The Longside Reference

Name: Kevin Philip Reeves

D.O.B: 20th Oct 1957 (Burly, Hampshire)

Previous Clubs:Bournemouth, Norwich, Manchester City, Burnley.

Previous Clubs as Coach: Barrow, Yeovil, Boston, Birmingham

Previous Clubs as Assistant Manager: Wrexham, Swansea, WalesU21 

Fee paid by Burnley: £100k from Manchester City

Signed by John Bond

Burnley Debut:Hull City 27th Aug 1983

Last Game for Burnley: Oxford United (FACup) 11th Jan 1984

Burnley stats: 30(1) games 16 goals (all comp's)

International Honours: 2 Full Caps, 10 U21 caps, 1 'B' cap (England)

Club Honours: FA Cup finalist (Manchester City) 1981.

Legend? would just half a season in the Claret and Blue of Burnleys first team deserve such accolade?

We I'm not too sure, but he was a class act for that very few will disagree. Kevin Reeves was one of the first one million pound men, Malcolm Allison signed him while at Manchester City in 1980 to try and rescue the Main Road men's fortunes.

After starting his career at Bournemouth signing his first contract in 1975, he would become the Cherries top goalscorer in his first year, by 1977 an enigmatic John Bond signed Reeves for the pricely sum of £50k for Norwich City.

Bond would make the same move from Dean Court to Carrow Road just four years before, Bond however turned a young Reeves into an U21 England international, before the switch to Manchester Reeves would make his full International bow against Bulgaria at Wembley in 1979, Another England great would make his debut the same day as the magical Glenn Hoddle!

The switch to Maine Road would come shortly after Reeves made his International Debut, with the 1million price tag on his head it would be easy for him not to live up to the tag, but Reeves was as good as the monumental price tag scoring 4 goals in the FA Cup run that unfortunatly ended in defeat to Tottenham Hotspurs in 1981, one of the best FA Cup final's on record, Kevin scored from the spot in that final.

Top scorer in his first two full seasons for City, Reeves was a crowd favorite, Manchester City had parted company with Allison during  this time with John Bond again following Reeves this time to Maine Road.

Bond and City had mixed fortunes it started so sweet with a Wembley appearance but it ended in early 83 with Man City next to bottom of the First Division, Bond bailed.

While Reeves at only 25 years of age found he was on his way out of City, only 3 years after his move form Norwich City, he followed newly appointed John Bond to Burnley.

It seems done to death the "If Reeves didn't get injured" but the truth in my humble opinion is that that "if" is true, Bond unveiled Kevin Reeves at Burnley for a fee of £100k 10% of his fee only 3 years ago. It was a coup, Reeves was also Bonds highest transfer fee paid out. Burnley looked to be going places, Kevin Reeves a full England International with 2 caps and 10 U21 caps and at the age of just 25.

One question why? "Why did Kevin Reeves leave a first division club where he was top goalscorer for the past two season, drop down TWO divisions to come to Burnley?"

Well he came and he scored, Reeves scored on his League Debut a 1-4 drubbing at the hands of Hull City incidentley Lee Dixon's last League appearance for Burnley, and he kept on scoring, Kevin's telepathic partnership with Claret legends Brian Flynn and Billy Hamilton was a joy to watch.

Reeves would play just 30 games in the Claret'n'Blue, 20 of those were League games scoring an impressive 12 times, 5 games came in the FA Cup scoring 3 goals and 2 in the League cup without scoring and finaly 3 games and 1 goal in preseason friendlies.

Reeves limped of at Oxford United's Manor Ground on the 11th January 1984, with what looked like an innocuous hip injury, it wasn't this injury in that FA Cup replay would be the last game of 26 year old Reeves career.

At the time of that Injury Burnley were flying 6th in the Third division whit a partnership with Hamilton scoring gaols as they went out of fashion 33 goals between them before Reeves was struck down. Without Reeves Burnley slumped, finishing in 12th place even though Burnley were made the bookies favorites at the off.

Reeves retired aged 26 from playing football, but he joined Burnley's coaching staff and from there went into non-league coaching at Barrow, but the Bond connection would again raise its head again with Reeves joining the blue half of Birmingham and John Bond in 1986.

By 1989 Reeves would become assistant Manager with former Claret Brian Flynn at Wrexham a partnership what is still strong today moving form Wrexham to Swansea and on to assist Flynn within Wales U21 management team.