Full name Leonard George Goodson | Date of birth 2nd Q, 1880 Name Len Goodson | |
Playing position Died 1922, Doncaster, United Kingdom | ||
Place of birth Doncaster, England Place of death Doncaster, England Date of death 1st Q, 1922, age 41 | ||
Leonard George "Len" Goodson (1880–1927) was an English-born footballer who played as an inside left and left wing around the turn of the 19th century. He was the scorer of the first two goals for Doncaster Rovers in the Football League.
Born in Doncaster, Goodson played for the Marshgate Institute club before moving to Doncaster Rovers in March 1900. He was seen as having the makings of an exceptional player. His first goals were a hat-trick in a 1−8 victory in a Midland League game at Rushden on 31 March 1900. In the 1900−01 season, he scored 20 goals in 26 league games, including two hat−tricks. His team were runners−up in the Midland League and were subsequently elected to the Football League for the 1901−02 season. Goodson scored the first two goals in a 3−3 draw in their first Football League fixture, at home to Burslem Port Vale on 7 September.
Goodson was sold to First Division Middlesbrough in late 1902. The money was used to finance a new stand built at Doncaster's Intake Ground at a cost of £200.
He returned to Doncaster for the 1905−06 season in the Midland League after they failed to be re-elected to the Football League following a terrible season. From there he moved back to Marshgate. He was called back to Doncaster in February 1909, scoring twice in that month. This coincided with an upturn in their season's fortunes, with only one loss in their last 13 games. In his total time at Doncaster in all three periods, he scored 39 goals in the Midland and Football Leagues, and 4 in the FA Cup.
He died in Doncaster aged 41 in 1922.
Honours
Doncaster Rovers
Runners up: 1900−01