Dodds Ephraim “Jock” Image 1 Sheffield United 1935

Description

Grangemouth, Stirlingshire born centre forward Ephraim “Jock” Dodds scored more than 200 goals in a war interrupted career. He started in junior football with Medomsley Juniors in 1931 and had been on the books of Huddersfield Town and Lincoln City in 1933 without appearing for either but having signed for Second Division Sheffield United in May 1934 on a free transfer he made his Football debut against Burnley that September. He had a successful first season with 19 goals in 28 games including 4 in a 6-1 win over Southampton in February 1935, finishing as the club’s leading goalscorer.

Dodds didn’t miss a game the following season, scoring 38 goals, as The Blades narrowly missed promotion to Division One and reached the FA Cup Final where they lost to a single Ted Drake goal for Arsenal. He was The Blades’ leading scorer 4 seasons running and scored his 100th goal for United against Tottenham Hotspur in September 1938. When First Division Blackpool bought him in March 1939 for £10,000, being only the second player who’s transfer fee reached five figures, he had scored 124 goals in 195 games. This included 4 goals against Southampton in February 1934 with hat-tricks against Newcastle United and Swansea Town (twice).

His Blackpool career either side of the Second World War saw him score 13 goals in 15 games before the War including all 4 goals as they beat Middlesbrough in April 1939, and 5 FA Cup goals in 5 games in the 1946 FA Cup, including a treble against Wrexham in the third round in January 1946. During the War he played in 8 Wartime internationals for Scotland scoring 9 times, As well as continuing to play for Blackpool in wartime football, Dodds played guest matches for Manchester United, Fulham and West Ham United. He also made one guest appearance for Clapton Orient. Including wartime football he scored over 200 times for Blackpool. He scored eight goals against Stockport County in 1941, and seven goals against Tranmere Rovers in 1942, including a hat-trick in just 2½ minutes.

In August 1946 he signed for Shamrock Rovers, playing 10 times in Ireland before being sold in November to Everton for £7,750. He scored 37 times in 58 games including hat-tricks at Wolves and Huddersfield Town in the second half of 1947-48, and a hat-trick against Preston North End in September 1948, before being sold to Second Division Lincoln City for £6,000 the next month. His final two seasons at Sincil Bank produced a further 39 goals in 62 games including a hat-trick against West Ham United in December 1948, before his retirement in the summer of 1950.

At the time of his death in 2007 aged 91, he was the oldest surviving player to have played in a final at Wembley Stadium.