Pat Nevin

Lore & Background

Nevin trained with Celtic as a youngster but was rejected for being too small. He was signed by Clyde in 1981. He was inducted into the inaugural Clyde FC Hall of Fame in 2011. He arrived at Chelsea in mid-1983 for £95,000. He was voted Chelsea's player of the year in 1983–84 and again in 1986–87. He was sold to Everton in 1988. He spent time on loan with Tranmere Rovers before signing permanently in 1992. He returned to Scotland in 1997 and played for Kilmarnock and later Motherwell before retiring in 2000. He became chief executive of Motherwell after retiring, resigning in April 2002. He co-wrote a book, In Ma Head, Son, with psychologist Dr George Sik. He has an arts degree from Glasgow Caledonian University. He received an honorary degree from Abertay University in 2012. He has written and released two memoirs, The Accidental Footballer: A Memoir and Football and How to Survive It in 2021 and 2023.

In Their Own Story

The crowd roared, no longer questioning his past, but chanting for his name as he received the ball near the touchline. Pat Nevin looked up, eyes fixed on the box. He feinted left, then cut inside with that trademark grace, drawing two defenders before whipping a cross into the danger zone. A header connected, and the stadium erupted. In that moment, the winger was simply one of them.

Reader's Guide

Nevin played as a winger. He scored 14 goals in 30 starts in his first season at Clyde and was voted SPFA Second Division Player of the Year. At Chelsea, he scored 14 goals in 1983–84 as they won promotion as Second Division champions. He scored 20 goals in 138 appearances for Everton. He helped Tranmere Rovers compete in the Division One play-offs in three consecutive seasons. He won 28 caps for Scotland, scoring five goals, and played at Euro 92. He was not selected for the 1986 or 1990 World Cup finals squads, nor for Euro 96.

Did You Know?

• Nevin was named player of the tournament at the 1982 UEFA European Under-18 Championship after helping Scotland win it.
• He set up three goals in the League Cup quarter-final against Sheffield Wednesday as Chelsea came back from 3–0 down to draw 4–4.
• Nevin scored the winner against Norwich City in the 1989 FA Cup semi-final for Everton, but they lost 3–2 in the final to Liverpool.
• He was a guest music presenter on Radio City during his Everton and Tranmere career and played a DJ set at the second Bowlie Weekender.
• In 2010, Nevin signed as a non-playing substitute for new club Chester after Colin Murray of BBC Radio 5 live offered the club £2,000.