Gordon Hodgson - Football Management Career

Football Management Career

Hodgson took over the managerial reins at Port Vale in October 1946, it was there that he began to learn the ropes of management. He was manager when the "Valiants" moved from The Old Recreation Ground to their new home of Vale Park in 1950. Most of the money the club raised went towards the new ground, leaving Hodgson unable to spend money in the transfer market. This included the £12,000 he got for right-half Bill McGarry, and the £20,000 he got from the sale of striker Ronnie Allen.

He was greatly respected for his pre-war sporting career, but also for encouraging young footballers in North Staffordshire. He had the ability to spot talented players and to blood them well in the league, and was also a good motivator. However, he failed to build a promotion winning team at the club before his death on 14 June 1951 due to cancer. He was still in office at the time and was in Stoke-on-Trent at the time of his death. His benefit match was held against rivals Stoke City on 1 October 1951, Vale lost the game 2–1; some £383 was raised for his dependants. Of the eleven main players in the club's record breaking 1953–54 season, Hodgson signed Roy Sproson, Ray King, Stan Turner, Albert Leake, Ken Griffiths, Basil Hayward, Colin Askey, and John Cunliffe; Reg Potts and Tommy Cheadle having preceded him at the club; and Albert Mullard arriving after his death.