With Mo Salah seemingly about to surpass Gordon Hodgson‘s Liverpool aim tally, we took a glance again on the profession of this lesser-known legend who’s quickly to be the Reds’ fourth-highest goalscorer of all time.
Regardless of taking part in for over 10 years within the first division for Liverpool and scoring almost 250 targets, Hodgson’s identify is usually forgotten among the many lengthy listing of nice previous attackers.
Nonetheless, with a games-per-goal ratio (1.56:1) higher than any of the 100 gamers who’ve scored over 30 targets for Liverpool, the pre-World Battle Two striker deserves to be remembered alongside his putting successors.
Date of demise: June 14, 1951 (aged 47)
Native land: Gauteng, South Africa
Official debut: February 27, 1926
Ultimate look: December 28, 1935 (31 years previous)
England/South Africa caps: 3/2
Who was Gordon Hodgson?
Photographs: The Bromilow household
Born within the Gauteng province of South Africa, Hodgson travelled to the UK and Eire in 1924 as an novice, a part of a South Africa crew that toured for 3 months.
Whereas on his journey, he impressed sufficient in a 5-2 win over Liverpool that the membership signed the 20-year-old and introduced him again to Merseyside to make his debut towards Man Metropolis in February, 1926.
In his early days, Hodgson performed in a superb entrance three that additionally included Harry Chambers and Dick Forshaw, who themselves scored 151 and 124 targets respectively.
They quickly left, although, and by 1929 Hodgson was the primary man. The Reds’ finest gamers have been at both finish of the pitch, Elisha Scott in aim and Hodgson up entrance.
Scott had received two league titles within the years earlier than Hodgson’s arrival. Nonetheless, after the ahead joined, Liverpool went on a trophy-less run of 24 years, although this did embrace the Second World Battle years.
Liverpool’s lack of silverware meant that for all of Hodgson’s targets, he by no means really received a trophy with the Reds. He did, nevertheless, declare success of types with England, the worldwide crew he adopted.
Hodgson performed all three matches within the 1930-31 British Residence Championship, which was shared by England and Scotland who each earned 4 factors.
Sadly, Hodgson died of most cancers in 1951 at simply 47 years previous.
How good was Gordon Hodgson?
• READ HERE: The fascinating story of Liverpool’s legendary South African hat-trick king
It’s tough to match gamers who competed earlier than the Second World Battle to the athletes of in the present day.
What we do know, although, is that he was among the finest attackers round in his day and his information communicate for themselves.
Hodgson completed as Liverpool’s prime scorer in seven of his 9 seasons on Merseyside.
Amongst his 241 targets have been an unimaginable 17 hat-tricks in 10 years, much more than Ian Rush (16) managed. Hodgson additionally scored 4 instances on two events.
Lengthy-term Liverpool journalist John Keith instructed LFC TV: “Within the Nineteen Twenties, I might say he was among the finest strikers within the enterprise and once more, his identify will at all times be up there with one of the best scorers of all time in Liverpool historical past.”
Hodgson scored his first hat-trick in his seventeenth recreation for Liverpool in 1926 and impressed the Liverpool Echo sufficient for the newspaper’s report back to learn: “Based mostly on this efficiency, I might recommend it won’t be the final we see from this very gifted South African.
“With the addition of the South African, Hodgson (Inside Proper), I fail to notice how any opposition will maintain a clear sheet when all three play in the identical aspect.
“An excellent striker is a necessity within the recreation. A brace of fine strikers may be very uncommon certainly. The Liverpool aspect now accommodates triplets of superior energy, that’s simply downright greed. God assist the primary division when Liverpool come to city.”
Gordon Hodgson was greater than a footballer
Whereas Hodgson made his identify taking part in top-flight soccer for Liverpool, he was additionally a gifted cricketer.
A pacy right-arm bowler and batter within the decrease order, he performed 45 first-class matches for Lancashire from 1928 to 1933, taking 148 wickets with a mean of 27.75 – not unhealthy stats!
In truth, his hand-eye coordination was such that he even performed for the Everton baseball crew, too.
Even after his spouse died in 1938, he maintained a love for sport. Hodgson grew to become supervisor of Port Vale after his taking part in profession ended and was interviewed for the Liverpool job within the early months of 1951.
Sadly, earlier than the summer time was out, he too had handed away.
