Kevin Reeves: one of the country's first ever £1million footballers!

Kevin Reeves enjoyed a fine playing career as a striker, earning two England caps and becoming one of the first £1 million players when he moved from Norwich to Manchester City in the early 1980s. Reeves also wore the colours of Bournemouth and Burnley before becoming assistant manager to Brian Flynn at Wrexham, where he spent 12 years. Now 47, Kevin is currently working at chief scout to Stoke City and givemefootball's Mark Shail caught up with him just before he set off for the African Nations Cup.

WHAT WERE HIGHLIGHTS OF YOUR PLAYING CAREER?

I think I had two really – making my England debut against Bulgaria and playing in the FA Cup final in 1981 against Spurs. It was obviously disappointing to lose that final but just to be involved in all the build up to the big day was a fantastic experience.

WHO WERE THE BEST PLAYERS YOU PLAYED WITH?

I would have to say Martin Peters at Norwich. He may have been coming to the end of his career then but he had wonderful ability and just had that knack of arriving in the box at the right time. Another player who stood out was Trevor Francis at Manchester City - he had great pace and I enjoyed playing alongside him, although he wasn't there for long. Tommy Hutchinson was another a fantastic player with a great engine and wonderful vision.

AND WHAT ABOUT MANAGERS?

The one that stands out is John Bond. I played under him at three different clubs and he was a great coach who loved to play attacking football. He came from the West Ham school of coaching and his training sessions always revolved around the strikers – which was great for me.

DID YOU FEEL A LOT OF PRESSURE WHEN YOU MOVED TO CITY FOR £1 MIILION?

You always feel pressure when you move to a big club but there were a number of other players who had already been transferred for over £1 million, so it wasn't like I was the first one. In fact Steve Daley had already signed for City for £1.4 million before I arrived, so that took a bit of pressure off me.

HOW HAS THE GAME CHANGED TODAY COMPARED TO WHEN YOU WERE IN YOUR PRIME?

Obviously there are a lot more foreign players in the game today, unlike when I played. Not all of them have been good for the game, although the likes Thierry Henry have certainly helped raise the standard. The skills and pace of the game are much more advanced these days and also the players are earning phenomenal amounts of money. Having said that, I look back on my career with fond memories and I feel privileged to have played in that era that I did.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH YOURSELF NOW?

I'm working as the chief scout for Stoke City and enjoying it very much. In fact I'm just about to make my way to the airport to go to the African Nations Cup – let's hope I can find a couple of rising stars who might end up playing for Stoke.