Adcock Hugh Image 9 Leicester City 1934

Description

Coalville, Leicestershire born outside right Hugh Adcock began his football career with Ravenstone United in 1919 and played for Coalville Town in 1920 and became a professional with Loughborough Corinthians in December 1921 before joining Second Division Leicester City in March 1923. He made his Football League debut for Leicester at Hull City that August on the same day as club record goalscorer Arthur Chandler and he was a key player in the emergence of The Foxes under Peter Hodge in the mid 1920’s. He missed only two games in 1924-25 as Leicester won the Second Division Championship and was an ever present in 1926-27 and 1927-28 as they finished 7th and 3rd in the League, when he scored a career best 11 goals in the season.

He missed only two games as the side finished in the club’s highest ever League finish of runners up in the First Division in 1928-29, a feat not matched until Leicester won the Premier League in 2016. He was then called in to the England team for the May 1929 European tour making his international debut in a 4-1 win over France in Colombes and also playing against Belgium and Spain. In October the same year he played against Ireland in a 3-0 win at Windsor Park, Belfast, and scored his first goal in his fifth and final international in a 6-0 win over Wales at Stamford Bridge in November 1929. He also appeared the same month for The Football League in a 2-1 defeat to The Scottish League in Glasgow.

He was again an ever present for Leicester in 1930-31 and played in their 1934 FA Cup semi final team beaten by Portsmouth at St Andrews, Birmingham. He eventually lost his regular place in August 1934 and played only 16 times during their 1934-35 relegation season before leaving the club to join Bristol Rovers in July 1935. He scored 52 goals in 460 appearances for the club over 13 years making him the club’s joint third highest appearance maker.

He had a single season spell at Eastville, scoring once in 16 appearances for The Pirates before joining Southern League Folkestone in September 1936, finishing his playing career with Ibstock Penistone Rovers whom he joined a year later. He was later trainer for Leicestershire Senior League outfits Whitwick Colliery and Coalville Town.