446 Bob Dennison

Biography

Charles Robert “Bob” Dennison was born in the Southcoates area of East Hull near to Rosmead Playing Fields. A sporting polymath from a young age, in his teenage years he was a county level 100 metres sprinter and and a competitive swimmer as well as a footballer. Between 1949 and 1951 Dennison was a regular choice for the East Riding County FA Youth select XIs, captaining the side in 1950, while playing junior football with Hull City Police Boys Club and Bridlington Centrals. In December 1949 he was selected for an FA Youth XI to play a trial match against the Tottenham youth team. Dennison came to City’s attention in the early 1950s when superstar international players were sprinkled around Raich Carter’s squad and it was therefore understandable that he pursued a career as a sheet metal worker at Rose, Downes and Thompson, maunfacturers of agricultural and oil mill machinery, as well as playing football for the City A and Reserves teams.

He was finally tempted to sign professional terms for City in July 1954 by which time Carter had been replaced Bob Jackson at the City helm and first team opportunities were more achievable. He made his City debut on New Years Day 1955, chosen at right back ahead of two City stalwarts, a youthful Andy Davidson and the recently departed Tom Berry. He stayed in the first team for the rest of the 1954/55 season, by which time Bob Brocklebank had taken over the manager’s job from Jackson. Brocklebank’s preference at right back was Davidson and another youngster John Neal, which meant that Dennison saw only a smattering of starts over the next three seasons. At the start of 1957/58 season Dennison was selected at outside right, covering for the absent Johnny Stephens, and scored his only City goal in a 1-1 draw against Barrow, but this turned out to be his final City appearance. Bob left the Tigers in the 1958 close season.

In July 1958 Dennison joined Scarborough, moving alongside other young City squad players Neil Cubie and Keith Bentley. He stayed at Scarborough for two seasons before starting a long association with Bridlington Town, who he had played for as a teenager when they were called Bridlington Centrals, that lasted the entirety of the 1960s. Bridlington Town lifted the ERCFA Senior Cup in 1965 and 1967 and in the late 1960s vied with local rivals Bridlington Trinity for the Yorkshire League title. Dennison was a first team player until 1968, then coached the side in 1968/69 and took over as first team manager in July 1969.

Dennison lived in Hull his whole life, where he died in July 2017.

Details

Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 12 September 1932, Hull
Hull City First Game: 1 January 1955, Nottingham Forest H (Division Two), 22 years, 111 days old
Hull City Final Game: 26 August 1957, Barrow H (Division Three North), 24 years, 348 days old

Clubs

Bridlington Centrals, Hull City (1952-1958), Scarborough (1958-1960), Bridlington Town (1960-1968)

Hull City Record

Career: 25 apps, 1 goals

Bob Dennison
SeasonLGE
App		LGE
Gls		FAC
App		FAC
Gls		FLC
App		FLC
Gls		EUR
App		EUR
Gls		OTH
App		OTH
Gls
1952/53----------
1953/54----------
1954/5516010------
1955/5630--------
1956/5730--------
1957/5821--------