In today's game (current circumstances apart), it would be unbelievable for a coach to be so successful for a good period, and then need to do odd jobs to pay the bills.

Where do the years go, it's like five minutes ago.

All stay safe and well.

I saw Mick Heaton play in Great Harwood's midfield a number of times in 1977-78, their last season before they sadly folded. He was a thoughtful reader of the game and was obviously respected by the rest of the team. I was very pleased, for sentimental reasons, when he came to Goodison 3 years later.

As your article suggests, football can be cruel, but it needn't be cynical. Happy Easter one and all.

I wasn't aware Mick had died so tragically and prematurely. He was evidently much loved everywhere he went and quite clearly a key man in those heady days of the mid-1980s.

A wonderful article so carefully researched. An excellent all-round read and with some valuable insights into the trophy-winning Howard Kendall teams.

As a youngster, I always remember him as the curly topped coach sitting on the bench or being on the annual team poster. It's sad that he never got his chance to manage a professional club when he left Goodison in 1987. It sounds like he was a valued member of the coaching team and Howard, in particular, held him in very high regard.

I must confess my ignorance in that I didn't even know that Mick had died, and 25 years ago at that, shame on me!

Thanks for your great contribution and giving us all an insight into the man, and for your research and time!

Also, another interesting insight was the building of a management team of different characters. They all shared the same philosophy, however were different; Kendall the leader, Harvey the Sergeant Major and Heaton the link man. We all know them from our own world of employment. The middle manager who sits you all down and says: "look lads (lasses), this is what the boss wants to achieve. That lunatic is going to push you hard to do it. We all want to achieve the same thing, so put up with it, listen, learn and if you have any problems, you come to me and I'll take it to them"!!

Again, if I compare to the Moyes approach (not Moyes bashing or straying from thread by the way), if I recall, he seemed best having Irvine in the supporting role, who could challenge decisions and make him think again rather than often just being surrounded by yes men or people of the same ilk who just agree with you right or wrong.

Once again, a great and very well researched piece.

One of the best articles I have read on here, thanks. I really enjoyed it and it brought back wonderful memories. Mick certainly played his part in our success.

Was Andy Burgin the son of Ted Burgin, the Sheffield United keeper before the diminutive but brilliant Alan Hodgkinson?

What a great coaching team Howard Kendall, Colin Harvey and Mick Heaton made (supported by John Clinkard as physio etc). Although Colin became the main coach in late 1983 in terms of training routines etc., Mick's 'holistic' role should not be over-looked (in terms of morale and looking after the players). It is only right that we remember him.

Rick (17) Andy Burgin is not Ted's son - he might be a distant relative as they hail from the same neck of the woods.

Alan Hodgkinson was, I think the shortest ever England keeper at 1.75 m. Ted Burgin was 5 cm shorter at 1.70 m. Burgin was an England B international, so was one of the top keepers around at approximately 5'-6" tall, a good half a foot shorter than Pickford who is regarded as being rather too short for a modern keeper.

Burgin and Hodgkinson had the very skilful Joe Shaw as their centre-half and he too was no more than 1.74 m. One wonders how Sheffield United coped against Lofthouse, Hickson and the like. Though, of course, they too, while great headers of the ball, were not particularly tall.

A great shame he never truly got the recognition he deserved for what he did as a player, Captain and Assistant Manager / Coach, though those who knew him had a lot of time for him and that says an awful lot about the man.