Gordon Hodgson

Gordon Hodgson was born on 16 April 1904 in Benoni, Transvaal Colony to English parents. He married Doris Huckell, on 23 November 1928 at West Derby Register Office. They had two children: Doreen T. (born 1930) and Gordon (born 1934), before Doris died at the age of 27 on 8 March 1938, at Preston Parade in Beeston, Leeds. Gordon then met Alice Shepherd and they were married on 26 October 1940 at Hunslet Parish Church. Their son, Martyn was born the following year. ==Football career==

Club career Hodgson played football in South Africa with Benoni (1919–21), Rustenburg (1921–22), Pretoria (1922–24), and then Transvaal (1924–25). He scored a hat-trick against Liverpool for the South African Amateur team during a tour of the UK on 1 October 1924 and was signed by the club on 14 December 1925. During his time in South Africa he worked as a boilermaker. Hodgson first came to Liverpool's attention in 1924 as one of the youngest members of the touring South African national team, who on 1 October beat Liverpool 5–2 at Anfield. He joined Liverpool a year later on 14 December 1925, making his debut in a 1–1 draw against Manchester City at Maine Road on 27 February 1926. His popularity prompted an ingenious biscuit seller to name the home-made ginger nuts, that he sold in a quantity of five for a penny on matchdays at Anfield, in his honour: "Hodgson's Choice! Hodgson's Choice!" he would call. In total Hodgson scored 241 goals in 377 appearances for Liverpool in all competitions, and leaving him third in the all-time list of leading goalscorers for the Anfield club with only Ian Rush (346) and Roger Hunt (285) having scored more. Aston Villa Hodgson made his debut for Aston Villa in a 3–0 defeat against Preston North End at Deepdale on 18 January 1936. His first goal for Villa came in a 4–3 defeat against Bolton Wanderers at Burnden Park on 15 February 1936. after scoring seven goals in 13 appearances for Villa in the Second Division, including a hat-trick in a 5–1 win against Bradford City at Villa Park on 14 September 1936. In total Hodgson scored 11 goals in 28 appearances for Villa, all of which were in the league. Despite that defeat Hodgson's goals still proved enough to help Leeds avoid relegation. The following season, 1937–38, Leeds secured a top-half finish thanks in no small part to Hodgson, who scored 26 goals in 38 appearances in all competitions, including all four Leeds goals in a 4–4 draw against Everton at Elland Road on 26 February 1938. His form was all the more remarkable considering the strain he'd been playing under as a result of the illness and subsequent death of his wife on 8 March 1938, leaving him a widower with two children. He was top scorer for Leeds in both of his two full seasons at Elland Road. During the war, Hodgson worked in a munitions factory whilst continuing to turn out for Leeds until 1941, making 34 war-time appearances for the Elland Road club, scoring 14 goals. He also guested for Hartlepools United (one appearance, 1939–40) and York City (five appearances, two goals, 1939–40). After hanging up his boots he helped to coach the youth players at Leeds from 1942 to October 1946. International career Hodgson played twice at full international level for his native South Africa, making his debut in a 2–1 win in a friendly against Ireland at Solitude, Belfast on 24 September 1924, in what was also South Africa's first ever full international match. His second and final international appearance for South Africa came against the Netherlands in a 2–1 defeat in a friendly at het Nederlandsche Sportpark (het Oude Stadion), Amsterdam on 2 November 1924. He also played and scored in several unofficial international matches for South Africa against British, Dutch, and Irish club sides during a 1924 tour, including appearances against Wimbledon and Liverpool; which is where they first noticed his talent and subsequently signed him the following year. His only goal for England came in his second appearance in a 4–0 win against Wales in a British Home Championship match at the Racecourse Ground, Wrexham on 22 November 1930. and the Football League against the Scottish League, scoring once in a 7–3 win in an Inter-League match at White Hart Lane, London on 5 November 1930. ==Cricket career==

As well as being an outstanding footballer, Hodgson was also a talented cricketer. He once took all ten wickets in an innings for just 13 runs in an amateur match against Liverpool Police. Seeing his obvious potential, Lancashire soon signed him up to play for them. An extremely quick right-arm fast bowler and hard-hitting lower order right-hand batsman, Hodgson played 56 first-class matches for the Red Rose county from 1928 to 1933, scoring 244 runs at an average of 6.97 and taking 148 wickets at an average of 27.75. He also took 38 catches. His highest score in first-class cricket was 20 for Lancashire against India at Aigburth in 1932. His best bowling figures in first-class cricket were 6–77 for Lancashire against Middlesex at Lord's in 1932. Hodgson twice helped Lancashire to win the County Championship, in 1928 and 1930, although his football career took priority, as he didn't play a single game of cricket in April or September (and only one Second XI match in August) throughout his time at Old Trafford. In 1935 and 1936, Hodgson was employed as professional for Forfarshire in Scotland. His second season at the club was cut short in August due to Aston Villa's request he return to Birmingham for pre-season training. ==Football management career==

Port Vale After the war, Hodgson went into management, taking over the reins at Third Division South club Port Vale in October 1946. He was manager when the club moved from the Old Recreation Ground to their new home of Vale Park in 1950. This included the £12,000 he got for right-half Bill McGarry, and the £20,000 he got from the sale of striker Ronnie Allen. Hodgson managed Port Vale in 222 matches, winning 84, drawing 54 and losing 84. He was greatly respected both for his pre-war sporting career and also for encouraging young footballers in north Staffordshire. He had a reputation for having the ability to spot talented players and was not afraid to blood them in the league, and was also a good motivator. He applied for the vacant management position at Everton in September 1948. ==Career statistics==

Club International Managerial ==Honours==

England • British Home Championship: 1930–31 (shared) ==See also==