Player Profile

Hodgson arrived as an England u-21 international, seemingly having a bright future ahead of him in the game. He was hardly a proven goalscorer, having only scored 20 times in 140 matches for Middlesbrough. He scored four goals in his first six games for Liverpool flourishing alongside Dalglish and Rush and played a total of 37 matches in his first season, scoring nine goals. His main attribute was his pace, but he lacked skill and composure. When fellow striker Michael Robinson arrived at the club, Hodgson's chances were few and far between and he demanded a move. Sunderland were interested but boss Joe Fagan had told Hodgson to speak to him first before signing anything. However, Hodgson went to Sunderland and signed. Once he returned Fagan was not best pleased and told Hodgson: 'You've just made the biggest mistake of your life, son'. Fagan felt Sammy Lee wouldn't be a regular for much longer and had envisaged Hodgson taking his place on the right side of midfield.

Hodgson received a European Cup medal for the win in Rome in 1984, but shortly prior to that Liverpool had travelled to Israel to strengthen the team bond. Hodgson knows a story or two and remembers well that trip: "We’d been playing fizzbuzz, one of those drinking games. There was Alan Hansen, Kenny, Bruce Grobbelaar, Stevie Nicol, myself, Ronnie Whelan, Ian Rush, Sammy Lee, all drinking in the square in Tel Aviv," Hodgson told LFC Magazine. "Things got said and a fight started. Me and Rushie were quite close so it’s us back to back against everybody else. Somehow it calmed down and I went to the hotel with Rushie and Alan Kennedy, who fell on the ground and couldn’t get up. The old Liverpool director Mr Moss was coming out of the hotel just at that moment. So I’ve got down to pick up Alan Kennedy and I couldn’t get up either. And Mr Moss is stood above us frowning. He says: ‘Gentlemen, this is Liverpool Football Club.’ So I grabbed hold of his trousers and pulled myself up his body. And I put my arm around him and said: ‘Mossy, you old bugger, you might be a director but I think you’re a great fella.’ After breakfast the next morning, they call this big meeting upstairs and around the table, there’s Bob, Joe Fagan, Moran, Evo and Mr Moss, who stands up. ‘I’ve been at this club for over 20 years and I’ve never witnessed anything like last night in my life. I’ve had many accolades passed on to me, but never have I received one so touching than from David Hodgson.’ Then they lift the tablecloth and underneath it’s piled high with beer! After that meeting, Bob Paisley turned to me and said: ‘You’re a good Geordie, son. That’s what you are.’"

Hodgson moved to Sunderland and was on the losing side to Norwich in the 1985 League Cup final. Further disappointment awaited at the end of the season when Sunderland were relegated. After only five goals in 40 League games in two seasons, Hodgson got a free transfer to Norwich, choosing the Canaries over a similarly lucrative move to Sweden's IFK Gothenburg who then went on to win the UEFA Cup! He was loaned unsuccessfully to old club Middlesbrough in February 1987 and departed for Spain in the summer which started a long trek between clubs in different countries. Hodgson went into management and had no less than three spells as Darlington's manager from 1995-2006.

"When I left Liverpool for Sunderland Roy Evans sent me a glass trophy and they’d inscribed on it: ‘Good luck, you old bugger!’"