 A goalkeeper, his international debut at the age of 19 was on 6 May 1970 as a substitute in a 2–1 defeat against Poland.He made his 19th and final international appearance on 21 November 1979 in a 1–0 defeat against Northern Ireland.Kearns began his club career in his hometown at Oxford United and went on to make 67 appearances between 1969 and 1972.