Kevin Hodges Leaves Argyle Academy

[Aaron D.]

We are talking here about the club's RECORD appearance holder. A player who reached the FA Cup semi-final, won promotion, and played in a side that finished in Argyle's highest ever league position. A man that started here as an apprentice, worked as a coach, and managed the club in very difficult times. He's pretty much done it all- and from what I have read, he is a real gentleman to deal with as well.

Kevin Hodges has earnt the right to be called a LEGEND as much as anyone in the history of this club. He deserves utmost respect.

Hear hear. A true servant of the club with green blood in his veins. Thanks for everything you've done Kevin.

When the family area was in the Mayflower (mid 80s) I used to stand at the very front near the Barn Park to see him scampering down the wing. A class player.

 

[WoodsyGreen]

We are talking here about the club's RECORD appearance holder. A player who reached the FA Cup semi-final, won promotion, and played in a side that finished in Argyle's highest ever league position. A man that started here as an apprentice, worked as a coach, and managed the club in very difficult times. He's pretty much done it all- and from what I have read, he is a real gentleman to deal with as well.

Kevin Hodges has earnt the right to be called a LEGEND as much as anyone in the history of this club. He deserves utmost respect.

Totally agree. For some sad reason Paul Wotton seems to generate the same kind of underwhelming response from fans, bordering on hostility by some.

They're our Jamie Carragher and Steve Gerrard and it's odd that they aren't treated with more respect and admiration. They should be hero-worshipped like Friio, Mariner, Tynan etc.

 

[ming the merciless]

I think football is finally catching up with the rest of the world. We should be building lads up not just knocking them down to see if they can get up again. Boys don't need to survive all that to make it. There are other better ways. But some football people think that in the football bubble, that's an essential part of the journey and that it's more important that lads can survive the utterly brutal treatment they receive than having talent.

Love KH as a player. One of the best ever. Hated him as an academy manager.

 

[German Shepherd]

We are talking here about the club's RECORD appearance holder. A player who reached the FA Cup semi-final, won promotion, and played in a side that finished in Argyle's highest ever league position. A man that started here as an apprentice, worked as a coach, and managed the club in very difficult times. He's pretty much done it all- and from what I have read, he is a real gentleman to deal with as well.

Kevin Hodges has earnt the right to be called a LEGEND as much as anyone in the history of this club. He deserves utmost respect.

Blimey, he's been around longer than I thought because Argyle's highest ever league position was in 1953 when they finished 4th in Div 2. So he's been at Argyle for at least 66 years, fair play to him but no wonder Argyle want some fresh blood :greensmile:

 

[Emu]

I think football is finally catching up with the rest of the world. We should be building lads up not just knocking them down to see if they can get up again. Boys don't need to survive all that to make it. There are other better ways. But some football people think that in the football bubble, that's an essential part of the journey and that it's more important that lads can survive the utterly brutal treatment they receive than having talent.

Love KH as a player. One of the best ever. Hated him as an academy manager.

Hate seems a very strong word. Was he really that bad?

 

[Pogleswoody]

We are talking here about the club's RECORD appearance holder. A player who reached the FA Cup semi-final, won promotion, and played in a side that finished in Argyle's highest ever league position. A man that started here as an apprentice, worked as a coach, and managed the club in very difficult times. He's pretty much done it all- and from what I have read, he is a real gentleman to deal with as well.

Kevin Hodges has earnt the right to be called a LEGEND as much as anyone in the history of this club. He deserves utmost respect.

Totally agree. For some sad reason Paul Wotton seems to generate the same kind of underwhelming response from fans, bordering on hostility by some.

They're our Jamie Carragher and Steve Gerrard and it's odd that they aren't treated with more respect and admiration. They should be hero-worshipped like Friio, Mariner, Tynan etc.

Surprised that he isn't employed as a 'Club Ambassador'. Surely he could do MC duties on a matchday and go round schools/colleges on weekdays to 'sell' the Club? :think:

I saw him in that 1953 side, best control of a ball whilst in a cot that I've ever seen at Argyle! :nworthy:

 

[lunarjetman]

I guess it was the second highest league position then!

I like the idea of Kevin Hodges having a seat at the board. He knows the club inside out and would offer consistency, seeing as he has worked at all levels and been associated with Argyle for decades. I’d hate to see that knowledge walk out of the door.

In response to some of the comments above I’d say that Argyle have developed some very good young players over the years- it’s a just shame that the best ones have been poached by other clubs before they reach the first team.

