Dennis Hodgetts

Dennis Hodgetts
Personal information
Date of birth28 November 1863
Place of birthBirmingham, England
Date of death26 March 1945 (aged 81)
Playing positionForward
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
Mitchell St George's
Great Lever
Mitchell St George's
1888–1895Aston Villa178(62)
1896Small Heath22(9)
National team
1888–1894England6(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Dennis 'Denny' Hodgetts (28 November 1863 – 26 March 1945) was a footballer in the early years of professional football in England.

Hodgetts signed for Aston Villa in 1886. The following year he scored the first goal in Aston Villa's first FA Cup final triumph. In 1895 he collected another FA Cup winners medal with Villa. Hodgetts was also a key member of the League Championship winning sides of 1894 and 1896.

On the eve of Villa's Double winning success in 1897 (in what would have been his third FA Cup final with Villa) Hodgetts transferred to local rivals Small Heath before retiring in 1898.

He made 6 appearances for England between 1888 and 1894, scoring once.

He went on to become a publican, and in 1930 was elected Aston Villa's vice-president, a position he held until his death, aged 81, in March 1945.

A born football player. Remarkably clever with his feet, and possessed many original ideas. Effective in combination, an admirable coach, his skill and unselfishness having the happiest results. Shone especially in 'nursing' players lighter and less skilful than himself, many juniors coming into prominence on the strength of his tuition and example.

The Villa News and Record 1 Sept. 1906

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