Jimmy Hodson (footballer)

Jimmy Hodson
Personal information
Full nameJames Hodson[1]
Date of birth5 September 1880
Place of birthHorwich, Lancashire, England
Playing positionFull back
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
Bury
Oldham Athletic252(1)
1916–1918West Ham United49(0)
1919Belfast Celtic
1919–1921Brentford67(0)
1921–1922Guildford United
Teams managed
1921–1922Guildford United (player-manager)
1922–1925Royal Berchem Sport
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Jimmy Hodson was a professional football full back and manager who played in the Football League for Oldham Athletic, Bury and Brentford.[1] He later managed Guildford United and Belgian club Royal Berchem Sport.

Playing career

Bury

Hodson began his career in his native northwest with Division One side Bury.[1]

Oldham Athletic

Hodson moved to Oldham Athletic and played in the club's very first Football League match in September 1907.[1] He had a successful time with the club, winning promotion to Division One in the 1909/10 season, reaching the FA Cup semi-finals in 1912/13 and finishing second in Division One in 1914/15.[1] The outbreak of the First World War in August 1914 saw competitive football suspended for the duration of the war after the close of the 1914/15 season, bringing Hodson's time with the Latics to an end. He made 252 league appearances and scored one goal during his time at Boundary Park.[1]

West Ham United

In the midst of the First World War, Hodson joined London Combination side West Ham United.[2] He contributed to the Combination title win in his first season and made 49 appearances for the Hammers, the last of which coming in a 3-1 defeat to eventual champions Brentford on 28 December 1918.[2]

Belfast Celtic

Hodson had a spell at Belfast & District League side Belfast Celtic in the second half of the 1918/19 season.[1] The side won the league title.

Brentford

Hodson returned to England to sign for Southern League Division One side Brentford prior to the beginning of the 1919/20 season.[1] He made 34 appearances and got another chance at league football in 1920,[1] with the Bees added to the new Division Three for the 1920/21 season. A week short of his 40th birthday, Hodson made his first league appearance since 1915 in Brentford's 3-0 defeat to Exeter City on 28 August 1920.[3] He made 34 appearances during a dire season, after which the Bees had to apply for re-election.[4] Hodson departed the club at the end of the campaign, having made 68 appearances for Brentford.[1]

Guildford United

Hodson dropped back into non-league football to sign for Southern League English Section side Guildford United on 7 May 1921.[5]

Management and coaching career

Guildford United

Hodson combined his playing duties at Guildford United with that of the club's manager.[1]

Royal Berchem Sport

Hodson moved to Belgium to take over as manager of First Division side Royal Berchem Sport in 1922.[6] He managed the club to three mid-table finishes before departing at the end of the 1924/25 season.[6]

Honours

Oldham Athletic

West Ham United

Belfast Celtic

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920-2006. Yore Publications. p. 78. ISBN 978-0955294914.
  2. 2.0 2.1 http://www.westhamstats.info/westham.php?west=2&ham=945&united=J_[ww_1]_Hodson
  3. http://www.brentfordfchistory.co.uk/matchdetails.php?id=460
  4. http://www.brentfordfchistory.co.uk/player.php?id=321
  5. Haynes, Graham (1998). A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopaedia. Yore Publications. p. 99. ISBN 1 874427 57 7.
  6. 6.0 6.1 http://berchemsport.wordpress.com/geschiedenis/