 

[Mike E]

Very sad to hear this news, total club legend, and whatever the circumstances are that he has left Argyle, I can understand the frustrations he may have had as head of Argyles accadamy with its Category 3 status and prohibiting geography.

In May 2016 when Brentford closed their accadamy my son Matt became a free agent at u12 going on u13 level, so I contacted Argyle to put him on the radar for future reference. Matt played a couple of matches in Argyles warm up games for the Milk Cup that Summer, injuring his foot against West Brom so ruling him out for the tournament.

Despite Kevin offering him a future scholarship and Matt prepared to sign up to this after he had finished his education, after several intense discussions, the general regulations, Argyles Cat 3 status, Matts age and living with us in Surrey, meant he was legally unable to sign anything. If Argyle had been a Category 1 accadamy then it would possibly have been a different outcome.

Matt subsequently joined Brighton's Cat 1 accadamy where the best we could do was get them to agree that he could one day go on lone to Argyle if it suits both clubs. He is currently in their u18s, has appeared for their u23s, has played for Rep Ire (grandmother) since u15, and is in their u19 squad next week for u19 Euro qualifiers in Austria.

The point I am making is that if Kevin Hodges faced an impossible task in getting talent with green blood, living more than within a 50 mile radius, but wanting to sign for Argyle, while a Cat 3 accadamy, what chance did he have of attracting less persuadable talent.

The next head of accadamy will have the same thankless task unless Argyle take a more radical view to their youth policy, by either attempting to improve their status or even pool their resources further up country to form a Cat 1 accadamy with other lower league clubs.

 

[Daz]

Very insightful post that.

Thanks.

 

[mervyn]

Very sad to hear this news, total club legend, and whatever the circumstances are that he has left Argyle, I can understand the frustrations he may have had as head of Argyles accadamy with its Category 3 status and prohibiting geography.

In May 2016 when Brentford closed their accadamy my son Matt became a free agent at u12 going on u13 level, so I contacted Argyle to put him on the radar for future reference. Matt played a couple of matches in Argyles warm up games for the Milk Cup that Summer, injuring his foot against West Brom so ruling him out for the tournament.

Despite Kevin offering him a future scholarship and Matt prepared to sign up to this after he had finished his education, after several intense discussions, the general regulations, Argyles Cat 3 status, Matts age and living with us in Surrey, meant he was legally unable to sign anything. If Argyle had been a Category 1 accadamy then it would possibly have been a different outcome.

Matt subsequently joined Brighton's Cat 1 accadamy where the best we could do was get them to agree that he could one day go on lone to Argyle if it suits both clubs. He is currently in their u18s, has appeared for their u23s, has played for Rep Ire (grandmother) since u15, and is in their u19 squad next week for u19 Euro qualifiers in Austria.

The point I am making is that if Kevin Hodges faced an impossible task in getting talent with green blood, living more than within a 50 mile radius, but wanting to sign for Argyle, while a Cat 3 accadamy, what chance did he have of attracting less persuadable talent.

The next head of accadamy will have the same thankless task unless Argyle take a more radical view to their youth policy, by either attempting to improve their status or even pool their resources further up country to form a Cat 1 accadamy with other lower league clubs.

That’s really interesting. Can you educate me. What’s the difference between Cat 1 and Cat 3?

 

[Emu]

Very sad to hear this news, total club legend, and whatever the circumstances are that he has left Argyle, I can understand the frustrations he may have had as head of Argyles accadamy with its Category 3 status and prohibiting geography.

In May 2016 when Brentford closed their accadamy my son Matt became a free agent at u12 going on u13 level, so I contacted Argyle to put him on the radar for future reference. Matt played a couple of matches in Argyles warm up games for the Milk Cup that Summer, injuring his foot against West Brom so ruling him out for the tournament.

Despite Kevin offering him a future scholarship and Matt prepared to sign up to this after he had finished his education, after several intense discussions, the general regulations, Argyles Cat 3 status, Matts age and living with us in Surrey, meant he was legally unable to sign anything. If Argyle had been a Category 1 accadamy then it would possibly have been a different outcome.

Matt subsequently joined Brighton's Cat 1 accadamy where the best we could do was get them to agree that he could one day go on lone to Argyle if it suits both clubs. He is currently in their u18s, has appeared for their u23s, has played for Rep Ire (grandmother) since u15, and is in their u19 squad next week for u19 Euro qualifiers in Austria.

