Phil Nolan: Being Asked To Play For Hodgsons Was Special

Phill Nolan a former Hodgsons FC player sent in this picture of the side he played with 31 years ago back in 1981.

 

Phil, a center half started his carear with Hodgsons FC in the 1970s when he played for both the Sunday Team and also the their second team on Saturday.

Back in the day Hodgsons FC had two Saturday teams, the first team played in red and the second team played in blue swapping shirts for the week if there was kit clash. They also had a Sunday team that played in an orange strip, and had more Hodgsons employees within their ranks.

All home fixtures in the East Riding County League Divison One were played at the Beverley Leisure Centre with a few pints being supped after games in the club house, Hodgsons Pub.

When Phil joined Hodgsons FC as a player in 1971 there were just 3 or 4 players in his Saturday squad who worked for the company. He did explain that anyone could play for Hodgsons there was no requirement to be employed by the tannery.

Albert Overton looked after the teams though Stuart Akaster, who worked for Hodgsons and also played for the club had began to take over the teams. Amazing ly Stuart Akaster is still involved with football after all these years at Beverley Town.

Garry Church then took over in the late 80s when the club went from two sides to one. For Phil his local derby was not against Beverley Town but a side called Barkers & Lee Smith AFC.

This team were played from a factory just a stones throw away from Hodgsons, Barkers & Lee, a feed mill on Beckside and were an old established side.

Phil said;

“Being asked to play for Hodgsons was special, the club was run like a professional team.”

“We travelled to away games in a mini bus, had changing rooms for home and away side with running water, no one had facilities like us.”

“After the game some one would come round and clean out the changing rooms and was our kits, this was the same for Saturday and Sunday teams.”

The side which played in all blue enjoyed some success, Phil also won a cup back in 1977 with the Sunday team that feature Hodgons Pub landlord Keith Jenkins.

Phil recalled;

“Our Sunday side played in an Orange strip, we thought we were Holland though played more like New Holland!”

“The Sunday team had more Hodgsons workers in it, like the Saturday teams we had a mini bus and all the same facilities.”

“In that cup winning side we had Keith Jenkins, he was a fantastic player in his day and could turn a game with the tallent he had, he could have gone all the way but loved Beverley too much to leave.”

Phil got older and married and soon hung up his boots on Sunday football and though continued to play with on a Saturday for Hodgsons FC until autumn 1982, shortly after the picture was taken though continues to live a happy live in Beverley.

The only question that remains is who is the chap in the front wearing an Arsenal kit?

Hodgsons FC Second Team 1981 – 1982
Mick Finch, Phil Nolan, Mike, Ronnie Millan, Martin McMillan, Alan Broadwood, Sean Finch, Kenny Legard
Garry Church, Ian Moy, Dave Nicholson, Paul Tierney, Dave Rees

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