Tony Hobson (footballer)

Last updated

Tony Hobson
Personal information
Date of birth (1940-02-20) 20 February 1940 (age 85)
Place of birth Weymouth, England
Position(s) Forward, defender
Youth career
–1958 Weymouth YMCA
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1958–1976 Weymouth 631 (22)
1976–1979 Bridport
1979–1981 Portesham United
1981–1982 Portland United
1984–198? Portland United
Managerial career
1982–1984 Weymouth Reserves
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Tony Hobson (born 20 February 1940) is an English former footballer and cricketer who played as a forward and later as a defender. He is most well known for his time at Weymouth. [1]

Contents

Football career

Weymouth

Hobson spent most of his career with Weymouth and made a record 1076 appearances (938 competitive) for the club while also scoring 32 goals. [2] He initially played as a forward but was later converted into a defender and also played two matches as a goalkeeper. [1] [3]

He was promoted to the senior team in 1958 and made his senior debut for Weymouth on 8 October 1958 during a 5–1 victory against Poole Town. [1] [4] He then won the 1964–65 and 1965–66 Southern League titles and the 1972–73 Southern Football League Cup with Weymouth. [2]

He was part of the Weymouth teams which reached the 1961–62 FA Cup fourth round and the 1973–74 FA Trophy quarter-finals. [2]

He was released by Weymouth in May 1976. [2] [5]

Later career

He joined Bridport in May 1976 and stayed with the club until 1979; he won Player of the Year at the club in 1979.

He then joined Portesham United in 1979 and then Portland United in 1981. He left in 1982 and rejoined again in January 1984. [1]

Managerial career

Hobson managed the Weymouth Reserves between 1982 and January 1984. [1]

Cricket career

He was both a wicket keeper and a batsman for Weymouth. [6] He debuted for Dorset County in 1976. [1]

Personal life

His father also played for Weymouth, having done so between 1930 and 1947. [1]

In December 2022, the Southhill Stand was renamed to the Tony Hobson Stand at the Bob Lucas Stadium in his honour. [7]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition [5]
ClubSeasonLeague FA Cup SFL Cup Other (e.g. FA Trophy) [a] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Weymouth 1958–59 Southern Football League South-East Division 31101051102
1959–60 Southern Football League Premier Division152002050222
1960–61 Southern Football League Premier Division416303051527
1961–62 Southern Football League Premier Division381703030511
1962–63 Southern Football League Premier Division361205070501
1963–64 Southern Football League Premier Division390308070570
1964–65 Southern Football League Premier Division251404040371
1965–66 Southern Football League Premier Division4304040160670
1966–67 Southern Football League Premier Division4102030170630
1967–68 Southern Football League Premier Division4313041181684
1968–69 Southern Football League Premier Division3915040113594
1969–70 Southern Football League Premier Division420303090570
1970–71 Southern Football League Premier Division401108060551
1971–72 Southern Football League Premier Division3332030100480
1972–73 Southern Football League Premier Division3811081100572
1973–74 Southern Football League Premier Division3726030110572
1974–75 Southern Football League Premier Division3827030150630
1975–76 Southern Football League Premier Division4002060172652
Total63122560752176293832
  1. Exact competition statistics for "Other" are unknown.

Honours

Football

Weymouth

Bridport

Individual

Cricket

Individual

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Whitney, Steve (20 March 2020). "Southern League Legends (Part One)". Southern Football League. Retrieved 19 July 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Mike Williams & Tony Williams (2020) Non-League Club Directory 2021, p512 ISBN   978-1869833848
  3. Whitney, Steve (19 April 2020). "Famous FA Cup Runs….Weymouth 1961/62". Southern Football League. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
  4. "Previous Seasons 1958/59". Weymouth Football Club. Retrieved 19 July 2025.
  5. 1 2 Asman, Ryan (10 October 2016). "Terras Legends #3 | Tony Hobson". Under the Main Stand. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  6. "Fond memories of Terras legend Jeff Astle". Dorset Echo. 15 July 2014. Retrieved 19 July 2025.
  7. "Unveiling the Tony Hobson Stand!". Weymouth Football Club. 3 December 2022. Retrieved 19 July 2025.