Graeme Hedley is best known as a long-term servant at Middlesbrough, but the Black Hall lad did once get a brief outing for Sunderland too – and on his 69th birthday Roker Report looks back on a varied employment career that did then bring him back to the city.
Starting at Ayresome Park in 1975, Hedley was sent by Middlesbrough on loans to Sheffield Wednesday, Darlington and York City at various points. Having always remained relatively close to home the midfielder then spent 1982-83 playing abroad
in Hong Kong, and it was after that adventure that he came onto Sunderland’s radar.
Originally tipped to sign for Mick Docherty at Hartlepool United, a lack of funds at Victoria Park meant that a deal could not be agreed. Roker boss Alan Durban meanwhile was also working with an extremely tight budget ahead of the 1983-84 campaign and in August offered Hedley a short trial, hoping that he could bring in some cut price experience. Whilst he missed out a preseason appearance against his old club Boro there was at least a run out at Darlington’s familiar Feethams, with the starting XI also seeing young central defender David Cole getting a chance – the 20-year-old bank clerk having caught the eye whilst playing against the Lads for an Isle of Man representative side earlier in the month.
Sunderland beat the Quakers, who included Bob Lee and Tim Gilbert, 3-2 courtesy of goals from Nick Pickering, Paul Atkinson and Nigel Walker, although Hedley struggled to make an impact in the game. It was still a surprise however when a couple of days later it was announced that he had dropped all the way down to the Northern League to sign for Horden Colliery Welfare, although it was being suggested admittedly that this was only ever expected to be a temporary measure to keep him ticking over whilst a mooted offer from the continent was firmed up.
Whether that failed to materialise or Hedley simply preferred keeping in touch with his roots is not clear, but he obviously enjoyed turning out for the Marras as he ended up staying there for a full season. Winners of the league Cup after Blyth Spartans were beaten at North Shields, it was only in the summer of 1984 that he moved on – financial difficulties caused by the ongoing miner’s strike forcing players such as himself and John Gray to leave. Gray, a striker, had been on Sunderland’s books as a youngster, although there was enough in the kitty to bring another ex Rokerman Mick Whitfield on board to help try and boost the squad.
Hartlepool manager Billy Horner, who had replaced Docherty in December 1983 when he was unexpectedly sacked, had been suitably impressed by Hedley’s desire to keep playing and offered him a route back into the Football League. In October 1986 he went to Whitby Town and scored for them against Doncaster Rovers in the FA Cup a month later, and during his time at the Turnbull Ground he was a teammate of former professionals Ray Hankin and David Mills.
After retiring from playing, Graeme and his wife Pauline ran the Bay Horse pub in Middridge before he then got a job for Pearl Assurance. Working initially as a salesman, with his patch being the Fence Houses area, in an 2017 interview with the Northern Echo he informed readers that he eventually became manager of the Sunderland branch having turned into one of the most successful in the company – a rise that saw him being promoted to the role of regional sales director.
Preferring to be his own boss though, in 2003 he and his wife decided to take over the running of Wolviston Village Post Office, yet sport has always remained a passion. A talented golfer (he once achieved at hole in one at Royal Birkdale) and tennis player (having won titles playing for Shildon), cricket though was his main choice after football – an England school’s representative, he had been subject to interest from first class county level when he was working for his father in a butcher’s shop prior to joining Boro, and has been a stalwart of his village club Blackhall for many years.
Many happy returns!
