Walsall legend Mick Kearns: 50 years in football

The popular goalkeeper, who is now the Saddlers’ club ambassador, has seen it all in a glittering football career that has now spanned an incredible 50 years.

It’s a milestone very few people reach in the beautiful game. But Kearns, who started his adventure at hometown club Oxford in 1967, has loved every minute.

Like the majority of fans growing up, the Banbury-born shot-stopper always dreamt of making it as a professional.

It was a dream shared by him and his four brothers. But at a time, youth football was yet to evolve beyond jumpers for goalposts.

And that meant the aspiring goalkeeper had to take matters into his own hands.

“I had trials with both West Brom and Liverpool as a youngster because I wrote to them,” Kearns said.

“Football in those days was completely different. There were no academies. Clubs didn’t even have youth teams.

“If I wanted to play a football match, I’d have to get in touch with a pal on the other side of Banbury and we would each get a team of 11 players together.

“But I wanted to be a professional footballer. I spent a few days with West Brom and Liverpool but nothing came of it.

“I then read in the newspaper Oxford were holding trials so I wrote to them. It was on a Sunday morning, which made it hard to get there. But I played in the trial match and the manager Arthur Turner decided I was the keeper he wanted.”

Initially signed as an amateur, Kearns wasted no time in his pursuit of becoming a professional.

“I’d played a few games as an amateur so I built up the courage to ask for an apprenticeship,” the 66-year-old recalls.

“Turner ruled with an iron rod and I was a bag of nerves. But a few weeks later he told me he was happy to sign me.”

Despite his age, Kearns established himself in Oxford’s reserve team. And that ensured a full debut quickly followed.

“I played something like 22 games for the reserves,” Kearns continued.

“We played in the Football Combination and I can remember playing at places like Tottenham, Arsenal and Southampton.

“Then I got an opportunity to play three games for the first-team. My debut was against Leicester and Peter Shilton was in goal for them. He was just a bit older than me. But he was established. We lost 1-0. But we then played at Cardiff who were top of the league and we drew 0-0. Then we drew 0-0 against Aston Villa.”

That summer, Oxford sold goalkeeper Jim Barron to Nottingham Forest, leaving 19-year-old Kearns as the club’s first choice. His impressive performances led the Republic of Ireland to come calling – with the keeper earning the first of his 18 caps while in Oxfordshire.

But after two years, and having lost his way slightly, he left to join Walsall.

“I was young, naive, and I thought I had made it,” Kearns said. “I did some daft things. Nothing outrageous. But I lost my way a little bit.

“I was out of favour at Oxford and Ronnie Allen signed me for Walsall. It was the best move I could have made.

“I settled at the club. But I also settled in the area. I made friends and became part of the community in Aldridge. Football has always been a transient job. One year you are playing for one team, the next another.

“But people do tend to return to their roots. Once I was here, I never thought about that.”

Between 1973 and 1979, Kearns enjoyed a glittering career at Fellows Park. Among the highlights were a glorious FA Cup campaign in 1975 when the Saddlers beat Manchester United and Newcastle. The keeper was also part of the promotion-chasing side built by Dave Mackay.

“You would have to say those games against Man United and Newcastle were the highlight,” Kearns continued.

“To beat those teams, it’s something you never forget. But I also really enjoyed my time playing under Dave Mackay. He was the best manager I played under. He was such a talented player he could have still played for us. But he was also very strict. Unfortunately he got an unbelievable offer to go out and manage in Kuwait.

“If he had stayed, I honestly believe we would have won promotion.”

Alongside his performances in goal, Kearns also became a popular figure due to the rapport he struck up with supporters.

“Every game I played, I went out and enjoyed it.” he said. “The supporters could relate to that. And we’d have fun. During a game they would talk to me and we would have a laugh.

“If you do that now people think you’re not taking the game seriously which is nonsense. We wanted to win just as much.

“But in those days you saw players playing with a smile of their face. Today they all look under pressure. We went out to win, but we enjoyed it. Of course there was trepidation if you were playing in front of 60,000 people at Old Trafford. But we all couldn’t wait to get on to that pitch.”

Such was the relationship Kearns enjoyed with Saddlers fans, it came as a surprise when he joined Wolves in 1979. “I’d fallen out with the manager Frank Sibley and then in the summer Wolves sold Gary Pierce to Barnsley.” he said. “Wolves came in for me and I had three years as understudy to Paul Bradshaw.

“I did though save a penalty for Wolves against Albion, for five minutes I was a hero.”

Kearns returned to Walsall in 1982 and went on to feature a further 26 times for the club. But it was at this point he started to think about life after his playing days.

“I was delighted to go back to Walsall but I wasn’t in the team to start with,” he said.

“I was understudy to Ron Green – who had been my understudy.

“I got back into the team, then in 1983 I was a member of the Conservative Club in Aldridge. The steward retired and I was asked to step in. A lot of people thought that’s where my service to professional football would end. But it was my ambition to coach goalkeepers. I took the steward job and I became one of the first goalkeeping coaches in the country at Walsall.

“I would train the goalkeepers two days a week. Then from time to time I got called out of retirement and I would play again.

“I had come out of retirement when we played Arsenal and knocked them out of the FA Cup. But I only ever stepped in for a few games at a time.”

Despite his varied career, Kearns would excel in yet another role at Walsall – when he was asked to take charge of the newly-formed community department.

“It was Barry Blower who asked me to be the club’s first community officer,” he said.

“It sounded so interesting and I had a completely blank canvas. I took some advice from the PFA and had a terrific support from the club, particularly Roy Whalley.

“I was able to establish the program in the way I thought would best serve the community. I went into schools coaching. I held soccer schools in the holidays.

“But I wanted to help everyone from children to pensioners so we also held events like tea dances. People would ask me why I didn’t go into coaching full-time.

“But my community role was so fabulously diverse. It was great getting out there and doing things in the community. We were actually voted the best community club in the country. I’m so proud of that.”

Today, Kearns is employed as Walsall’s club ambassador. He also commentates on games for the Saddlers’ website.

“It’s fantastic to still be involved,” he added. “I met with sponsors, I talk to fans and I do the commentary on a match day.

“It’s the interaction I love. The fans who text in from all over the world. Some get up at 2am to tune in. It’s absolutely fantastic.

“I feel incredibly fortunate that for 50 years I’ve been part of this wonderful game. And I’m still enjoying every second.”