Bert Hodgkinson
Encyclopedia
For the English footballer of the same name see Bert Hodgkinson (footballer born 1903)
Albert Victor Hodgkinson (10 August 1884 – 25 November 1939) was a Welsh
footballer who played as an outside-forward for various clubs in the 1900s, including making one appearance for the Wales national football team
in 1908.
in South Wales
, but grew up in Derbyshire
. His first professional club was Derby County
before he joined Grimsby Town
of the Football League Second Division
in October 1903. After a season at Blundell Park
, in which he made seventeen appearances, scoring five goals, Hodgkinson moved in May 1904 to Devon
, where he joined Plymouth Argyle
of the Southern League
. This was followed by seasons with Leicester Fosse of the Second Division
and Bury
in the First Division
.
In May 1907, Hodgkinson returned to the Southern League when he joined Southampton
, along with his Bury team-mate John Johnston
. Described by the Saints' historians, Holley and Chalk, as "a consistent performer with all his previous clubs", Hodgkinson was "still developing as a dashing outside-left" when he came to Southampton. He made his debut for the Saints on 7 September 1907, when he scored in a 3–2 defeat at home to Crystal Palace
. He soon formed useful partnerships with his fellow Welsh forward John Lewis
and with George Smith
, going on to make 29 appearances in 1907–08, scoring nine goals as Southampton finished the league season in mid-table. He also played in all six FA Cup
matches as Saints reached the semi-finals, losing to Wolverhampton Wanderers
who went on to take the cup in the final
.
The FA Cup Fourth Round tie against Everton
played at Goodison Park
on Saturday 7 March 1909 was a 0–0 draw. The replay was arranged for the following Tuesday, but was put back by one day to allow Hodgkinson to attend the funeral of his brother who had died on the Saturday. As a mark of respect, the Saints players wore black armbands. Saints won the replay 3–2, with two goals from "man-of-the-match", Frank Costello
.
Hodgkinson is described by Holley & Chalk as
His reputation grew during his time at The Dell and on 11 April 1908, he played for Wales
against Ireland; the match, held at the Athletic Ground, Aberdare
ended in a 1–0 victory for the Irish.
He continued with the "Saints" for another season, at the end of which the club finished in third place, with Hodgkinson scoring 11 goals, just behind his fellow forwards Frank Costello
on 13 and Arthur Hughes
on 15.
In August 1909, Hodgkinson dropped down to non-league football
with Croydon Common
, followed by spells at Southend United
and Ilkeston United.
player of some note, winning two Gold medals at the National Baseball Association's annual tournament.
After he retired from football, he settled in Derbyshire and was the owner of the Rose & Crown Inn at Chellaston
near Derby
. Following his retirement, the licensee was Tom Keetley
who had had a long football career with Doncaster Rovers
and Notts County
.
was a centre-forward with Derby County
, playing 16 matches, scoring nine goals in the Football League First Division
in the 1903–04 season.
Bert Hodgkinson (footballer born 1903)
For the Welsh footballer of the same name see Bert HodgkinsonHerbert 'Bert' Hodgkinson was a professional footballer who played for Penistone Juniors, Barnsley, Tottenham Hotspur, Colwyn Bay and Crewe Alexandra.- Football career :...
Albert Victor Hodgkinson (10 August 1884 – 25 November 1939) was a Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
footballer who played as an outside-forward for various clubs in the 1900s, including making one appearance for the Wales national football team
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
in 1908.
Football career
Hodgkinson was born at Pembroke DockPembroke Dock
Pembroke Dock is a town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, lying north of Pembroke on the River Cleddau. Originally a small fishing village known as Paterchurch, the town was greatly expanded from 1814 onwards following the construction of a Royal Naval Dockyard...
in South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
, but grew up in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
. His first professional club was Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
before he joined Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
of the Football League Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
in October 1903. After a season at Blundell Park
Blundell Park
Blundell Park is a football ground in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, England and home to Grimsby Town Football Club. The stadium was built in 1898, but only one of the original stands remain. The current capacity of the ground is 9546, though with the introduction of all seating in the late...
, in which he made seventeen appearances, scoring five goals, Hodgkinson moved in May 1904 to Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, where he joined Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
of the Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
. This was followed by seasons with Leicester Fosse of the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
and Bury
Bury F.C.
Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...
in the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
.
