Idris Hopkins

Idris Morgan Hopkins (11 October 1910 – 9 October 1994) was a Welsh footballer famed for his talented right foot. He played for many clubs throughout his career, but most famously Brentford where he captained them in the English First Division. He is a member of the Brentford Hall of Fame.[2]

Idris Hopkins
Personal information
Full name Idris Morgan Hopkins[1]
Date of birth (1910-10-11)11 October 1910[1]
Place of birth Merthyr Tydfil, Wales[1]
Date of death 9 October 1994(1994-10-09) (aged 83)[1]
Place of death High Wycombe, England
Height 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Position(s) Outside right
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1925–1926 New Road Amateurs
1926–1927 Gellifaelog Amateurs
1929–1930 Sheffield Wednesday 0 (0)
1930–1931 Dartford
1931–1932 Ramsgate Press Wanderers
1932 Crystal Palace 4 (0)
1932–1947 Brentford 293 (77)
1947–1948 Bristol City 27 (0)
Total 303 (77)
International career
1934–1939 Wales 12 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Early life

Hopkins was born in the mining town of Merthyr Tydfil in Wales, son of a coal miner. He was naturally right footed but spent a great deal of time improving his weaker left foot repeatedly kicking a ball against a wall until it was of equal standard. Before turning professional he played football at an amateur level for Gellyfaelog and New Road.[1]

Professional football career

Hopkins' first taste of professional football came with spells at Football League sides Merthyr Town and Sheffield Wednesday in 1927 and 1929 respectively.[1] He failed to make a league appearance for either side before dropping back into non-league football with Dartford and Ramsgate Press Wanderers.[3] He moved on to Crystal Palace in 1932 where he played 4 games before being transferred to Brentford.[4]

It was at Brentford where he established himself as a footballer as part of their greatest ever team.[5] He wore the number 7 shirt and was an old fashioned inside forward with two good feet and a determined attitude. Between 1932 and 1947 and he made 314 official appearances, scoring 77 goals and added over 200 appearances and 49 goals during the Second World War.[6]

In 1946 Brentford, in Division 1, and with Hopkins as club captain were relegated to Division 2. During that season he made 43 appearances and scored four goals.[7] This season was the last that Brentford were in the top flight of English football until they won promotion in 2021.[8]

In May 1947 he left Brentford and signed for Bristol City where he played 27 times before retiring in 1948 at the age of 40.[9]

He also made two appearances for West Ham United as a guest player during World War II.[10]

His weekly wage was £12, the maximum permitted under league rules. Equivalent to £330 a week in 2007 terms, it was significantly lower than the wages of modern international footballers. He was inducted into the Brentford Hall of Fame in 1989.[2]

International career

Hopkins was capped 12 times for Wales playing in the British Home Championships between 1934 and 1939, and undoubtedly would have won more if it hadn't been for World War II. He also made 9 appearances for Wales in wartime internationals scoring once.

During his international career he played against such greats as Cliff Bastin, Stanley Matthews and Tommy Lawton. Perhaps the most notable match he appeared in was Wales 4–2 victory over England in 1938 at Ninian Park as part of the 1939 British Home Championship. Idris was amongst the scorers for Wales with Stanley Matthews and Tommy Lawton netting for England.[11]

Full Internationals
Home Side Away Side Date Score Ground Goals
Scotland Wales 21 November 1934 3–2 Pittodrie Aberdeen 0
Wales Ireland 27 March 1935 3–1 Racecourse Ground Wrexham 1
England Wales 5 February 1936 1–2 Molyineux Wolverhampton 0
Ireland Wales 11 March 1936 3–2 Celtic Park Belfast 0
Wales England 17 October 1936 2–1 Ninian Park Cardiff 0
Scotland Wales 2 December 1936 1–2 Dens Park Dundee 0
Wales Ireland 17 March 1937 4–1 Racecourse Ground Wrexham 0
England Wales 17 November 1937 2–1 Ayresome Park Middlesbrough 0
Ireland Wales 16 March 1938 1–0 Windsor Park Belfast 0
Wales England 22 October 1938 4–2 Ninian Park Cardiff 1
Scotland Wales 9 November 1938 3–2 Tynecastle Edinburgh 0
Wales Northern Ireland 15 March 1939 3–2 Racecourse Ground Wrexham 0
Wartime Internationals
Home Side Away Side Date Score Ground Goals
Wales England 11 November 1939 1–1 Ninian Park Cardiff 0
Wales England 18 November 1939 2–3 Racecourse Ground Wrexham 0
England Wales 13 April 1940 0–1 Wembley 0
England Wales 26 April 1941 4–1 City Ground Nottingham 0
England Wales 25 October 1941 2–1 St. Andrews Birmingham 1
Wales England 9 May 1942 1–0 Ninian Park Cardiff 0
England Wales 24 October 1942 1–2 Molyineux Wolves 0
England Wales 22 February 1942 5–3 Wembley 0
Wales England 5 May 1944 0–2 Ninian Park Cardiff 0

Honours

As a player

Brentford

As an individual

Non-playing Career and Retirement

After football Hopkins had spells coaching in Sweden with IFK Norrkoping and FK Slepnier, and Turkey with Demirspor F.C. He also managed Ramsgate, Portadown and Sutton United. He eventually moved to Middlesex where he owned and ran a confectionery shop Kandies in Harefield during the 1960’s and 70’s before settling in Buckinghamshire with his wife, Nancy, and sons Barry and Ashley.

Hopkins died in on 9 October 1994 two days before his 84th birthday. A minutes' silence was held as a mark of respect before Brentford's match on the following Saturday.

References
  1. Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 143. ISBN 978-1905891610.
  2. "Brentford FC Former Players' Association". brentfordfcformerplayers.org.uk. Archived from the original on 25 May 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  3. "Hopkins Idris "Dai" Image 1 Brentford 1937". Vintage Footballers. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
  4. CrystalPalaceFC_user. "Appearances". cpfc.co.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2015. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  5. "Bristol City Preview". Archived from the original on 16 June 2007. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  6. Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Harefield: Yore Publications. pp. 80–81. ISBN 978-0955294914.
  7. White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 379. ISBN 0951526200.
  8. "Brentford Complete History - Statto.com". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 15 September 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  9. "Bristol City FC :: Citystats – Unofficial archive of results, players and managers". citystats.org.uk. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  10. "West Ham Player List". Archived from the original on 4 February 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
  11. "Wales v England, 22 October 1938". 11 v 11. 22 October 1938. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
  12. Haynes, Graham (1998). A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopaedia. Yore Publications. pp. 83–84. ISBN 1-874427-57-7.
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