West Bromwich Albion v Everton, Football League Division One, The Hawthorns, Saturday 19th March 1960

Almost 52 years ago on March 19, 1960, Derek Kevan became the last man to date to score five goals in a league match for Albion when he helped the Baggies to a 6-2 win over Everton. Kevan, known affectionately as ‘The Tank’, died earlier this month at the age of 77.

Derek Tennyson Kevan was born in Ripon, North Yorkshire, and began his career in his home town with Ripon YMCA. He was snapped up by Bradford Park Avenue in October 1952 and went on to score eight times in his 15 games for the club. By the summer of 1953, his former manager at Bradford - Vic Buckingham - was in charge of Albion. Kevan had been a professional for less than 12 months but Buckingham must have liked what he saw and made him his first signing for the Baggies at a cost of £2,000.

National Service in the Army meant it would be two years before Kevan would appear for Albion’s first team but when he finally did it would be a debut to remember. His first game in Albion colours came at The Hawthorns on August 24, the opponents were Everton. Kevan started his Albion career in much the same way it would continue - with goals - notching both in a 2-0 victory over the Toffees. The big man scored again three days later in a 3-1 defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford. The return game against Everton on August 31 would see the Baggies lose 2-0 but Kevan would find the net again in the next match at home to Sheffield United.

Despite four goals in his first four appearances, Kevan would play just three more times during the 1955/56 season, manager Buckingham preferring to stick with the prolific pairing of Ronnie Allen and Johnny Nicholls.

The 1956/57 season would see Kevan become a regular starter and scorer for Albion and also an England international. He made his full debut and scored in a 2-1 win over Scotland at Wembley in April. He would go on to win 14 caps for his country scoring eight goals, two of which came at the 1958 World Cup finals in Sweden.

With the exception of 1957/58, Kevan would finish each of the subsequent seasons as Albion's top league goalscorer, with his best tally of 33 coming during his final full season with the club in 1961/62, a season which saw him top the first division goalscoring charts and set a new post-war Albion goalscoring record.

The following season would see his Hawthorns career come to an end after a falling out with the club's new manager Archie Macaulay. Kevan admitted in later years that he never wanted to leave Albion.

In March 1963 , after 291 appearances and 173 goals, he left the Baggies and joined Chelsea in a £50,000 deal. His time at Stamford Bridge would last just six months however after falling out with Chelsea boss Tommy Docherty. A £35,000 move to Manchester City followed which was a success. His first season at Maine Road saw him score 30 goals to break the club's post-war scoring record, which stood until beaten by Francis Lee in 1971-72.

Kevan left Maine Road after two successful seasons and short spells followed at Crystal Palace, Peterborough United, Luton Town and Stockport County. Amazingly, in 1967 whilst at Stockport, Kevan won the only senior medal of his career - the Fourth Division title. After leaving County he dropped down into non-league football, having spells with Macclesfield Town, Boston United,  Stourbridge and brewery side Ansells FC.

From 1972-1993 Kevan played for and later managed the Albion All-Stars team, combining that with a role during the 1980s as an Albion Lottery agent.

The word legend is used perhaps far too frequently these days but Derek Kevan, who spent the last years of his life living in Birmingham, really was a true Albion legend.

DEREK KEVAN 
6th March 1935 - 4th January 2013

The matchday programme issued for Kevan's 'five goal game' against Everton was the normal Albion 12 page issue for the season. Perhaps the only thing out of the ordinary in the programme were the adverts for the upcoming Aston Villa v Wolverhampton Wanderers FA Cup semi-final which was due to take place at The Hawthorns one week later.

The programme can usually be bought for around a couple of pounds.

As for the game itself as noted above Kevan scored five of Albion's goals with David Burnside grabbing the other. Bobby Collins and Jimmy Harris scored the Everton goals. A crowd of 24,887 were in attendance to see the  following teams in action.

Albion: Wallace, Howe, Williams, Drury, Kennedy, Robson, Jackson, Burnside, Allen, Kevan, Hogg.

Everton: Dunlop, Parker, Bramwell, Gabriel, Labone, Meagan, Lill, Collins, Harris, Vernon, Ring.

View the complete programme here