Eddie HAPGOOD | 1932-1935 | PES Stats Database (Golden Era Backup)

HAPGOOD PES STATS | 1932-1935

Brezza Name: Eddie Hapgood Eddie HAPGOOD | 1932-1935 Club: Arsenal Era: 1932-1935 Number: 3 Age: 23-26 Position: *SB Nationality: English Foot: L Side: L Length: 178 Weight: Attack: 68 Defence: 84 Balance: 83 Stamina: 83 Top Speed: 80 Acceleration: 83 Response: 88 Agility: 79 Dribble Accuracy: 82 Dribble Speed: 78 Short Pass Accuracy: 80 Short Pass Speed: 82 Long Pass Accuracy: 74 Long Pass Speed: 72 Shot Accuracy: 60 Shot Power: 81 Shot Technique: 63 Free Kick Accuracy: 64 Curling: 65 Header: 88 Jump: 82 Technique: 84 Aggression: 66 Mentality: 80 Keeper Skills: 50 Team Work: 89 Condition: 8 Weak Foot Accuracy: 5 Weak Foot frequency: 5 Injury:A Special Abilities: *Sliding *Side *D-line control One of the shrewdest signings legendary manager Herbert Chapman ever made was that of left-back Eddie Hapgood, who became a key figure in the great Arsenal side of the 1930s that dominated English football like no club had done before. He became known as the ''ambassador of football'' - later the title of his autobiography - and is still regarded by many as the greatest left-back in Arsenal's history, despite the claims of other notables in that position such as Walley Barnes, Bob McNab, Sammy Nelson, Kenny Sansom and Nigel Winterburn. When signed as a 19 year old Vegetarian Eddie was so frail at this stage that he was frequently knocked out when heading the heavy leather balls. This was a cause of much concern and threatened to abort his embryonic career. But the Arsenal trainer, Tom Whittaker, determined that Hapgood was simply too light, weighing just 9 stone 6lbs, and needed to be built up. Whittaker introduced a regime of weight training and made the player start eating meat, putting him on a diet that was said to have consisted almost entirely of steak. It was a blow to speedy right-winger Joe Hulme, who shared digs with Hapgood and had been benefitting from Eddie's share of the meat; but otherwise it was a winning formula, as Hapgood rapidly developed a strapping physique and would be known in for his strength, power, and heading ability. After collecting that FA Cup winner's medal in 1930, Hapgood played in all but four of Arsenal's games in their record-breaking 1930-31 campaign, when they became the first southern club to win the League championship, racking up a record haul of 66 points and netting a staggering 127 goals in the process. Another Wembley appearance followed in 1932 as Arsenal finished runners-up in both League and FA Cup, and then came three consecutive title triumphs between 1932-33 and 1934-35. Another FA Cup triumph was secured in 1936, and a fifth League championship in 1938. Hapgood had become peerless in his position, carving out a reputation for class, composure and elegance in a previously unfashionable position. Technically outstanding, with great anticipation that contributed to astute positional sense, he was also a byword for consistency, playing in at least 35 matches in League, FA Cup and Charity Shield for the Gunners during each of ten consecutive seasons between 1929-30 and 1938-39. Arsenal's success in the 1930s, which brought five league championships and three cup final appearances, was based on Chapman's strategy of sound defence and rapid counter-attack. Hapgood, as left full-back, played a key role in this system. Of average height and medium build, he relied upon exceptional speed, precision in the tackle, excellent positional sense, and, despite his height, outstanding heading ability. His technique was to manoeuvre his opponent away from dangerous positions, dispossess with a well-timed tackle or interception, and set up an attack with a shrewdly placed, often short, pass. Having succeeded Parker as Arsenal captain, the supremely confident Hapgood exuded calm authority as well as guts, making him a natural leader in the dressing room and on the pitch. It was inevitable that his prowess would be recognised by England, and he made his international debut against Italy in Rome, on 13 May 1933, a 1-1 draw. He duly became England captain too, and the first of his 21 games as skipper of the Three Lions was the infamous ''Battle of Highbury'' on 14 November 1934, against Italy, by now the reigning world champions following their World Cup triumph on home soil earlier that year. Because England had declined to take part in the World Cup, the match was billed as the 'true' if unofficial World Championship match. Arsenal supplied an unprecedented seven members of the England side, plus Whittaker as trainer, and the man with the magic sponge had to work overtime in a notoriously violent contest. Among the casualties was Hapgood, who suffered a broken nose. Italian defender Luis Monti broke his foot in a challenge with Ted Drake in the opening exchanges, forcing Italy to play all but two minutes of the game with ten men. Enraged, they set about exacting retribution, and after Hapgood's facial features were temporarily rearranged by an opponent, forcing his withdrawal for 15 minutes, Ray Bowden injured his ankle, Drake was punched and Eric Brook had his arm fractured as England eventually triumphed 3-2. Hapgood remained as England's captain throughout the 1930s, winning 30 caps. He was skipper in another infamous match, against Germany in Berlin in May 1938, when craven British diplomats, pursuing a line of appeasement towards Hitler's fascist dictatorship, insisted that Hapgood and his players give the Nazi salute before the match, even though the Fuhrer himself was not present. Hitler did, though, want to use the game as Nazi propaganda, and as the England players were getting changed an FA official went into their dressing-room and told them they must give the salute while the German national anthem was played. Stanley Matthews, one of Hapgood's team-mates that day, later reminisced, ''The dressing room erupted. There was bedlam. All the England players were livid and totally opposed to this, myself included. Everyone was shouting at once. Eddie Hapgood, normally a respectful and devoted captain, wagged his finger at the official and told him what he could do with the Nazi salute, which involved putting it where the sun doesn't shine.'' The FA official left but was back a few minutes later with a direct order from the British Ambassador in Berlin, telling the team that the sensitive political situation between Britain and Germany made it imperative they obey. England thrashed Germany 6-3 in front of 110,000 people including Goering and Goebbels; just over a year later, the two countries were at war, appeasement having been utterly discredited. From January 1928 until the outbreak of war in September 1939, Hapgood missed only 47 out of 437 League games for Arsenal; but at he age of 30, the hostilities brought a premature end to his official playing career. He had made a total of 440 competitive first-team appearances, scoring two goals. HONOURS Five League Championship medals (1930-31, 1932-33, 1933-34, 1934-35, 1937-38) Two FA Cup winners' medals (1930, 1936) Four FA Charity Shield winners' medals (1930-31, 1931-32, 1933-34, 1934-35) 30 England caps; plus 13 Wartime caps Four Football League caps _________________ Alan Hansen wrote: How come Liverpool games are on last at the moment? Gary Lineker wrote: Midtable clashes aren't as exciting Eddie HAPGOOD | 1932-1935 | PES Stats Database (Golden Era Backup)