Van Den Hauwe was brought up in London, and joined Birmingham City as an apprentice in July 1977. He made his debut in the First Division as a 17-year-old, on 7 October 1978 in a 2–1 home defeat to Manchester City. He played 143 games for Birmingham in all competitions before joining Everton in September 1984 for a fee of £100,000. He helped them win the league title and European Cup Winners' Cup that season, as well as a second league title two years later – when his goal against Norwich City at Carrow Road confirmed them as champions.