Finalist 3 – Gordon Hobson
One of the closest last eight match ups came between Gordon Hobson and Jamie Forrester. Many won’t have seen Hobson play, but to see Jamie taking so many votes underlines the attributes he had and the levels he reached in a City shirt.
Hobson came through a group featuring Phil Brown, Tony Lormor and John Fashanu, before comfortably seeing off Derek Bell in the quarter-final. In the semi final he faced Jamie, with the former Leeds trainee getting a huge 199 votes. In one of the highest turnouts of the four match ups, Gordon Hobson triumphed with 201. There was just two votes in it.
Hobson made his name, and probably earned his place in the final four, in the early 1980s. His goals and creativity helped Colin Murphy’s side to the brink of the Second Division, now known as the Championship. He was instrumental in huge wins against Bournemouth (9-0) and Northampton (8-0), but turned in great performances week in, week out. In 1985, as the side broke up, Hobson went to Grimsby, becoming one of the few players to make that move and remain an Imps’ legend.
He returned in 1988 for a then club record fee. He came from the First Division and Southampton, immediately having the impact Colin Murphy hoped for.
His first four games back saw three wins, all of which he scored in. He smashed a hat trick away at Turf Moor to give City a 4-1 win and four days later grabbed another brace to help us beat Exeter 2-0. He was a cut about the GMVC and his arrival signalled the changing of the guard, out with the seasons of decline and rot and in with hope, optimism and belief.
His arrival was similar to that of Bozzie or Green last season, players far too good for our level last season but willing to pin their flag to our mast back in the Football League. The difference is, Hobson was already a legend and he was a flair player too. He signed off with a goal in Murphy’s final game in charge as Champion Exeter hammered us 5-1 and then, like Murphy, he was gone.
I voted for John Ward for 2 reasons. #1 The record breaking 1075/76 season, and also we both went to Monks Road Junior school. I was a year ahead of him.
Hobbo for me for what he did when we went down to the GMVC, until the 2016/17 season, the best season for me following the Imps home and away. Will never forget Kettering away with all the police road-blocks on all roads entering the town, checking tickets, massive away following.