Mel Hopkins (7 November 1934 – 18 October 2010)[1] was a Welsh international footballer. He played at left back.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Melvyn Hopkins | ||
| Date of birth | 7 November 1934 | ||
| Place of birth | Ystrad, Rhondda, Wales | ||
| Date of death | 18 October 2010 (aged 75) | ||
| Place of death | Worthing, England | ||
| Position(s) | Full-back | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1952–1964 | Tottenham Hotspur | 219 | (0) |
| 1964–1967 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 58 | (2) |
| 1967–1969 | Canterbury City | ||
| 1969–1970 | Bradford Park Avenue | 30 | (0) |
| Total | 307+ | (2) | |
| International career | |||
| 1956–1963 | Wales | 34 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Club career
editThe son of a miner,[2] he was signed by Tottenham Hotspur at the age of 15, when spotted playing for his local boy's club.[3] He was taken on as an apprentice after just one trial.[2] Mel Hopkins made his debut in January 1952[4] and winning a League and FA Cup double in 1961.[5][6] In 1959, he suffered a serious injury following a collision with Ian St John, smashing his nose and upper jaw, an injury which would keep him out of football for two years.[3]
In total, Hopkins played 219 games for Spurs, before leaving Spurs for Brighton and Hove Albion in October 1964 for a transfer fee of £8,000.[3][4] He scored 2 goals and played 58 games for Albion. A brief spell at Ballymena United in Northern Ireland 1967 was followed by a move to Bradford Park Avenue in January 1969, where he played 30 games, retiring in 1970.[7]
International career
editHopkins played for his country between 1956 and 1963,[8] earning 34 caps[7] including playing for the Wales squad for the 1958 FIFA World Cup in Sweden, where they lost narrowly to Brazil in the quarter-finals.[3][9]
In 2003, Hopkins was given a merit award by the Football Association of Wales.[10]
References
edit- ^ Mel Hopkins obituary
- ^ a b Incredible journey - from Ystrad Boys Club to World Cup; The boys of '58 - Western Mail, June 20, 2002
- ^ a b c d Pele broke my heart, Saint broke my nose[permanent dead link] - interview with Mel Hopkins, The Argus, 19 December 2001
- ^ a b Tottenham Hotspurs transfer history - topspurs.com
- ^ Fans will not forgive Santini - The Argus, October 26, 2004
- ^ Remembering the genius of Garrincha - BBC.co.uk, 20 January 2008
- ^ a b Mel Hopkins at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database
- ^ Mel Hopkins statistics on RSSSF
- ^ The fiery captain who loved a good punch-up - The Argus, 2 July 2001
- ^ Hartson scoops Welsh FA award - ESPNsoccernet, October 6, 2003
Further reading
edit- Ashley Drake Publishing - When Pele Broke Our Hearts