Bobby Hope
Encyclopedia
Robert "Bobby" Hope is a Scottish
former footballer who made more than 400 appearances as a midfielder
in the Football League
. He played more than 300 league games for West Bromwich Albion
where he spent most of his club career. He won two cap
s for Scotland
.
Hope played for West Brom between 1959 and 1972. A cultured, scheming inside-forward, he was the general in the team's midfield throughout the 1960s. Together with Clive Clark
on the wing, Hope provided the ammunition for players like Tony Brown and Jeff Astle
. Hope enjoyed success during this period, winning the League Cup
in 1966 and FA Cup
in 1968. He scored Albion's first goal in European competition when he found the net against DOS Utrecht in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
on 2 November 1966.
He moved to Birmingham City
in 1972, spending time on loan in the NASL
with Philadelphia Atoms
and Dallas Tornado
, and later played for Sheffield Wednesday
and Bromsgrove Rovers
. He went on to manage Bromsgrove and Burton Albion
. He returned to West Brom as a scout in later years.
Hope won only two full caps for Scotland, perhaps due to the abundance of Scottish midfield talent in this period. Since 2000 he has been West Bromwich Albion's chief scout.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
former footballer who made more than 400 appearances as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
. He played more than 300 league games for West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
where he spent most of his club career. He won two cap
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
s for Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
.
Hope played for West Brom between 1959 and 1972. A cultured, scheming inside-forward, he was the general in the team's midfield throughout the 1960s. Together with Clive Clark
Clive Clark (footballer)
Clive Clark is an English former footballer.-Career:Clark was a skilful left-winger who began his career at Leeds United. He joined Queens Park Rangers in September 1958, making his debut against Bournemouth and went on to play 66 league games for Rangers, scoring 8 goals. A move to West Bromwich...
on the wing, Hope provided the ammunition for players like Tony Brown and Jeff Astle
Jeff Astle
Jeffrey "The King" Astle was an English footballer. He played 361 games for West Bromwich Albion, scoring 174 goals, and was one of the most iconic players in the history of the club...
. Hope enjoyed success during this period, winning the League Cup
1966 Football League Cup Final
The 1966 Football League Cup Final, the sixth Football League Cup final to be staged since the competition's inception, was contested between West Bromwich Albion and West Ham United...
in 1966 and FA Cup
1968 FA Cup Final
The 1968 FA Cup Final was contested by West Bromwich Albion and Everton at Wembley. West Brom won by a single goal, scored by Jeff Astle three minutes into extra time. The goal meant that Astle had scored in every round of that season's competition....
in 1968. He scored Albion's first goal in European competition when he found the net against DOS Utrecht in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 1966-67
The ninth Inter-Cities Fairs Cup was played over the 1966-'67 season. The competition was won by Dinamo Zagreb over two legs in the final against Leeds United. For the first time in the history of the cup, replays were scrapped, with sides going through thanks to scoring more away goals, or by...
on 2 November 1966.
He moved to Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
in 1972, spending time on loan in the NASL
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
with Philadelphia Atoms
Philadelphia Atoms
The Philadelphia Atoms were a soccer team based out of Philadelphia that played in the North American Soccer League . They played from 1973 to 1976, at Veterans Stadium and Franklin Field ....
and Dallas Tornado
Dallas Tornado
Dallas Tornado were a soccer team based in Dallas that played in the NASL. They played from 1967 to 1981. Their home fields were Cotton Bowl , P.C. Cobb Stadium , Franklin Field , Texas Stadium and Ownby Stadium on the SMU campus...
, and later played for Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
and Bromsgrove Rovers
Bromsgrove Rovers F.C.
Bromsgrove Rovers F.C. were a non-League football club from the town of Bromsgrove in Worcestershire. The peak of the club's success was in 1993 when Rovers finished runner-up in the Football Conference...
. He went on to manage Bromsgrove and Burton Albion
Burton Albion F.C.
Burton Albion Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire. The club's home ground is the Pirelli Stadium, having moved from Eton Park in 2005...
. He returned to West Brom as a scout in later years.
Hope won only two full caps for Scotland, perhaps due to the abundance of Scottish midfield talent in this period. Since 2000 he has been West Bromwich Albion's chief scout.