The point I am making is that if Kevin Hodges faced an impossible task in getting talent with green blood, living more than within a 50 mile radius, but wanting to sign for Argyle, while a Cat 3 accadamy, what chance did he have of attracting less persuadable talent.

The next head of accadamy will have the same thankless task unless Argyle take a more radical view to their youth policy, by either attempting to improve their status or even pool their resources further up country to form a Cat 1 accadamy with other lower league clubs.

I can well believe it Mike. Kevin (and whoever follows him) have their hands tied behind their backs unfortunately. Expected to produce miracles.

 

[bodspafc]

Very sad to hear this news, total club legend, and whatever the circumstances are that he has left Argyle, I can understand the frustrations he may have had as head of Argyles accadamy with its Category 3 status and prohibiting geography.

In May 2016 when Brentford closed their accadamy my son Matt became a free agent at u12 going on u13 level, so I contacted Argyle to put him on the radar for future reference. Matt played a couple of matches in Argyles warm up games for the Milk Cup that Summer, injuring his foot against West Brom so ruling him out for the tournament.

Despite Kevin offering him a future scholarship and Matt prepared to sign up to this after he had finished his education, after several intense discussions, the general regulations, Argyles Cat 3 status, Matts age and living with us in Surrey, meant he was legally unable to sign anything. If Argyle had been a Category 1 accadamy then it would possibly have been a different outcome.

Matt subsequently joined Brighton's Cat 1 accadamy where the best we could do was get them to agree that he could one day go on lone to Argyle if it suits both clubs. He is currently in their u18s, has appeared for their u23s, has played for Rep Ire (grandmother) since u15, and is in their u19 squad next week for u19 Euro qualifiers in Austria.

The point I am making is that if Kevin Hodges faced an impossible task in getting talent with green blood, living more than within a 50 mile radius, but wanting to sign for Argyle, while a Cat 3 accadamy, what chance did he have of attracting less persuadable talent.

The next head of accadamy will have the same thankless task unless Argyle take a more radical view to their youth policy, by either attempting to improve their status or even pool their resources further up country to form a Cat 1 accadamy with other lower league clubs.

An interesting post, thanks for sharing the information. One question....does Exeter have a Cat 3 Academy, or something different? They seem to have managed to find some local talent within that radius, so although we seem to have our hands tied, our set up probably could be improved too.

 

[Steve Evans]

if the difficulties explained in a previous post are as bad as that,i believe they are,then I would scrap the academy immediately,T'aint worth it.

 

[TynanWozGr8]

It is clear from the messages I have received and the number of posts deleted on here by site admin that quite a few people know the reason why KevinHodges has left, although no doubt subject to the usual issues with Chinese whispers. Is is almost certain the club have signed a non disclosure contract if KH stood down, probably partly to protect the reputation of a former player and this site is adopting the same policy, which on reflection I think is the best approach.

KH's approach, methods and at times the way he sometimes spoke and dealt with the boys in the academy was from a bygone era. Although parents who have had lads in he academy can be accused of sour grapes because their boys have been released, there was a common theme in posts on here and my conversations with parents, who believe KH could have dealt with their lads better. At whatever age the lads are released, 8,9 10 or 18 or older, they are having their dreams and hopes dashed and the academy managers need to be more aware of this. The whole academy system is sometimes brutal and very few make it, but the old school approach is long gone at other successful academies, and now is the time to change and adapt or close the academy.

If the reasons are true, and I have been left in no doubt they are, the chances of Hodges being given a seat on the Board or made an ambassador for the club are nill.

Kevins association with the club post his playing career is easily forgettable.

However, I will remember Kevin as a pivotal member of the mid to late eighties, especially Dave Smih's promotion winning side I followed all over the country when, as a teenager football to me was a religion and the most important thing in my life, and some of my best memories are from away games supporting this side with the green army. As a player he is easily in the top three we have ever had and on reflection, he needs to be given the respect to be remembered as such, a playing legend.

This is a sad end to his association with the club and on reflection I am sure he would have done things differently, but the old school approach has ultimately cost him.

 

[IJN]

It is clear from the messages I have received and the number of posts deleted on here by site admin.

Point of order, no posts have been deleted, some have been 'redacted' to avoid any potential libel claims etc.

This site tries to avoid any such aggro despite some attempts by people to seem to want to wash dirty washing in public.

Far better off this site, as we'd end up with 'a mate of mine's son said.............' etc etc.