Frank Hoddinott

Wales boxer

Frank Hoddinott
Personal information
Full name Francis Hoddinott
Date of birth (1894-11-29)29 November 1894
Place of birth Brecon, Wales
Date of death November 1980
Place of death Southend, England
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[1]
Position(s) Centre forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1913–191x Aberdare Athletic
1919–1921 Watford 52 (29)
1921–1923 Chelsea 31 (4)
1923–1926 Crystal Palace 79 (20)
1926–1927 Rhyl
1927–1928 New Brighton 23 (6)
1928–1930 Newark Town
1930–193x Grantham Town
International career
1921 Wales 2 (0)
Managerial career
1929–1930 Newark Town
1930–193x Grantham Town
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Francis Hoddinott (29 November 1894 – November 1980), also known as Tom Hoddinott,[2] was a Welsh association footballer. As well as being a professional footballer, he also boxed professionally in the 1920s.[3]

Career

Born in Brecon, Hoddinott started his career in the Southern League with Aberdare Athletic, before moving to reigning Southern League champions Watford in 1919. Hoddinott's opportunities were limited in 1919–20; he played 13 of Watford's 43 fixtures, scoring 7 goals.[4] Watford joined the Football League the following season. Hoddinott finished it as Watford's top scorer with 25 goals in all competitions.[5] Additionally, he became the first player in Watford's history to earn international caps whilst at the club, and at the end of the season was sold to Chelsea for a fee of £3,500; higher than anything Watford had previously received.[3]

However, Hoddinott was unable to maintain the form he had shown at Watford, scoring only 4 goals in 31 Chelsea league matches. He subsequently joined Crystal Palace in 1923, Rhyl in 1926 and New Brighton in 1927. Towards the end of his playing career, Hoddinott player-managed Newark Town and Grantham Town, before joining Chelmsford City as a coach in 1933.[3]

References

  1. ^ Achates (22 August 1921). "First Division prospects. Chelsea". Athletic News. Manchester. p. 5.
  2. ^ Purkiss, Mike; Sands, Nigel. Crystal Palace: A Complete Record 1905–1989. The Breedon Books Publishing Company. p. 328. ISBN 0907969542.
  3. ^ a b c Jones, Trefor (1996). The Watford Football Club Illustrated Who's Who. pp. 120, 279. ISBN 0-9527458-0-1.
  4. ^ Jones, Trefor (1998). Watford Season by Season. pp. 62–63. ISBN 0-9527458-1-X.
  5. ^ Jones, Trefor (1998). Watford Season by Season. pp. 64–65. ISBN 0-9527458-1-X.