Robert Joseph Hazell (born in Kingston, Jamaica

Kingston, Jamaica

Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...

 on 14 June 1959) is a former footballer of the 1970s and 1980s, notably with Wolves

Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.

Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...

, Port Vale

Port Vale F.C.

Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...

, Luton Town

Luton Town F.C.

Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...

, Queens Park Rangers

Queens Park Rangers F.C.

Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...

 and Leicester City

Leicester City F.C.

Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...

. His nephew is the former Oldham Athletic

Oldham Athletic A.F.C.

Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...

 defender Reuben Hazell

Reuben Hazell

Reuben Daniel Hazell is an English football defender currently playing for Shrewsbury Town.He has previously played for Tranmere Rovers, Torquay United, Kidderminster Harriers and Chesterfield, where he scored once against Swansea City...

, and his son Rohan is a non-League player.

Club career

Hazell made his QPR debut in 1979 against Bradford City

Bradford City A.F.C.

Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....

 and in all played 106 league games for QPR scoring 8 goals before joining Leicester City

Leicester City F.C.

Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...

. He played for QPR in the 1982 FA Cup Final

1982 FA Cup Final

The 1982 FA Cup Final took place on 22 May 1982 at Wembley Stadium. It was contested between Tottenham Hotspur and Queens Park Rangers.Spurs were the holders of the trophy, and were hot favourites, while unfancied QPR had just missed out on promotion from the Second Division.After three and a half...

 against Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur F.C.

Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....

. Perhaps his most impressive performance came in the semi-final against West Bromwich Albion

West Bromwich Albion F.C.

West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...

 where he marked Cyrille Regis

Cyrille Regis

Cyrille Regis, MBE is a French-born English former footballer. His professional playing career spanned 19 years, where he made 610 league appearances and scored 159 league goals, most prolifically at West Bromwich Albion and Coventry City.-Early life:Regis was born in Maripasoula, French Guiana,...

 out of the game.

After a short loan spell at old club Wolves, he moved on to Reading

Reading F.C.

Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...

, but only made four appearances.

He joined Third Division

Football League Third Division

The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...

 Port Vale

Port Vale F.C.

Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...

 in December 1986, and along with defensive parter Phil Sproson

Phil Sproson

Phillip Jess "Phil" Sproson is a former English footballer who played as a central defender. He played in 500 matches for Port Vale and scored 41 goals , this places him third highest in the list of appearances for Port Vale...

 quickly shored up the Vale defence before the end of season

1986–87 Port Vale F.C. season

The 1986–87 season was Port Vale's seventy-fifth season of football in the Football League, and first season back in the Third Division following promotion from the Fourth Division. John Rudge led to Vale to a mid-table finish, his Player of the Year signing Andy Jones scoring 37 goals in all...

 run-in.Teammate and club legend Phil Sproson

Phil Sproson

Phillip Jess "Phil" Sproson is a former English footballer who played as a central defender. He played in 500 matches for Port Vale and scored 41 goals , this places him third highest in the list of appearances for Port Vale...

 named him as the club's best goalkeeper of the 1980s. Manager John Rudge

John Rudge

John Robert Rudge is an English former football player and football manager. He is currently working as the director of football at Stoke City....

 picked him for 52 league and cup game in 1987–88

1987–88 Port Vale F.C. season

The 1987–88 season was Port Vale's seventy-sixth season of football in the Football League, and second successive season in the Third Division. John Rudge's side started the season well, but then suffered following the sale of star striker Andy Jones...

. Hazell was a regular feature in the first eleven until he received a back injury in January 1989. He made seventeen league appearances in Vale's 1988–89 promotion season

1988–89 Port Vale F.C. season

The 1988–89 season was Port Vale's seventy-seventh season of football in the Football League, and third successive season in the Third Division. They achieved promotion to the Second Division with a 2–1 aggregate win over Bristol Rovers in the two-legged play-off Final...

 before he was given a free transfer in June 1989, having made 100 club appearances in all competitions.

International career

During his time at Wolves he represented the England under-21

England national under-21 football team

England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....

 and England 'B'

England B national football team

England B is a secondary football team run occasionally as support for the England national football team. At times they have played other nations' full teams; they have also played matches against 'B' teams from other football associations...

teams.