Biography
Ian DeSouza Goodison was born in Montego Bay, Jamaica and came to the attention of the footballing world alongside his contemporary Theodore Whitmore. That attention was first attracted in 1998 when Jamaica qualified for the World Cup Finals tournament in France, both Goodison and Whitmore were plucked from local teams in Jamaica to represent their country in a group stage that culminated in a 2-1 win over Japan played in Lyon. A year later in late October 1999 both Goodison and Whitmore were heading to England to be signed by Hull City manager Warren Joyce, who was perhaps the only manager in the western world willing to take a chance on the talents possessed by the languid pair of Jamaicans.
Goodison was initially used at right back by Joyce but when he returned to Hull in late January after a month away on international duty he was handed a place in the heart of dentral defence. His speed of thought and distribution were both excellent, and he defended aggressively when the occasion arose. Brain Little took over the managerial reins for the 2000/01 season and Ian was a regular first team choice throughout, scoring his only City goal in a November 2000 win against Carlisle. Little’s makeshift squad managed to navigate the club’s financial meltdown to advance to the League Division 3 play-offs and Goodison started the first leg at home to Leyton Orient but missed the defeat at Brisbane Road that eliminated the Tigers. Ian was an irregular first team choice for the first three months of the 2001/02 season but was reintroduced to the centre of defence over the winter months. As Little’s side struggled and the amiable Geordie eventually lost his job, Goodison was again out of the first team picture and he left City in the summer of 2002.
Goodison spent two years back in Jamaica playing for Seba United but in February 2004 he returned to England and joined Tranmere Rovers, where Brian Little was appointed manager. For the next ten years Goodison was a first team regular for the Wirral club, voted Player of the Season three times and providing considerable defensive solidity on which Rovers’ presence in League One was founded. He finally left Tranmere in 2014 having made 410 appearances and scored 13 goals for the Prenton Park club. playing into his early 40s before once again returning to Jamaica.
Goodison was handed his international debut in March 1996 against Guatemala while he was still playing local football in Jamaica. He captained the side in the 1998 World Cup Finals in France and in a 13 year international career he won 127 international caps, 25 while playing for Hull City, and scored ten goals.
Details
Nationality: Jamaica
Date/Place of Birth: 21 November 1972, Montego Bay (Jamaica)
Hull City First Game: 2 November 1999, Rochdale A (League Division 3), 26 years, 346 days old
Hull City Final Game: 9 March 2002, Scunthorpe United H (League Division 3), 29 years, 108 days old
Clubs
Olympic Gardens (1997-1999), Hull City (1999-2002), Seba United (2002-2004), Tranmere Rovers (2004-2014), Harbour View (2014-2015)
Hull City Record
Career: 84 apps, 1 goals
Ian Goodison| Season | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999/00 | 17 (1) | 0 | 3 (1) | 0 | - | - | - | - | 1 (0) | 0 |
| 2000/01 | 36 (0) | 1 | 1 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 | - | - | 2 (0) | 0 |
| 2001/02 | 14 (2) | 0 | 2 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 | - | - | 2 (0) | 0 |