Between the Sticks
Alan Hodgkinson MBE
For sixty years Alan has operated at the highest level of football. People talk of legends of sport, but often the term is used without the recipient having the credibility and stature to merit such a description. In the case of Alan Hodgkinson there is absolutely no doubt he is truly deserving of the accolade.
Craig Brown
He was not only a great goalkeeper but a county level cricketer and squash player. Alan was one of the great goalkeepers in an era of great goalkeepers. His experience and contacts in the game are second to none. The best goalkeeping coach there is.
Jim Smith
Alan was my goalkeeping coach and played a highly significant role in my career at Manchester United, coaching me and offering me the benefit of his unparalleled expertise and experience. He helped me mature and settle into a much higher grade of football than I had been used to. I shall be forever grateful to him.
Peter Schmeichel
Alan was not only my first professional goalkeeping coach, he was THE first goalkeeping coach. He was instrumental in helping me as a goalkeeper and ultimately as a goalkeeping coach. He is a very special man both on and off the field.
Eric Steele, Senior Goalkeeping Coach, Manchester United
He was more than the club’s goalkeeper, he was part of the match day at Bramall Lane. He was a local lad who knew his audience. He was a remarkable player. His reflexes defied explanation and his bravery was never in question. Few players in the history of Sheffield United are remembered with as much affection as ‘Hodgey’.
Sean Bean, actor
Having worked with Alan at the highest level I consider myself privileged to have witnessed his preparation, organisation and attention to detail. He has been totally dedicated to the art and science of his trade – he’s a one-off.
Gordon Milne
The specialist work Alan did with the Scotland goalkeepers was outstanding. The fact he worked for the Scottish FA for 17 years is testament to his quality of coaching. He transformed top goalkeepers in Scotland. A brilliant goalkeeping coach.
Andy Roxburgh
Alan was one of my boyhood heroes. All these years on, nothing has changed in that respect. He is a modest, warm, fine man and a true Blades legend. He is always welcome at Bramall Lane – his spiritual home.
Kevin McCabe, Chairman, Sheffield United FC
Alan worked for me for several years as goalkeeping coach and was a conscientious worker. He set excellent standards for every goalkeeper he coached based on technique and hard work. His most important role was on deciding the potential of a young Danish goalkeeper. When Alan kept coming back with better and better reports I had to put the question to him, one that had always bothered me regarding Continental goalkeepers, ‘Can he play in the English game?’ Alan replied, ‘He will be an absolute certainty at Manchester United.’ That was Peter Schmeichel – enough said.
Sir Alex Ferguson
Alan was the first professional goalkeeping coach. In 1981–82 when Watford gained promotion to what was then Division One, I made one of my best ever managerial decisions. I appointed him as our goalkeeping coach. He was a top-class goalkeeper who became a top-class coach, but, just as importantly, he is a top-class man.
Graham Taylor
I can never recall Hodgey wearing gloves. Yet the ball stuck to his hands like a Teflon coating to a pan. He was a great goalkeeper in an era when England produced truly great goalkeepers.
Jimmy Greaves
When Alan played at Goodison Park he would often take a young lad from the crowd and invite the lad to ‘keep goal’ with him in the pre-match kick-in. I’m sure the lad never forgot the experience and Everton fans appreciated it too. You can’t imagine such a thing happening these days, football is bereft of such simple, yet wonderful gestures towards ordinary fans.
Jimmy Gabriel, Everton FC
Hodgey was a truly superb goalkeeper. I was recently asked if Alan was better than the goalkeepers we now see in the Premier League. I had to be honest and say, ‘Not quite … then again, Alan has turned 76!’
Tommy Smith
Sixty years in professional football is a truly remarkable achievement. Alan Hodgkinson is unique and the longevity of his career in football may never be bettered.
Michel Platini
Hodgey is the ‘daddy’ of all goalkeeping coaches. He instigated and created the content for the UEFA Goalkeeping Licences. His expertise and experience are respected throughout the world.
Ian Rush
Sixty years in professional football is a phenomenal achievement. Alan has not simply ‘worked with’ the best, his efforts and expertise made those goalkeepers the best.
Paul Ince
It was said I developed into a ‘world class’ goalkeeper. If that’s true, then I owe it all to Alan Hodgkinson. The best goalkeeping coach in the world.
Andy Goram
A superb goalkeeper, Hodgey was not content with that, he went on to become arguably the best goalkeeping coach there has ever been.
Gordon Banks
This book is dedicated to Brenda, the love of my life, and to our loving family.
What They Say About ‘Hodgey’
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Acknowledgements
Picture Section
Copyright
About the Publisher