In May 1907, Hodgkinson returned to the Southern League when he joined Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
, along with his Bury team-mate John Johnston
John Johnston (footballer)
John Shand Johnston was a Scottish footballer who played as a wing half and won the FA Cup with Bury in 1903.-Playing career:Johnston was born in Lennoxtown and started his career with Stalybridge Rovers before joining Football League First Division Bury in May 1901, shortly followed by his former...
. Described by the Saints' historians, Holley and Chalk, as "a consistent performer with all his previous clubs", Hodgkinson was "still developing as a dashing outside-left" when he came to Southampton. He made his debut for the Saints on 7 September 1907, when he scored in a 3–2 defeat at home to Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
. He soon formed useful partnerships with his fellow Welsh forward John Lewis
John Lewis (footballer born 1881)
John Richard Lewis was a Welsh international footballer, who played his club football as a forward for various clubs in the south of England.-Playing career:...
and with George Smith
George Smith (footballer born 1879)
George Smith was an English professional footballer who played for several clubs at the beginning of the 20th century.-Playing career:...
, going on to make 29 appearances in 1907–08, scoring nine goals as Southampton finished the league season in mid-table. He also played in all six FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
matches as Saints reached the semi-finals, losing to Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
who went on to take the cup in the final
1908 FA Cup Final
The 1908 FA Cup Final was contested by Wolverhampton Wanderers and Newcastle United at Crystal Palace Park. Newcastle had just finished fourth in the First Division during this season, after two successive league titles and this was their third FA Cup final appearance in four years...
.
The FA Cup Fourth Round tie against Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
played at Goodison Park
Goodison Park
Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
on Saturday 7 March 1909 was a 0–0 draw. The replay was arranged for the following Tuesday, but was put back by one day to allow Hodgkinson to attend the funeral of his brother who had died on the Saturday. As a mark of respect, the Saints players wore black armbands. Saints won the replay 3–2, with two goals from "man-of-the-match", Frank Costello
Frank Costello (footballer)
Frederick "Frank" G. Costello was an English professional footballer who played as a forward for Southampton and West Ham United prior to the First World War.-Playing career:...
.
Hodgkinson is described by Holley & Chalk as
"a mercurial player, who would suddenly achieve the sensational only to, just as suddenly, disappear from prominence; he also rarely did what his opponents expected of him."
His reputation grew during his time at The Dell and on 11 April 1908, he played for Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
against Ireland; the match, held at the Athletic Ground, Aberdare
Aberdare
Aberdare is an industrial town in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Dare and Cynon. The population at the census was 31,705...
ended in a 1–0 victory for the Irish.
He continued with the "Saints" for another season, at the end of which the club finished in third place, with Hodgkinson scoring 11 goals, just behind his fellow forwards Frank Costello
Frank Costello (footballer)
Frederick "Frank" G. Costello was an English professional footballer who played as a forward for Southampton and West Ham United prior to the First World War.-Playing career:...
on 13 and Arthur Hughes
Arthur Hughes (footballer)
Arthur Hughes was an English professional footballer who played as a forward for various clubs in the 1900s.-Playing career:Born in Birkenhead, he started his career with his local club Birkenhead F.C. before joining Tranmere Rovers...
on 15.
In August 1909, Hodgkinson dropped down to non-league football
Non-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
with Croydon Common
Croydon Common F.C.
Croydon Common Football Club were an amateur and then professional football club based in Croydon.-History:The team formed in 1897 as an amateur church team competing in local leagues. They turned professional in 1907, joining the Second Division of the Southern League...
, followed by spells at Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
and Ilkeston United.
Life outside and after football
Hodgkinson was also a baseballBaseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player of some note, winning two Gold medals at the National Baseball Association's annual tournament.
After he retired from football, he settled in Derbyshire and was the owner of the Rose & Crown Inn at Chellaston
Chellaston
Chellaston is a suburb of the City of Derby, which is in the East Midlands in England in the United Kingdom. It is on a natural hill, and has recently expanded due to several new housing estates....
near Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
. Following his retirement, the licensee was Tom Keetley
Tom Keetley
Tom Keetley was an English professional footballer who played as a centre forward. Keetley made 366 appearances in the Football League, scoring 284 goals.-Life and Career:...
who had had a long football career with Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
and Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
.
Family
Hodgkinson's brother, BillWilliam Hodgkinson
William Oswald Hodgkinson was an Australian explorer, journalist, gold miner, and politician.-Biography:William Oswald Hodgkinson was born on 21 March 1835 in Handsworth, Warwick, England...
was a centre-forward with Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
, playing 16 matches, scoring nine goals in the Football League First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
in the 1903–04 season.