Alan Hinton is pictured above playing for Derby County at The Baseball ground during
The Rams'
2-1 win against Liverpool. Alan scored one of the goals and John O'Hare
the other. John Toshack for
Liverpool. 32,524 attended the game.
Part One 1967-1972
Derby County signed Alan Hinton from East Midlands rivals Nottingham Forest for £30000 in September 1967.
As Brian Clough's third signing, Hinton's transfer to the Baseball Ground came quickly after the capture of
John O'Hare from Sunderland and Roy McFarland from Tranmere. Clough's plan to rebuild the ailing "Rams"
team centered on his trio of new signings and the scoring potential of Kevin Hector who had arrived at the
club the previous year. Whilst Hector was expected to tally the goals, Hinton's role was to be that of chief
provider, the tall left winger's speciality being pinpoint crosses and free kicks. In part the plan worked well,
with only two teams scoring more Second Division goals than Derby during the 1967/68 season.
Unfortunately, with the exception of the impressive McFarland, the defence was woeful and County finished
their campaign in eighteenth place in the table. For Alan it was a tough year. Never one to relish the physical
aspects of the game, he became a target for the fans frustrations. He picked up the nickname "Gladys" early
in his Baseball Ground career, certain sections of the crowd taking four or five seasons to recognise his true
worth to the team. When Dave Mackay joined Derby for the start of the 1968/69 season the transformation
was amazing.
The tough experienced Scot formed a perfect partnership with McFarland as County easily won the Division
Two title, losing just five games. Hinton's most noticable performance came in the League Cup competition,
notching four goals, including two penalties, in a 5-1 defeat of Stockport County. In the League he scored a
double strike in a 3-2 win against Middlesborough and also netted the only markers of the game in victories
over Fulham and Preston. Promoted to the First Division for the 1969/70 campaign, Derby remarkably
finished in fourth place. Some of their football especially at home was scintillating: Tottenham were thrashed
5-0 and Liverpool 4-0. Even the mighty Manchester United were beaten by a 2-0 scoreline.
Alan was a constant threat, turning defenders inside out before supplying quality passes and crosses to the
central strikeforce of Hector and O'Hare. He also scored one of the "Rams" great goals of the season, a
stunning 35 yard volley, one of two markers he tallied in a 3-0 League Cup replay win against Crystal Palace
. In 1970/71 County recovered from seven defeats in September and October to finish in ninth place.
Hinton netted ten strikes in thirty-four appearances, including doubles against West Ham and Huddersfield.
After starting their 1971/72 campaign with an unbeaten run of twelve games, Derby eventually won the
Championship by one point from Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester City. Alan was the clubs top scorer with
fifteen goals, including eight from the penalty spot. Amazingly the title was won with a squad of just sixteen
players who registered twenty three clean sheets. It was undoubtably Hinton's finest season in a Derby shirt.
Those goals increased his overall league tally to 44 in his first five seasons at the Baseball Ground, a more
than creditable total for a player who's primary job was to stay out wide and add width to the attack.
(Mike Cockayne)
Hinton also spent a number of years coaching youth soccer in the Puget Sound area of Washington state and
became known as "Mr. Soccer" in the area. He coached the U13-18 Crossfire Sounders boys team
(now the Crossfire Premier Soccer Club, including boys and girls teams) from 1992-1997
Hinton was involved
in efforts to bring the 1994 FIFA World Cup to the U.S. and when the Seattle Sounders name was revived for
a new American Professional Soccer League club in 1994, Hinton became club President and appointed
himself as coach.
After retiring from coaching, Hinton turned to a career in real estate, while remaining
involved in youth soccer. He worked as a local broadcast analyst for Seattle Sounders.
His nephew, Craig, was also a professional footballer.
1961–1964 Wolverhampton Wanderers 75 (29)
1964–1967 Nottingham Forest 112 (24)
1967–1975 Derby County 253 (63)
1976 Borrowash Victoria
1977 Dallas Tornado 24 (4)
1978 Vancouver Whitecaps 29 (1)
.
Alan Hinton playing for Derby County at The Baseball ground on 4th March 1972. He started the
game in a clean shirt, but it was after all The Baseball ground - famous for it's MUD ! The Rams
won the game, against Wolverhampton Wanderers, 2-1.
Photographs by and © George Herringshaw.