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 a competitive swimmer as well as a footballer, playing the latter for Hull City Boys and Yorkshire Boys as a teenager. 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 Dansom Lane 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 May 1952 after he had spent two seasons playing for the youth teams at Bolton Wanderers. His arrival at Boothferry Park coincided with the period when superstar international players were sprinkled around Raich Carter’s squad, it was therefore understandable that he pursued a career as a sheet metal worker at Rose, Downes and Thompson, manufacturers of agricultural and oil mill machinery, as well as playing football for the City A and Reserves teams on amateur terms. He undertook his National Service during this period and occasionally played for Yeovil Town on non-contract terms.
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 one season before joining Bridlington Town in August 1959, beginning a long association with the club he had played for as a youngster when they were called Bridlington Centrals. Bridlington Town lifted the ERCFA Senior Cup in 1965 and 1967 as Dennison compiled a record 312 appearances and captained the side – he remained a first team player until the 1968 close season when he hung up his playing boots. From 1965 he coached the Blackburns local league team based in Brough, experience that was invaluable when he was appointed Bridlington Town’s trainer for the 1968/69 season – a season in which he occasionally returned to first team action in emergency situations. He took over as Bridlington Town’s first team manager in July 1969 and during the 1969/70 season he again occasionally turned out for the first team when numbers were short, leading the club to a successful finish in the upper reaches of the Yorkshire League table. In July 1971 he combined his role at Bridlington Town with the task of selecting the East Riding County FA side during the 1971/72 season. After three seasons of successful management Dennison left Bridlington Town in October 1972 after differences of opinion with the club’s board, giving way to another ex-Tiger Eric Holah in the Queensgate hot seat. Bob retained his role as ERCFA coach for several further seasons and also coached school teams at Wolfreton High School, as well as remaining a regular for the Ex-Tigers eleven.
Later in life Bob settled in Willerby and was a prolific long distance runner, winning various awards for his age groups. Dennison lived in the Hull area 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 (1958-1959), Bridlington Town (1959-1968)
Hull City Record
Career: 25 apps, 1 goals
Bob Dennison| Season | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952/53 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1953/54 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1954/55 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1955/56 | 3 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1956/57 | 3 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1957/58 | 2 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |