Hodgson Jack Image 2 Grimsby Town 1938

Description

Seaham Harbour, County Durham born left back Jack Hodgson began his football career with Dawdon Colliery Welfare in 1930 and played for Seaham Colliery Welfare in 1931 from where he signed for First Division Grimsby Town in January 1932, initially as a centre half, but didn’t play ahead of their relegation at the season end. He made his Football League debut at Plymouth Argyle in a Second Division fixture in August 1932, playing 5 times in his breakthrough season, but he didn’t play at all as Grimsby were promoted in 1933-34. Hodgson broke into the team on a regular basis from the end of December 1934 and helped The Mariners to their highest ever League finish, fifth in 1934-35, after when he then took over the left back spot from October 1935. He was  near ever present for The Mariners in each of the last four seasons before the Second World War, missing only one game in each of the last two.

He was a member of Grimsby’s 1936 FA Cup semi final team that lost narrowly to eventual winners Arsenal at Leeds Road, Huddersfield, and their 1939 FA Cup semi final team well beaten by Wolverhampton Wandererers at Old Trafford, before his career was severely interrupted by the outbreak of the Second World War. After the War he returned to Blundell Park and played in the first two peacetime seasons, but during the 1947-48 season in which Grimsby were relegated from the First Division, Hodgson was sold to Doncaster Rovers in January 1948 after 2 goals in 237 appearances for Grimsby.

He was a regular initially for Doncaster but played only 3 times more for their first team after losing his place in April 1950. After retiring as a player in the summer of 1952, having scored twice in 97 appearances for Rovers, he became part of manager Peter Doherty’s coaching team, and when Doherty resigned at the end of January 1958, Hodgson took over the managerial reins from February to April 1958 as co-manager with Syd Bycroft, although they couldn’t prevent Doncaster being relegated come the end of the season, with both men leaving the club.

His younger brother Sam Hodgson played with him for Grimsby Town and also for Mansfield Town, his son Brian played for Grimsby Town and Workington in the late 1950’s.