Dennis Gordon Explained

Dennis Gordon should not be confused with Dennie Gordon.

Dennis Gordon
Fullname:Dennis William Gordon
Birth Date:7 June 1924
Birth Place:Bilston, England
Death Place:Jersey
Position:Outside right
Years1:193?–1942
Clubs1:Headington United
Years2:1946–1947
Clubs2:Oxford City
Years3:1947–1952
Caps3:27
Goals3:10
Years4:1952–1961
Caps4:277
Goals4:62
Years5:1961–1953
Clubs5:Guildford City
Years6:1963–1966
Clubs6:Tunbridge Wells Rangers

Dennis William Gordon (7 June 1924 – May 1998) was an English professional footballer who scored 72 goals from 302 Football League appearances playing for West Bromwich Albion and Brighton & Hove Albion, where he spent the majority of his career.[1]

Life and career

Gordon was born in Bilston, Staffordshire. He attended Southfield School in Oxford, and played first-team football for Headington United from the age of 14. After serving with the RAF during the Second World War, he returned to Oxford, took a job as an audit clerk in the Borough Treasurer's department,[2] and resumed his football career with Oxford City. He was also on the books of Tottenham Hotspur as an amateur, and played for their reserves. When that registration expired at the end of the season, West Bromwich Albion signed him on amateur forms; two days later, he received a letter from Tottenham Hotspur offering him terms for the new season.[3] He soon made his senior debut,[2] and over the next four and a half years he scored 10 goals from 27 league appearances.[1] At the end of the 1951–52 season, he was placed on the transfer list.[4]

Gordon signed for Brighton & Hove Albion for a £3,500 fee. He was not a regular in his first season with the club, but missed only nine league matches over the following five years, and scored twelve goals as Brighton won the 1957–58 Third Division South title. He shared the outside-right position with Mike Tiddy for the next two seasons, and was released on a free transfer in 1961. He played non-league football for a further five years, with Guildford City and Tunbridge Wells Rangers.[5]

He returned to local government work in Brighton Corporation's Housing Department.[5] Gordon died in Jersey in May 1998 at the age of 73.

Notes and References

  1. Book: Joyce, Michael . Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939 . SoccerData . Nottingham . 158 . 2004 . 978-1-899468-67-6.
  2. News: Albion defence held firm . Alan . Neale . Sports Argus . Birmingham . 10 January 1948 . 1.
  3. News: A Spurs' oversight gave Albion their Gordon . John . Camkin . Birmingham Gazette . 3 April 1948 . 3.
  4. News: Saturday sports guide . Birmingham Gazette . 3 May 1952 . 6.
  5. Book: Tim . Carder . Roger . Harris . Albion A–Z: A Who's Who of Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. . Goldstone Books . Hove . 1997 . 98 . 978-0-9521337-1-1.