Alan Hodgkinson

[Worksop II]

13 of the squad are still living and Hodgy is the 9th to have passed away

Be nice to hear from any of them ........

Some talent in that lot, 3 knights of the realm .................... only one Blade tho'

 

[Blackheath Blade]

This was the squad when I first started watching The Blades in 1970.

My first season at the Lane. RIP Hodgy, a true legend

Me too blade.i.am.

God bless Hodgy, a class act in many ways.

 

[Russ]

I've just found this footage. RIP Alan

 

[Silent Blade]

I've just found this footage. RIP Alan

That was Hodgy's England debut

http://www.11v11.com/matches/england-v-scotland-06-april-1957-226863/

 

[Russ]

Some more here vs Burnley

 

[JJ Sefton]

You might find a few bits and bobs towards the end here...

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfKhto4IOc7e_wEvWN6y-9WuMfEBa5INR

 

[UnitedBlade]

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/leicester-for-wembley

 

[Cyprus Blade]

any footage of him in action would be greatly appreciated for those like me that never saw him.

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/fa-cup-6th-round-sheffield-united-v-norwich-city

 

[Bladesince59]

These guys were true Blades. Not like today's mercenaries.

 

[UnitedBlade]

All time appearances numbers 1, 2 and 3, the car park and statues:

In the car park, we already have Joe. I assume someone is working on Woody's statue, if not, why not ? And now Hodgy in the middle.

I'm sorry but we need to move Derek Dooley elsewhere in the car park (maybe behind the top 3 in a row)

It would be a fitting tribute Joe, Hodgy, Woody in a line prominently in front of the club's main stand.

UTB.

 

[MiserableBlader]

Many thanks for that photo. It was probably the first team I saw.

Off all the all too few moments I remember of my younger days of a great club as a young boy, the one that stands out like a beacon, my impression of United - are my memories of Hodgy.
Not the great Joe Shaw, Graham Shaw, Cec Coldwell, Summers, Allchurch, Simpson, Doc Pace or Mick Jones, Birchenall et al but Hodgy.
Catching crosses, diving full length to turn round the post but most of all, it seemed every week, a one on one with a forward running through and Hodgy advancing to the edge of his box, diving in head first and clutching the ball.
God bless Hodgy.
A great player, a great servant to the club and a great man.
Like Woody, no words could do justice to this man.
We'll never see their likes again

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

Did they pass a maths test?

 

[Bartleby]

Sad news indeed, a Blades legend. Carried on working in the game into his late 70's. RIP

 

[Rufus Smalls]

Sad news.

I just about remember Hodgy at the end of his career just before the 70/71 promotion side as I was only a nipper at the time. My old dad used to tell me what a great keeper he was in his prime. Another Blades legend gone this year - terrible.

R.I.P. Hodgy.

 

[MiserableBlader]

Sad news.

He was the established goalkeeper when I started going in 1964 and he was virtually ever-present until John Hope took over in January, 1971. The only matches he missed were odd ones at the end of the season when they'd give Bob Widdowson a game.

Very popular with the fans. They loved his mock gunshots at the lads at the back of the Kop as he ran towards the Shoreham Street end and they loved his throwing into the crowd as gifts the "kicking-in" balls from time to time.

I remember him for the cap he used to wear on sunny days which just like the cap your dad used to wear. I remember him for his agility and in particular for his ability to come off his line and pluck the ball off the toes of an opposition striker through on goal - a collective holding of breath followed by a huge roar of relief. I remember him for doing that thing keepers did in those days of swinging on the crossbar and pulling it down to ensure a shot went over. I remember him for a brilliant save at the Kop end in the epic League Cup win over Leeds in the 1970-71 season. And I remember him being kind enough to sign an eight-year-old lad's autograph book in the Pavilion at a Yorkshire CCC game in 1966 - he had a Sheffield United Cricket Club blazer on and I think he used to play for them during the summer.

He went on a bit too long - he was definitely a bit of a weak link by the time he was replaced but wanting to carry on playing for the club you love and have served loyally for a decade and a half is hardly the worst crime in the world, is it?

RIP, Hodgy.

I don't think it was that he went on too long, he retired relatively young.
What I think happened was he never missed a game, then got a bad finger/hand injury that kept him out for (6?) weeks.
He was never the same after that

 

[Sirius]

Sad news indeed, a Blades legend. Carried on working in the game into his late 70's. RIP

RIP Hodgy. As a young keeper, he played a blinder against Liverpool at Anfield. At the end of the game, the kop gave him a great ovation. Fond memories of a top keeper and a great individual.

