Alan Hodgkinson, who has died aged 79, was the youngest goalkeeper capped by England, and after a fine career with Sheffield United became the first specialist coach dedicated to goalkeepers; notably, he recommended Peter Schmeichel to Manchester United.
Hodgkinson’s first club was Worksop Town, which he joined at 16. He made such an impression in a match against local giants Sheffield United that they asked to sign him. Unsure that he had the ability needed of a professional, Hodgkinson hesitated.
He was only persuaded by Worksop’s promise of a tailor-made suit paid from the transfer fee of £250. “Sixty years later, I’m still waiting for it,” he reminisced.
He made his debut for United in 1954 in a friendly against the Scottish team Clyde, and played his first match in the league against Jackie Milburn’s Newcastle the next season. His progress was then interrupted by two years of National Service. By the time he returned to Bramall Lane, the club had been relegated to the Second Division.
Joe Mercer, the new manager, told Hodgkinson, however, that he would be the first choice ’keeper. He had already caught the national selectors’ eye in an Army side which included Bobby Charlton and Duncan Edwards.
He was awarded an under-23 cap, and then in 1957 was named in the England side to play Scotland. Hodgkinson was just 20, and lined up with such elder statesmen of the game as Tom Finney, Stanley Matthews and Billy Wright. Although he suffered a calamitous start when conceding a goal almost from the kick-off, Hodgkinson recovered his poise and the match finished a draw. While it was an era with many good English goalkeepers, Hodgkinson seemed set for a lengthy international career.
Alan Hodgkinson in 1966 with match programmes
He was in the 1958 World Cup squad, and won four more caps over the next two years. In the event, however, manager Walter Winterbottom tended to prefer the experience of Sheffield Wednesday’s Ron Springett, though Hodgkinson travelled to Chile as reserve for the 1962 World Cup. Ultimately both players were superseded by Gordon Banks.
At less than 5 ft 10 in, Hodgkinson depended not on height but on his positional sense and agility. These he developed with drills on his own devising, training for footballers then consisting of little more than keeping fit.
He would bounce balls off the heavy roller used for Yorkshire’s cricket pitch at Bramall Lane and worked out that he could react quicker by stepping sideways, rather than turning, before flinging himself at a shot. He also realised that the ball travelled further when punted if kicked not at knee but at ankle height.
Insights such as these were beyond the ken of managers then, not that they could not be imaginative. When United’s John Harris wanted to see if Hodgkinson had recovered from an injury, he pulled him into a conference room at a hotel where they were staying and began to hurl at him briefcases he found there.
Hodgkinson turned around to see their owners standing open-mouthed. “Good briefcases,” said Harris laconically, “they’ll last you.”
Hodgkinson played more than 650 matches for Sheffield United, mainly in the top flight following their promotion in 1961, when they also reached the FA Cup semi-final. He lost his place 10 years later, in what proved to be their best season for many a decade, though Hodgkinson was too gentlemanly ever to bemoan the decision.
Alan Hodgkinson was born on August 16 1936 at Laughton Common, near Sheffield. His father was a miner who also gave piano concerts at venues such as Butlin’s. Hodgkinson later recalled the conditions in which he was raised – 47 children in his class, and clean underpants once a week.
He was a talented all-round sportsman, competing at regional level as a gymnast. On leaving school at 15, he became a butcher’s assistant, mainly because it left Saturday afternoons free for football.
After retiring as a player at 35, Hodgkinson offered his services to clubs as a goalkeeping coach, an entirely novel notion. He had spells with teams which included Coventry, Watford, Everton, Aston Villa and Manchester City, combining this with being assistant manager in the 1970s at Gillingham.
Hodgkinson in 2012
After working with Bobby Robson’s England squad, he was appointed Scotland goalkeeping coach in 1986. His most notable pupil was perhaps Andy Goram.
He later worked for Rangers and for Manchester United. After being sent to see Peter Schmeichel play in Denmark he told Alex Ferguson that he was “the bargain of the century” and predicted that he would help win the title. Hodgkinson also devised the first goalkeeper coaching courses for Uefa.
Alan Hodgkinson was appointed MBE in 2008 and, with Les Scott, wrote a memoir in 2012, Between the Sticks.
He is survived by his wife Brenda, with whom he had two daughters and a son.
Alan Hodgkinson, born August 16 1936, died December 8 2015
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