Hewison: Robert (Bob)

1916-1919 (Leeds City War-time Guest Player Details)

Wing Half

Born: Backworth, Nr Whitley Bay: 25-03-1889

Debut: v Grimsby Town (h): 19-02-1916

Height & Weight: Unknown

Hewison started his career with local North East sides, East Holywell Villa and Whitley Athletic, before joining Newcastle United in July 1908. He had to wait until the 1910-11 season to make his debut and only played three games in the first two seasons at St James’ Park. However, he picked up a winning bonus for his debut on 8th October 1910 in a 2-0 home win over Notts County in the First Division and his other appearance in his debut season was in a 3-0 Home victory over Oldham Athletic on 7th January 1911. Unfortunately, in his third game and his only game in 1911-12, he lost his first game when Woolwich Arsenal left St James' with a 1-2 away win on 20th January 1912 in another First Division fixture. It wasn’t until the 1912-13 season that he established himself as the first choice Right-Half with twenty-one First Division and one F.A. Cup appearances, and twenty First Division games in 1913-14. In the final First Division season before cessation of League games in the season of 1914-15 when he again made twenty appearances in the First Division and two more in the F.A. Cup.This made his career with the Magpies, prior to the war, to sixty-four League and three F.A. Cup appearances. As Newcastle United refused to play football during the War, its players guested for other clubs and Bob Hewison chose Leeds City. After making his first appearance on 19th February 1916 he became a regular at Elland Road for the rest of the War. Although the majority of his games were at Right Half, he also figured in both Full Back positions, Left Half and Outside Left. He was at Right Half for both Legs of the play-off Finals when City defeated Stoke to become the Unofficial League Champions at the end of the 1917-18 season. However, his final season at Leeds was not a happy one, City made several changes for their home game with Rotherham County on 5th October 1918, as Bob Hewison returned for them at Right-Half for his first game of the season, after being sidelined by injury. It was not a happy return for him as he broke his leg and was side-lined for the rest of the season and it was his last game in City's colours. He did put his time to good use assisting the club where ever he could with Secretarial work and it was this experience that saw him involved in the winding up of the club after payment irregularities. While he played many times for Leeds City in the War-time Leagues, he never played a recognised game in the Football League for the City nor their successors, Leeds United . He returned to Newcastle United on the resumption of the Football League fixtures and played three more League games at Gallowgate to bring his total League games for Newcastle to sixty-seven and he also made three F.A. Cup appearances. He left Newcastle to join Third Division Northampton Town in May 1920, for a fee of £250, as Player-Manager, and scored eight goals in ninety-nine League appearances and he also scored one goal in nine F.A. Cup appearances in the five years he was there, until May 1925. He made his debut with his new club in their first Football League fixture on 28th August 1921, in a 0-2 defeat by Grimsby Town at Blundell Park, Cleethorpes. His Record as Manager there shows he won eighty-three, drew fifty-one and lost eighty-five of the two hundred and nineteen games he was in charge. With his playing days now over, he then continued in football as a manager, with Queen's Park Rangers of the Third Division South from August 1925 until May 1931 when he was replaced by Archie Mitchell. His record with club showed a remarkably similarity to that with Northampton Town having won eighty, drawn fifty-three and lost fifty-three of his two hundred and nineteen games. He returned to the managerial role with Bristol City in April 1932. However at Ashton Gate, he was accused of making illegal payments to amateur players and on 15th October 1938 a joint F.A. and Football League Inquiry suspended him for the rest of the 1938-39 season and fined the club a hundred guineas. During that time club captain Clarrie Bourton took over the duties of caretaker player-manager. Hewison return to his former position in May 1939 and remained in the position until 31st March 1949. His record was won one hundred and seventy, drawn one hundred and sixteen and lost one hundred and seventeen. Subsequently he was manager with Guildford City, in the early nineteen fifties and Bath City, subsequernt to that, as well as scouting for Bristol Rovers until retiring in 1961. He died in 1964.