him a bit as he enjoyed a peripatetic existence as a player until
he retired from top flight football in the mid-1980s. He was a big lad
who would probably have continued scoring - but Jimmy Adamson (and
some of the fans) - weren't happy with the way he didn't seem to be up
there hustling for goals for 90 minutes. But as we've seen time and
again, you sometimes have to put up with that, and as long as the old
onion bag keeps bulging you do. For some reason, Adamson's patience
was a bit shorter than would have seemed reasonable.
Jit Lye says: I remember John Hawley, in that season he partnered
Ray Hankin in attack. I think Carl Harris and Arthur Graham were on
the wings. That was the season Leeds finished in the top 6. And then
they sold him. Somehow, he never struck me as "one of the team", much
the same way I viewed Hasselbaink!
Rob says: He currently runs an antiques shop in Beverley.
Jit Lye says: He sells antiques? wow. talk about bull in a china
shop
James Cockin says: hi he does not lve in beverley now he lives in a
village called north cave near beverley he currently does auctions at
beverley memorial hall.
David Gunton says: I never even knew he was a footy player! I've
been staying at his home in North Cave which he and his wife Caroline
also run as a B & B. She does a cracking brekky whilst fielding
demands for games kit from two very polite and tolerant sons. He sits
and waits equally tolerantly for his breakfast, gently tossing dry
Yorkshire witticisms into the air to fall wherever they might tickle
out a chuckle. Never a word about his former fame as one of those
things to be rarely found at Leeds, a top goal scorer. Sly boots,
hiding his lights under bushels.
David Bucknell says: When I was a kid of 12 or so, he was still at
Hull and he came to watch us play in the park one Saturday morning -
no reason that I know of - he just did. I remember he was wearing a
very long brown leather coat and he did seem quiet and withdrawn even
then. Watched him at Lids plenty of times but never really took to
him. Was suprised he scored 17 in one season - I would have guessed 7
or 8.
Scoots says: John Hawley was always interested in antiques and for
his first few seasons at Hull City he played purely as an amateur so
as to keep his options in that area open. In those days of course his
father was the shops proprietor. I think his name was Ray. My father
dealt with their insurance issues. John was one of my favourites at
Hull, sorry when he left.
Paul Bell says: John is currently holding a Hull City Memoribllia
Auction at the KC Stadium to mark The Clubs Centinerary. Any donations
to john.hawley@info
louise b says: Hi JAMES COCKIN jus wanted to say hi, I c u
everymornin out my bus window, you prob know me already through my
mum. Just thought i wud say hi.alot of my mates want your number from
hunsley.
Neil Hornby says: I used to train and play with John and Jeff
Hemmerman with Hull City as a schoolboy back in the mid-late 60's.
Many a night did we enjoy training in the club gymnasium.
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