Mick Kearns

Mick Kearns

Personal information
Full name	Michael Kearns
Date of birth	(1950-11-26) 26 November 1950
Place of birth	Banbury, Oxfordshire, England
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1969–1972	Oxford United	67	(0)
1973–1979	Walsall	249	(0)
1979–1981	Wolverhampton Wanderers	9	(0)
1982–1985	Walsall	26	(0)
International career
1970–1979	Republic of Ireland	19	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Michael "Mick" Kearns (born 26 November 1950) is a former professional footballer and Republic of Ireland international goalkeeper, who was the Community Director at Walsall Football Club until his retirement in 2014.

Born in Banbury, Oxfordshire, he qualified to play for the Republic of Ireland through his Irish ancestry and went on to represent his country 19 times. A goalkeeper, his international debut at the age of 19 was on 6 May 1970 as a substitute in a 2–1 defeat against Poland. He made his 19th and final international appearance on 21 November 1979 in a 1–0 defeat against Northern Ireland.

During his club career Mick played for Oxford United from 1969 to 1972 before joining Walsall where he made 249 appearances from 1973 to 1979. After a spell with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Mick returned to Walsall to close out his career, making a further 26 appearances between 1982 and 1985.

Mick's younger brother Ollie Kearns was also a successful professional footballer, but as a goal scorer not keeper. He enjoyed a high-scoring League career throughout the 70s and 80s with Reading, Walsall, Hereford and Wrexham; then scored the newly founded Rushden & Diamonds first-ever goal.

As of 2015, Kearns still lives local to his home town of Banbury.

External links

• Newcastle Fans profile