Kevin Hodges

Football player infobox
playername = Kevin Hodges


fullname = Kevin Hodges
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1960|6|12|df=y
cityofbirth = Bridport
countryofbirth = England
currentclub =
position = Midfielder/Winger
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1978-1992
1992
1992-1997
clubs = Plymouth Argyle
→ Torquay United (loan)
Torquay United
caps(goals) = 530 (81)
003 0(0)
068 0(4)
manageryears = 1996-1998
1998-2000
managerclubs = Torquay United
Plymouth Argyle

Kevin Hodges (born 12 June 1960 in Bridport) is an English former professional footballer. He was the head of youth football at Bristol Rovers, and as part of this job he was also in charge of the reserve team, until it withdrew from the Football Combination in the summer of 2008 and he was released by the club. The club also cited Hodges reluctance to relocate to the Bristol area as a factor in their decision to release him. [cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/bristol_rovers/7463947.stm |title=Rovers confirm Hodges departure |work=BBC Sport |date=2008-06-19 |accessdate=2008-06-20] He is now a part time coach with Plymouth Argyle's football in the community team.

Playing career

Hodges began his career as an apprentice with Plymouth Argyle, turning professional in March 1978. He became a legend at Home Park, playing a club record 530 league games and scoring 81 goals from midfield. He was a member of the Argyle side, then struggling in the old Third Division, that made the semi-final of the FA Cup in 1984, losing 1-0 to Watford at Villa Park, and was an ever-present as Argyle won promotion to Division Two.

He was awarded a testimonial at the beginning of the 1987-88 season, 7,000 spectators watching Argyle take on West Ham United. With his time at Home Park nearing an end, he joined Torquay United on loan in January 1992, with Torquay already looking destined for relegation back to the bottom division.

He eventually left Argyle that December, returning to Torquay on a free transfer as the Gulls battled against a second successive relegation.

Coaching and Managerial Career

He was appointed manager, although technically named Head Coach, of Torquay in August 1996 in succession to Eddie May, appointing Garry Nelson and Steve McCall as his assistants. The following season started brightly, but Torquay fell away badly and almost found themselves battling against relegation after the play-offs had looked a real possibility just months earlier.

The following season Torquay did make the play-offs, missing out on automatic promotion on the last day of the season and then losing 1-0 to Colchester United at Wembley in the play-off final, Colchester's goal coming from a disputed penalty awarded when Jon Gittens was adjudged to have handled the ball.

Soon after this game, Mick Jones was sacked as manager of relegated Plymouth Argyle, and Hodges with his Argyle background and his success at Torquay with limited resources was an obvious target. He left Plainmoor to take the Plymouth job on August 1, 1998, taking Steve McCall with him, and later returning for Torquay wing-back Paul Gibbs.

Despite the expectation of an instant return to the Second Division, he could only lead Argyle to mid-table finishes in the next two seasons. He was sacked as Plymouth manager on the 4th of October 2000 after a disappointing start to the season. His legendry status with the Plymouth fans ruined forever.

In April 2001, after a spell scouting for Wolverhampton Wanderers he began working as Football Development Officer for the Somerset FA and continued in that role when appointed as manager of non-league Clevedon Town. He also worked as a coach at Yeovil Town before being released following the appointment of Russell Slade as manager. He then took up his most recent post with Bristol Rovers, which was ended in the summer of 2008 when he was released by the club.

on 2nd October 2008 Kevin Hodges re joined Plymouth Argyle as a part time coach with the clubs football in the community team. [cite web |url=http://www.pafc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/CommunityNews/0,,10364~1395553,00.html |title=Legend in the community |work=PAFC.co.uk |date=2008-10-02 |accessdate=2008-10-02]

References