Idris Hopkins

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Idris 'Dai' Hopkins
Personal information
Full name Idris Morgan Hopkins
Date of birth 11 October 1910(1910-10-11)
Place of birth    Merthyr Tydfil, Wales
Date of death    9 October 1994(1994-10-09)
Place of death    High Wycombe, England
Height 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Playing position Right wing
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1927
1929
1932
1932-1947
1947
Merthyr Town
Sheffield Wednesday
Crystal Palace
Brentford
Bristol City
Total
Unknown
Unknown
004 0(0)
272 (77)
027 0(0)
303 (77)   
National team
1934-1939 Wales 012 0(2)

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only.
* Appearances (Goals)

Idris (Dai) Hopkins, born on 11 October 1910 in Merthyr Tydfil, was a Welsh footballer famed for his talented right foot. He played for many clubs throughout his career, but most famously Brentford where he captained them in the English 1st Division.

Contents

[edit] Early life

Idris was born in the mining town of Merthyr Tydfil in Wales, son of a coal miner. He was naturally right footed but spent a great deal of time improving his weaker left foot repeatedly kicking a ball against a wall until it was of equal standard.

Before turning professional he played football at an amateur level for Gellyfaelog, New Road and Merthyr Town.

[edit] Professional Football Career

His career as a professional footballer started when he was signed by Sheffield Wednesday having been spotted playing at amateur level. He moved on to Crystal Palace in 1932[1] where he played 4 games before being transferred to Brentford.

It was at Brentford where he established himself as a footballer as part of their greatest ever team.[2] He wore the number 7 shirt and was an old fashioned inside forward with two good feet and a determined attitude. Between 1932 and 1947 and he made 290 official appearances scoring 77 goals,[3] however his total number of both appearances and goals for the club is considerably higher if you include appearances made during the war which do not count towards players' official records.

In 1946 Brentford, in Division 1, and with Idris as club captain were relegated to Division 2. During that season at the age of 39 he scored 4 goals. This season was the last, to date, that Brentford FC were in the top flight of English football.

In May 1947 he left Brentford and signed for Bristol City[4] where he played 24 times before retiring in 1948 at the age of 40.

He also made two appearances for West Ham United as a guest player during World War Two.[5]

His weekly wage was £12, the maximum permitted under league rules. Equivalent to £330 a week in 2007 terms, it was a galaxy away from the wages of modern international footballers.

He was inducted into the Brentford Hall of Fame in 1989.

[edit] International career

Idris was capped 12 times for Wales playing in the British Home Championships between 1934 and 1939, and undoubtedly would have won more if it hadn't been for World War II. He also made 9 appearances for Wales in wartime internationals scoring once.

During his international career he played against such greats as Cliff Bastin, Stanley Matthews and Tommy Lawton. Perhaps the most notable match he appeared in was Wales 4-2 victory over England in 1938 at Ninian Park as part of the 1939 British Home Championship. Idris was amongst the scorers for Wales with Stanley Matthews and Tommy Lawton netting for England[6]

Full Internationals
Home Side Away Side Date Score Ground Goals
Scotland Wales 21.11.1934 3-2 Pittodrie Aberdeen 0
Wales Ireland 27.3.1935 3-1 Racecourse Ground Wrexham 1
England Wales 5.2.1936 1-2 Molyineux Wolverhampton 0
Ireland Wales 11.3.1936 3-2 Celtic Park Belfast 0
Wales England 17.10.1936 2-1 Ninian Park Cardiff 0
Scotland Wales 2.12.1936 1-2 Dens Park Dundee 0
Wales Ireland 17.3.1937 4-1 Racecourse Ground Wrexham 0
England Wales 17.11.1937 2-1 Ayresome Park Middlesborough 0
Ireland Wales 16.3.1938 1-0 Windsor Park Belfast 0
Wales England 22.10.1938 4-2 Ninian Park Cardiff 1
Scotland Wales 9.11.1938 3-2 Tynecastle Edinburgh 0
Wales Northern Ireland 15.3.1939 3-2 Racecourse Ground Wrexham 0
Wartime Internationals
Home Side Away Side Date Score Ground Goals
Wales England 11.11.1939 1-1 Ninian Park Cardiff 0
Wales England 18.11.1939 2-3 Racecourse Ground Wrexham 0
England Wales 13.4.1940 0-1 Wembley 0
England Wales 26.4.1941 4-1 City Ground Nottingham 0
England Wales 25.10.1941 2-1 St. Andrews Birmingham 1
Wales England 9.5.1942 1-0 Ninian Park Cardiff 0
England Wales 24.10.1942 1-2 Molyineux Wolves 0
England Wales 22.2.1942 5-3 Wembley 0
Wales England 5.5.1944 0-2 Ninian Park Cardiff 0

[edit] Honours

Brentford

[edit] Non-playing Career and Retirement

After football Idris had spells coaching in Sweden with IFK Norrkoping and FK Slepnier, and Turkey with Demirspor F.C. He also managed Ramsgate, Portadown and Sutton United. He eventually moved to Middlesex before settling in Buckinghamshire with his wife, Nancy, and sons Barry and Ashley.

He was modest about his career but did on occasion share his stories providing an insight into the game of old.[7]

Idris died in on the 9th October 1994 two days before his 84th birthday. A minutes' silence was held as a mark of respect before Brentford F.C's next match on the following Saturday.

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[edit] References