Ian Hathaway

Who is Ian Hathaway?

Ian Ashley Hathaway is an English former professional football midfielder.

Hathaway began his career as an apprentice with West Bromwich Albion after youth training with Wolverhampton Wanderers. He began his apprenticeship late due to a broken arm, but in 1986 was released by new manager Ron Saunders without making the grade at the Hawthorns. He joined Wolves on a weekly contract, playing alongside Dean Edwards and Micky Holmes but was released when Graham Turner took over as manager from Brian Little.

He began working in an engineering factory, joining non-league Stourbridge before moving to Bedworth United. Whilst at Bedworth he attracted the attention of a number of league sides before Ian Greaves offered him a contract with Mansfield Town in March 1989. Despite the fact that Greaves was sacked within days the new manager George Foster also wanted to sign him and he duly moved to Mansfield for a fee of £8,000, making his league debut as a substitute on the 11th of March in a 3-0 home defeat at the hands of Preston North End. He chose an apt time to score his first league for Mansfield when at the end of the season he scored against local rivals Chesterfield, the goal preserving Mansfield's Third Division status and relegating Chesterfield.