Bobby Cummings

Robert Douglas Cummings (17 November 1935 – 26 August 2008) was an English professional footballer who scored 31 goals from 62 appearances in the Scottish League for Aberdeen and 69 goals from 170 appearances in the Football League playing for Newcastle United, Darlington and Hartlepools United.[4] He played as a centre forward or outside right. He also played in the South African National Football League for Port Elizabeth City.

Bobby Cummings
Personal information
Full name Robert Douglas Cummings[1]
Date of birth (1935-11-17)17 November 1935[1]
Place of birth Ashington, England
Date of death 26 August 2008(2008-08-26) (aged 72)[2]
Place of death Blyth, England
Height 5 ft 9 1⁄2 in (1.77 m)[3]
Playing position(s) Centre forward
Youth career
– New Hartley Juniors
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1954–1956 Newcastle United 0 (0)
1956–1960 Ashington
1960–1963 Aberdeen 62 (31)
1963–1965 Newcastle United 44 (14)
1965–1968 Darlington 74 (43)
1968–1969 Hartlepools United 52 (12)
1969– Port Elizabeth City
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

Cummings was born in Ashington, Northumberland, in 1935. He began his football career as a youngster with Newcastle United but was released before reaching the first team and signed for Ashington.[1] The club record he set of 60 goals in 1958–59, as Ashington finished second to Peterborough United in the Midland League, still stands, and his goalscoring earned him a move to Aberdeen.[5][6]

Cummings first joined Aberdeen on a part-time basis, continuing to work as a coal miner at Bates Colliery, at Blyth, Northumberland, to ensure his exemption from National Service.[7] He made his Scottish League debut on 1 March 1960 against Rangers and a year later, playing at outside right, he became only the third Aberdeen player, and first Englishman, to score a hat-trick against that club.[3] In the 1962–63 season, he scored 23 goals in all competitions, and ended his Aberdeen career in October 1963 with 47 goals from 87 games in all competitions.[3] In October 1963, Cummings played as a guest and scored for a Newcastle United XI in a testimonial match for Alf McMichael, and five days later he signed for the club for a £5,000 fee.[7]

He stayed with Newcastle for two seasons, scoring 14 goals from 44 games. In the 1964–65 season, he was second in the club's scoring charts, with 8 goals behind Ron McGarry's 16, and made a significant contribution to their promotion to the First Division.[1] He played little in the top flight,[1] and in October 1965, dropped down to the Fourth Division to become Darlington's £6,000 record signing.[8]

Cummings scored twice on his Darlington debut, in a 3–0 defeat of Stockport County,[8] and went on to become the club's top scorer for the 1965–66 season as they gained promotion for the first time in more than 40 years. In two-and-a-half seasons he scored 46 goals,[9] but by early 1968 he was not being selected regularly, and was persuaded to return to Division Four with nearby Hartlepools United for a £1,000 fee.[10][11] His 9 goals from 18 games helped Hartlepools to third place, and consequent promotion to the Third Division.[10] He played regularly at the higher level, but scored only three times, and then went to South Africa to play in the National Football League for Port Elizabeth City.[12]

On his return from South Africa he settled back in his native north-east of England, where he collapsed and died in August 2008 at the age of 72.[7]

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References
  1. "Player Profile: Robert Douglas Cummings". Toon1892. Ken Scott. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  2. "Bobby Cummings". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  3. "Bobby Cummings". Aberdeen FC Heritage Trust. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
  4. "Bobby Cummings". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
  5. "Honours". Ashington A.F.C. Archived from the original on 29 October 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  6. "Gowens dedicates cup win to legend Bobby Cummings". News Post Leader. Whitley Bay. 1 September 2008. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  7. Gibson, John (28 August 2008). "Death of a pitman with the Toon in his blood". Evening Chronicle. Newcastle. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  8. "Watford Held to a Draw". The Times. London. 5 October 1965. p. 4.
  9. "Darlington FC 125th Anniversary 42–83" (reprint hosted at NewsBank). The Northern Echo. 25 April 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  10. "1968 promotion hero dies". Hartlepool Mail. 29 August 2008. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  11. "Sport in brief: Cummings moves". The Guardian. London. 3 February 1968. p. 12.
  12. "Bobby Cummings". In The Mad Crowd. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
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