| Fullname | Melvyn Hopkins |
|---|---|
| Birth date | 7 November 1934 |
| Birth place | Ystrad, Rhondda, Wales |
| Death date | 18 October 2010 (aged 75) |
| Death place | Worthing, England |
| Position | Full-back |
| Years 1 | 1952–1964 |
| Clubs 1 | Tottenham Hotspur |
| Caps 1 | 219 |
| Goals 1 | 0 |
| Years 2 | 1964–1967 |
| Clubs 2 | Brighton & Hove Albion |
| Caps 2 | 58 |
| Goals 2 | 2 |
| Years 3 | 1967–1969 |
| Clubs 3 | Canterbury City |
| Years 4 | 1969–1970 |
| Clubs 4 | Bradford Park Avenue |
| Caps 4 | 30 |
| Goals 4 | 0 |
| Totalcaps | 307+ |
| Totalgoals | 2 |
| Nationalyears 1 | 1956–1963 |
| Nationalteam 1 | Wales |
| Nationalcaps 1 | 34 |
| Nationalgoals 1 | 0 |
Mel Hopkins (7 November 1934 – 18 October 2010)[1] was a Welsh international footballer. He played at left back.
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
- ^ Incredible journey - from Ystrad Boys Club to World Cup; The boys of '58 - Western Mail, June 20, 2002
- ^ Pele broke my heart, Saint broke my nose - interview with Mel Hopkins, The Argus, 19 December 2001
- ^ 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
- ^
- ^ 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