Ralph Hann

Ralph Hann

Personal information
Full name	Ralph Hann
Date of birth	(1911-07-04)4 July 1911
Place of birth	Whitburn, England
Date of death	17 July 1990(1990-07-17) (aged 79)
Place of death	Derby, England
Position(s)	Wing-half
Youth career
	Marsden Colliery
1929–1930	Sunderland
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1930	Sunderland
1930–1932	Newcastle United
1932–1939	Derby County	115	(0)
1947	Crystal Palace
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Ralph Hann (4 July 1911 – 17 July 1990) was an English professional footballer and trainer, as a player he played as wing-half and after retirement from football, Hann worked as a trainer at various but for the majority and his playing and trainer career were served at Derby County.

Playing career

Early career

Hann, born in Whitburn, near Sunderland started his junior career playing for Marsden Colliery, before he signed to Sunderland in April 1929 as an apprentice before signing professional terms in January 1930. Hann would leave Sunderland in August 1930, to sign for fellow North East club Newcastle United before moving to the East Midlands in March 1932.

Derby County

In March 1932, Hann would join Derby County, where he made his first team debut a year later on 11 March 1933 against Huddersfield Town, Derby were mainstays in the top half a of the First Division during Hann's time playing for the club with and he struggled to hold down a regular place in the team. The best league placement Derby achieved in this spell was a runners-up spot to Hann's former club Sunderland in the 1935–36 league championship.

In the 1938–39 season, Hann was an ever-present in the Derby side playing all 42 league matches and one FA Cup tie. The following season was cut short due to World War II and Hann's professional league career ended due to the hiatus the war caused to professional football in England. Hann played 120 times for Derby, 115 of these in the league.

Trainer career

After the war ended and professional football resumed, Hann became a trainer, working as a trainer at Crystal Palace in September 1946, where he also registered as a player in April 1947. He then became trainer-masseur at Luton Town in April 1947.

In November 1953 he rejoined former club Derby County as head trainer when former teammate Jack Barker was appointed first team manager, he would keep this role under the next two managers Harry Storer and Tim Ward, Hann was relived of his duties in June 1967, when new Derby manager Brian Clough opted to replace Hann with Peter Taylor.

Personal life

Hann had a daughter, Judith who became longest-serving presenter of Tomorrow's World on the BBC.

Death

Hann, died on 17 July 1990, in Derby aged 79.