Alan Hodgkinson

Alan Hodgkinson ( born August 16, 1936 in Maltby, South Yorkshire ) is an English former football goalkeeper. Later he worked as an assistant coach in the English and Scottish football, but mainly worked as a goalkeeper coach.

Sports career

Hodgkinson joined in the summer of 1953 by the English first division club Worksop Town Coming Sheffield United in the First Division at. On his league debut, he had to wait until the following summer. As a result, he was only substitute, not least because of his military service usually behind Ted Burgin. After relegation to the second division in 1956, he was frequently used and eventually played in the circle of the English national team, for which he under the British Home Championship in the final 2-1 win over Scotland debuted in April 1957, the profit of the tournament meant.

In the season 1957/58 he had finally established itself as a goalkeeper of his club, but struggled in the national team first with Eddie Hopkinson around the place between the posts. Called in the squad for the World Cup 1958, displaced debutant Colin McDonald and both stood in the complete course of the tournament in goal. While he was still a member of the National team squad, but was only second choice, this time behind Ron Springett. Although he had his last completed in 1960 by five international matches, he was beside Gordon Banks as a substitute in the squad at the World Championships in 1962.

With Hodgkinson as support Sheffield United in 1961 returned to the first division. Under coach John Harris he reached with Sheffield in the first year after the climb to the fifth place, the best result. Then he slipped with the team from successively increased and with it 1968 again in the second division. By 1971 he was still on for the club before he began his coaching career.

After a stay as a goalkeeper coach at the Scottish National Hodgkinson later returned to Sheffield United back as assistant coach. He also worked for Manchester United and Everton and sifted for the clubs Goalkeeper talents. In 2001, he was active in the youth area of ​​Glasgow Rangers, before he joined in 2002 as a goalkeeper coach Coventry City. After an engagement at Rushden & Diamonds, he later took over the same position at Oxford United.

2008 Hodgkinson was awarded the British Order of Merit Order of the British Empire.