- Mel Hopkins
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Mel Hopkins 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 Playing position 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) National team 1956-1963 Wales 34 (0) * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).Mel Hopkins (7 November 1934 – 18 October 2010)[1] was a Wales international football player. He played at left back.
Contents
Club career
The 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
Hopkins 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
- ^ 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 - 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 statistics - newcastlefans.com
- ^ 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
- Ashley Drake Publishing - When Pele Broke Our Hearts
Wales squad – 1958 FIFA World Cup 1 Kelsey • 2 Williams • 3 Hopkins • 4 Sullivan • 5 M. Charles • 6 Bowen (Captain) • 7 Medwin • 8 Hewitt • 9 J. Charles • 10 I. Allchurch • 11 C. Jones • 12 K. Jones • 13 Vearncombe • 14 Edwards • 15 C. Baker • 16 Crowe • 17 Leek • 18 Vernon • 19 Webster • 20 Elsworthy • 21 L. Allchurch • 22 G. Baker • Coach: Murphy
Categories:- 1934 births
- 2010 deaths
- People from Rhondda
- The Football League players
- Tottenham Hotspur F.C. players
- Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. players
- Canterbury City F.C. players
- Bradford A.F.C. players
- Welsh footballers
- Wales international footballers
- 1958 FIFA World Cup players
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