Jimmy Hopkins, who made his Albion debut 100 years ago today, was a goalscoring attacker alongside the great Tommy Cook in the team of the mid-1920s that consistently finished near the top of the Third Division (South).
His own performances and his 75 goals in 233 appearances in blue and white earned him international recognition from Northern Ireland.
Manager Charlie Webb had signed the slightly-built but speedy inside-left from Arsenal in January 1923 and saw him score after less than a minute of his debut for the reserves. After more impressive performances for the second string, Webb put him in the team that beat Watford 2-1 at Vicarage Road on February 10 1923. A week later he netted the only goal of a 1-0 victory over Charlton Athletic at the Goldstone, and he was a regular scorer after that.
Hopkins was born in Ballymoney, County Antrim, in July 1899 and joined Willowfield United on leaving school before moving on to Belfast United, a junior club run by former Irish international and Brighton United forward Toby Mercer.
However, instead of alerting old friends in Sussex about the promising young talent he had unearthed, Mercer recommended Hopkins to Arsenal, whom he joined in 1919.
First-team opportunities were few at Highbury, however, and although Hopkins scored on his First Division debut in a 4-3 win away to West Bromwich Albion, competition for places was fierce and he had made only 21 league appearances for the Gunners by the time he moved south.
The constant battle for a place all changed at the Goldstone, where his talents were given free rein. After making his debut, he played every game for the remainder of the 1922-23 season, scoring five times as Albion finished fourth, eight points behind promoted Bristol City – only one club went up in those days.
Hopkins had effectively replaced the injured Cook in the team and the pair did not play together until October 6 the following season, but when they did it was clear that something special was in the air. Cook would go on to become Albion’s record scorer, but in their first match together it was Hopkins who would record his first hat-trick for the club in a 3-1 victory away to eventual champions Portsmouth. He finished the season ever-present in the 42 league games and second top-scorer behind Cook with 20 goals.
Albion finished fifth, as well as beating mighty Everton 5-2 in the FA Cup in front of a then-record Goldstone attendance of 27,450 before going out to Manchester City. Cook notched five hat-tricks, while Hopkins managed another, in a 3-0 home victory over Norwich City on March 29.
The pattern continued in 1924-25 but with both Cook and Hopkins missing some games, their goals totals were reduced and the side finished a disappointing eighth. Cook missed most of the following season through injury, but with the attack remodelled by the signing of Sam Jennings from West Ham United, the side finished back up in fifth place, and Hopkins was picked for the Northern Ireland team that drew 0-0 with England in Belfast in October.
The team went one better in 1926-27, ending the season fourth with both Jennings and the fit-again Cook breaking the 20-goal mark. Playing more of a provider’s role, Hopkins netted only eight times but three of them came in a 7-0 Goldstone romp against Bristol Rovers.
Fourth was again the Albion’s final placing in 1927-28 despite the sale of Jennings to Nottingham Forest in December; but his departure left space for Hopkins to grab ten of his 13 goals in the second half of the season. That, though, was the high water-mark for the Cook-Hopkins team, and both left the club after a disappointing 15th-place finish in 1928-29.
Hopkins moved to Aldershot, helping them to win the Southern League title in 1929-30 and eventual election to the Football League two years later. However, he retired at the end of that season, so missed the chance to return to the Goldstone in opposition colours.