Kevan Hurst

By Phil Tooley

Chesterfield born Kevan Hurst reached his 20^th birthday on the day The Spireites lost at home to Tranmere Rovers. There were calls of derision from some quarters at Saltergate when he was subbed in the second half, he'd looked arguably our most dangerous player, but like he has so many times in so few games for us, he'd taken a knock and was lame, courtesy of his silky skills and ability to leave an opponent out of the game. Two days later at Yeovil, he was subbed at half time with a mild dose of concussion, courtesy of another bashing when he threatened to rip into The Hatters' rearguard. Kev takes it all in his stride, "I got a bit of concussion at Yeovil and I've had a few knocks every game I've played here to be honest as well as one in training! It can be very frustrating but you just have to get on with it."

Educated at Meadows School, Old Whittington, Kevan joined Sheffield United's schoolboy ranks at the age of 10 after being with Chesterfield's Centre of Excellence from a very young age. Gareth Davies was also with The Blades at the time. In addition, Kevan played Sunday football with Somersall Rangers.

So was he ever a Spireite supporter? "I came to watch Chesterfield a few times when I was a lad, I went to the Middlesbrough games in the Cup and to the Play-Off Final against Bury at Wembley and visited Saltergate whenever I could. I've always kept an eye on the results."

He signed on as a trainee for The Blades and had just turned 18 when he made his first team bow as a sub for Andy Parkinson against Queens Park Rangers. "I came on for about 15 minutes," he remembers, "I had a couple of shots, it was alright really. The Chief was playing that day and the Gaffer had told me before the game that I was going to get a run out, so I knew I'd be coming on, but I didn't get as much of the ball as I'd been expecting." United lost 2-0, that score-line having been posted before half-time.

Hurst didn't appear again for The Blades that season but, in March, he went on loan to Boston United, where manager Steve Evans had just returned after his ban. A couple of sub appearances opened his Pilgrims account, against Bury and Hull City before his first ever start a 3-2 win over Yeovil thanks to a last minute winner, though United's first, on 14 minutes, an equaliser, was scored by the young Hurst. "As a young lad, I needed to start some games and I went on to score in my first start, so that made my full debut even better. I enjoyed my time at Boston, there were some good lads there. The goal came when I got a flick on, I took a player on and, from a narrow angle, just put it in, not a bad goal. I was playing as an out and out striker that game."

However, for a lad from this Town, his second start was somewhat inauspicious, a 2-1 home defeats against The Stags, Colin Larkin got one of their goals. "I didn't really want to come home after that result! I had the mick taken out of me around Town."

Last season, Kevan made a few of sub appearances for Sheffield United, most notably against Watford in the Carling Cup. "I came on for Michael Tonge after about 18 minutes, so I got the equivalent of a full 90 minutes, or even more, because it went into extra time and then penalties. I didn't take a penalty, it didn't get round to me! I was very tired after that game, it was a different pace to what I'd experienced before but I really enjoyed it."

Then earlier this year, he was out on loan again, at relegation threatened Stockport County, where he made a dream debut at Boundary Park, "I scored the first goal in a 2-1 win on my debut at Oldham and I set the second up so I had a good start there in what was generally a losing side. For my goal, Harpal Singh put a ball in, I'd cut in from the right wing, their defender made a mistake and I just stuck it in, not a special goal but it was nice to get one on my debut."

His next game, at Edgeley Park, was against The Spireites, the day we came from behind to win with Mark Allott's Goal of the Season bagging the points in the snow. "I actually got the Man of the Match award against Chesterfield. I did OK playing against Shane Nicholson, who'd been with me at Sheffield United, I seem to remember turning him inside out to be honest. Although Stockport were a losing side at the time, I snapped at the opportunity to go there, get out and get games and get a proper feel for league football. I was looking to be able to blend into the team, get the pace of the football and despite the results, I feel I was quite successful there, I certainly got a lot stronger after being there. I needed that base to be able to improve my game and come somewhere like Chesterfield for a period of five months."

So how did news filter through to him in August that yet another loan opportunity had arisen? "I was playing against Oldham for United's reserves, I had a decent game, I think Rico was there watching. I went into training the day after and Stuart McCall (reserve team manager at Bramall Lane) was quite surprised to see me, he said someone had approached them to take me on loan. I asked if it was a League One club and he told me it was, I asked who and he told me to guess, so I guessed at Chesterfield, he smiled and said it was, so I was delighted. With playing reserve games at Saltergate, Rico had been watching me for a while and was just waiting for me to mature a bit."

Once again, Oldham featured in his career, though our 4-1 defeat was not our greatest moment, though Kevan was as good as anyone and better than many that day. "My debut at Oldham wasn't quite as good as my debut there for Stockport, quite disappointing really, but it was good to be playing," he said. His home bow also ended in defeat, against Huddersfield, but he was Man of the Match and a goal-scorer. "The Chief just flicked the ball out to me, I cut inside to get some shot space and thankfully it went in."

So what are his impressions of the Club? "The lads are great, the manager and coaching staff have all been superb, the fans, well I can't fault them, I'm really looking forward to spending more time here." When we were losing a few games, The Gaffer had said we need to get a smile on our faces and we did against Bournemouth. A great team performance, they're a passing side and we out passed them and we've done well since then."

So, a couple of months gone, a couple more or so more to go, what are his aims whilst he's 'at home?' "This season I want to make that wing position my own, there's plenty of competition, especially from Adam Smith and with Sammy Clingan coming in, there are plenty of midfielders who can play in any of the positions in the middle. I also want to get a few goals and create a few as well."