 

[cahill]

Heart broken at this news

RIP Hodgy

 

[Boxer Blade]

Really is sad, one of my early memories is when there was bad language being shouted from the back of the kop, fighting etc, hodgy used to turn round and told us to stop it and made a gesture up and down with his hand and arms telling us it was wrong, you're not talking about a few fans either, imagine the abuse long or Howard would get today, a true gentleman, the abuse usually stopped by the way. Rip Hodgy son.

 

[Blade for Sale]

I echo the calls for MUFC and SUFC to come together and do something to remember him at the coming FACup match. He was responsible for bringing Peter Schmeichel to OT, at £400k, arguably their best signing ever. Nice comments from Schmeichel also.

 

[Blade56]

RIP, a true Lane legend in every sense of the word

A very sad year!

 

[georgebernardshaw]

Your first group of hero players from your childhood always stay with you. So when it is time for each of them to leave us, it can hurt deep because even if you never knew them, they were a massive part of your life.
RIP.

Thanks for that boo - I've been sitting here for half an hour trying to find the right words.

A great player, and a great man.

R.I.P.

 

[loyalblade95]

RIP Hodgy one of our best goalkeepers and my dads favourite fly safe up there man

 

[CG Blade]

Without a doubt the best goalkeeper we have ever had, stated gong in early sixties, he was always confident and assured. No one since, in my view, has come near in terms of Blades keepers. Another hero left us.

 

[Davie Blade]

Aye aye aye aye Hodgy is better than Yashin
Mick Jones is better than Eusebio
And Wednesday are in for a thrashin.

Corrected.

 

[Grecian2000]

Sad, sad day. Great keeper and a true Blade.

Remember standing behind the goal on the white railings as a kid like others on the thread. Always looked immaculate in the Green Jersey, black shorts and white socks. No gloves in normal conditions, just a scruffy old cap (Red I seem to remember) for the odd sunny day. Gun shot's to the Kop whilst running toward us. Genius touch.

Remember him letting in a goal at the Lemmings Lane end of the Sty in a testimonial (Gerry Young's I suspect) whilst putting in minimal effort to stop it, and winking to us behind the goal just to let us know it was deliberate. Those were the days.
Another never to be forgotten hero joins our greatest 11 in the sky.
Thanks for the memories great man.

 

[Mendi]

RIP, a true Lane legend .

 

[Silent Blade]

Sad, sad day. Great keeper and a true Blade.


Remember him letting in a goal at the Lemmings Lane end of the Sty in a testimonial (Gerry Young's I suspect) whilst putting in minimal effort to stop it, and winking to us behind the goal just to let us know it was deliberate. Those were the days.
.

It was Johnny Fantham's testimonial in October 1970. He "let in" a goal from Fantham. Gerry Young's testimonial was on a Saturday afternoon in April 1970. I went to both matches

 

[Lawrence]

Sad news.

He was the established goalkeeper when I started going in 1964 and he was virtually ever-present until John Hope took over in January, 1971. The only matches he missed were odd ones at the end of the season when they'd give Bob Widdowson a game.

Very popular with the fans. They loved his mock gunshots at the lads at the back of the Kop as he ran towards the Shoreham Street end and they loved his throwing into the crowd as gifts the "kicking-in" balls from time to time.

I remember him for the cap he used to wear on sunny days which just like the cap your dad used to wear. I remember him for his agility and in particular for his ability to come off his line and pluck the ball off the toes of an opposition striker through on goal - a collective holding of breath followed by a huge roar of relief. I remember him for doing that thing keepers did in those days of swinging on the crossbar and pulling it down to ensure a shot went over. I remember him for a brilliant save at the Kop end in the epic League Cup win over Leeds in the 1970-71 season. And I remember him being kind enough to sign an eight-year-old lad's autograph book in the Pavilion at a Yorkshire CCC game in 1966 - he had a Sheffield United Cricket Club blazer on and I think he used to play for them during the summer.

He went on a bit too long - he was definitely a bit of a weak link by the time he was replaced but wanting to carry on playing for the club you love and have served loyally for a decade and a half is hardly the worst crime in the world, is it?

RIP, Hodgy.

Thanks for the post Shalalalafenoughty and the spot on memories! I remember him being small for a keeper, but very brave, he would regularly come off is line at corners to punch the ball away with two fists, he was a great shot stopper and would sprint of his line to smother on rushing forwards. As a young boy stood on the kop watching Hodgy and co was all we needed, the highlight of my week and ultimately the memories of my footballing life that I will never forget. Players today have the big money but Hodgy was a one club man and earned TRUE HERO status!
RIP

 

[BushBlade]

Durham and Gough have just done a quick tribute to him on TalkSport.

 

[1888to1889]

Great tributes to hodgy on RS tonite
Lump in throat great memories of a great man
RIP