Gordon Hodgson was the outstanding Liverpool striker of the
pre-war era, establishing records which still stand today. Only three players
in the history of the game (Jimmy Greaves, Dixie Dean and Steve Bloomer) scored
more top division goals than his tally of 288.
He was born near Johannesburg, South Africa, on 16th
April 1904 and in 1924 was one of the youngest players to be selected for a
team chosen from across Transvaal province to tour Britain. They played 25
matches, the last of which was a 3-1 victory over Everton, and Hodgson’s
performances convinced the Liverpool board that they should sign him. He duly
joined the club in December 1925, making his debut in February 1926. Over the next
nine seasons he proved himself to be an inspired signing. Top scorer in seven
of those seasons, he scored 241 goals for Liverpool in 490 appearances, seldom
missing a match. He had already played international football for South Africa
but as both his parents were English-born he was also qualified to play for
England and made 3 appearances in the 1930-31 season.
Not content with making his mark on the English soccer
scene, Gordon Hodgson was also a top-class cricketer, making 56 appearances for
Lancashire from 1928 to 1933. A fast right-arm bowler, his 148 wickets helped
Lancashire to win the county championship in 1928 and 1930. His best batting
performance was the 20 runs he scored for Lancashire against India at Aigburth
in 1932.
Hodgson left Liverpool in 1936 and spent one season at Aston
Villa, scoring 11 goals in 28 appearances. He then spent two seasons at Leeds
United, notching up an impressive 51 goals in81 games, before the onset of war
brought his playing career to a close. After the war he managed Port Vale from
1946 to 1951, during which time he unsuccessfully applied for managerial
vacancies at both Everton and Liverpool.
In his early days in the city Hodgson lodged at a number of
addresses, alongside Liverpool team-mates. His address on arrival in England
was given as 122 Stanley Park Avenue South L4 and he later lodged at 8 Gertrude
Road L4. On 23 November 1928 he married Doris Huckell and the couple lived at
73 Pinehurst Avenue L4.
Gordon Hodgson and Doris had two children, a daughter Doreen
(b.1930) and a son Gordon (b.1934). Sadly Doris died on 8th March
1938 aged just 27, leaving Hodgson a widower with two young children.
Whilst managing Port Vale he sought treatment for a throat
condition but sadly his condition was inoperable and he died from cancer at his
home in Burslem on 14th June 1951 aged just 47.
