“A terrible performance, I remember thinking, how awful is this kid? I could never see him being good enough to start for Argyle, he was off-the-pace, weak and couldn’t pick a pass to save his life. Seeing what he went on to achieve, I have never been so happy to be so hideously wrong in all my life”
The thoughts of lifelong Plymouth Argyle season ticket holder Ian Roper on Kevin Hodges’ first appearance were harsh but ultimately fair. Hodges seemed out of his depth when he lined up for the Pilgrims for the first time. Very few could have foreseen the vast impact the young winger would have on the club over the next 40 years.
Hodges’ journey to becoming an adopted Janner began when AFC Bournemouth disbanded their youth set-up in 1978, a 15-year-old Kevin Hodges was brought down the south-coast by his coach Bobby Howe to join Plymouth Argyle.
Embed from Getty Images Kevin Hodges [right] tackling Kenny Swain [Left] during a Division 2 match on the 26th December 1986Hodges made his debut against Bury that same year, but the young wide-player needed to transform into a man as his slight figure was too feeble for professional football. Hodges went away and worked on the physical side of his game and returned a year later stronger than the Janner accent.
Hodges cemented his place in the Argyle starting XI that season; a position he would hold for the next 12 years.
The biggest impact Hodges had during his playing days at Argyle was between 1984-86. Throughout this period Hodges was a mainstay in the side that got to the FA Cup Semi-final in 1984 and in Dave Smith’s promotion-winning side in the 1985-86 season.
Hodges won Argyle’s player of the year during the promotion-winning campaign in a season that Roper believes is the best in the Pilgrims history.
He said: “He was on another level that year, he made the game seem so simple. It was definitely the best individual season I’ve seen by an Argyle player.”
Hodges made his final of 620 appearances for Argyle against Stockport County in 1992 before leaving for Torquay United. The winger left Argyle after 15 years as their record-appearance holder scoring 87 goals, and as one of a select group to have two testimonial matches for a club.
Hodges may have parted-ways with Argyle but just like Plymouth’s derelict Dance Academy Nightclub, he couldn’t be gotten rid of as in 1998 he returned as manager taking over from Mick Jones.
The Argyle legend started well with what was an impossible job. However, with a paper-thin squad and a budget tighter than the squeeze of the Lyndhurst turnstiles he was sacked 18-months later.
This signalled a period of separation between Argyle and Hodges until 2008 when he was appointed as a part-time coach for the club’s Football in the Community project.
This is where the 59-year-old made his biggest impact on Plymouth’s community as he went around schools inspiring children to take part in football.
This was the case with South-West Peninsular footballer Jack Biscoe who was coached by Hodges whilst attending Yealmpton Primary School in 2009.
Biscoe said: “The way he worked was like nothing any of us had experienced before, he was so passionate and inciteful. As 9/10-year-olds we couldn’t help but be inspired by him.”
He added: “His training methods were so personal, he knew each and every player personally and knew what we needed to do to improve.
“From that group that he trained most of us are still playing football at some level. Whether that be locally at Elburton [Villa] like myself or professionally. I think that in itself shows how inspiring Hodges is not just as a coach but as a man.”
Hodges worked his way up the ladder at Argyle from community football to coaching the under 18’s to his final role as academy director.
Whilst working his way through, Hodges inspired countless players and parents to take an active part in football whilst also developing quality players through Argyle’s academy such as Tyler Harvey of Truro, Jack Stephens of Southampton and his own son Harry Hodges.
However, Hodges’ finest achievement is how much he positively affected the community around him. Hodges entertained, taught and inspired during his 40 years at Argyle and is a household name across three generations that saw him play, manage and coach football.
As much a part of Plymouth as Smeaton’s Tower or Pilgrim Pete, Hodges’ roots are so deep into the foundations of Home Park that his loss will send shockwaves through the community.
Hodges is more than a footballing-icon in the south-west, the honorary Plymothian has been a part of everything good about Plymouth Argyle over the last 40-years. He has become a vital pillar of our community and with his departure all those involved in football in the south-west owe him a massive show of gratitude.
Brandon Russell: Sports News 