Many happy returns David Hodgson

[erimus74]

63 years old today

What a player he was for us when he burst onto the scene during John Neals exciting time as manager of our football club, JN was putting together an exciting, young team who threatened to not only, turn us into top entertainers but, into a team that scored goals regularly, especially at home & David Hodgson was a big, big part of John Neals plans

Registered No521 when on the 23rd September 1978 David Hodgson made his Boro debut away to Nottm Forest in a 2-2 draw & in an exciting first spell at the Boro he went on to make 142 appearances, scoring 20n goals, including a 1st division (now PL) hat trick at home to Spurs in December 1980 & who can forget when he was banned for an FAC 4th round game at home to West Brom when he took his place in the holgate end cheering his teammates onto a 1-0 win, sadly the good times didn't last & David Hodgson was another member of the exciting talented players that left the club over 18 months when he signed for Liverpool in 1982

After his time at Liverpool was finished he played for numerous clubs & in 1987 was brought back to the Boro by Bruce Rioch for a 3 game loan from Norwich City, our 8th loan signing.
3rd march 1987 his 2nd debut, registered No584, came in a top of the table third division clash away to Bournemouth, we lost 3-1.
4 days later on the 7th, playing his 2nd & final game of his 3 game loan at Ayresome Park against Bristol City he was sent off, taking revenge on Joe Jordon who had physically mauled Colin Cooper, after Hodgson tackle on Jordon he just made his way down the tunnel as the ref branded the red card at him & his Boro career, sadly, had come to a sad end again





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[Ayton Mews]

Before my time, but my dad loved him as a Boro player 👍🏻

[LIDDLE_TOWERS999]

Before my time, but my dad loved him as a Boro player 👍🏻

 

[Ural Quntz]

Remind me why we played the Republic of China?

[Francks left peg]

A tasche to be proud of too 😂

[TommyDickfingers]

It's worth listening to Under the Cosh Podcast with him Erimus.

He was a bit of a lad !!

Is my memory serving me right in thinking at one point we had the following midfield under John Neal and all were sold within a short time of each other  -

Hodgson to Liverpool
Johnston to Liverpool
Proctor to Forest
Armstrong to Southampton

??

[Nosmo-King]

Recall when he wasn't available ( don't know the reason) he stood on the Holgate! Great lad, great player.

SORRY ERIMUS see youmentioned standing on the Holgate!

[tunstall]

Heard of him but he was before my time

The early 80s must have been an awful time to be a Boro fan. Selling all our talent like that.

[erimus74]

Heard of him but he was before my time

The early 80s must have been an awful time to be a Boro fan. Selling all our talent like that.

Initially when John Neal took over in 77 he slowly changed our style of play from big Jacks time & with it came the introduction of good, exciting young talent, going into the 80's we had a team that were practically unbeaten on home soul but John Neals acheeles heel was his away form, he couldnt alter our style of play, we were to attack minded & defensively naive, conceding goals at will, upto that point it was a great time until reading the Sunday morning paper headlines on 7th Decemer 1980, the day after beating Championship chasing Aston Villa 2-1 at Ayresome Park, the headlines were of John Neal saying, I wish I could keep these players, I thought why has he said that, the writing was on tbe wall, he knew he was beat
Amer seen the £signs then everything happened so quickly, John Neal resigned at the end of the season & Johnston, Proctor, Armstrong were sold with Hodgy going 18 months later, awful, awful times