Idris Hopkins
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Idris Morgan Hopkins | ||
| Date of birth | 11 October 1910 | ||
| Place of birth | Merthyr Tydfil, Wales | ||
| Date of death | 9 October 1994 (aged 83) | ||
| Place of death | High Wycombe, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) | ||
| Playing position | Outside right | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| New Road Amateurs | |||
| Gellifaelog Amateurs | |||
| 1927 | Merthyr Town | 0 | (0) |
| 1929 | Sheffield Wednesday | 0 | (0) |
| Dartford | |||
| Ramsgate Press Wanderers | |||
| 1932 | Crystal Palace | 4 | (0) |
| 1932–1947 | Brentford | 293 | (77) |
| 1947 | Bristol City | 27 | (0) |
| Total | 303 | (77) | |
| National team | |||
| 1934–1939 | Wales | 12 | (2) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. | |||
Idris Morgan (Dai) Hopkins (11 October 1910 – 9 October 1994) was a Welsh footballer famed for his talented right foot. He played for many clubs throughout his career, but most famously Brentford where he captained them in the English First Division. He is a member of the Brentford Hall of Fame.
Hopkins was born in the mining town of Merthyr Tydfil in Wales, son of a coal miner. He was naturally right footed but spent a great deal of time improving his weaker left foot repeatedly kicking a ball against a wall until it was of equal standard. Before turning professional he played football at an amateur level for Gellyfaelog and New Road.
Hopkins' first taste of professional football came with spells at Football League sides Merthyr Town and Sheffield Wednesday in 1927 and 1929 respectively. He failed to make a league appearance for either side before dropping back into non-league football with Dartford and Ramsgate Press Wanderers. He moved on to Crystal Palace in 1932 where he played 4 games before being transferred to Brentford.
It was at Brentford where he established himself as a footballer as part of their greatest ever team. He wore the number 7 shirt and was an old fashioned inside forward with two good feet and a determined attitude. Between 1932 and 1947 and he made 314 official appearances, scoring 77 goals and added over 200 appearances and 49 goals during the Second World War.
In 1946 Brentford, in Division 1, and with Hopkins as club captain were relegated to Division 2. During that season he made 43 appearances and scored 4 goals. This season was the last, as of 2015, that Brentford were in the top flight of English football.
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