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1908-1933
A outside left forward who first appeared for Rovers in December 1927. He was a well known local footballer having played for Aston Fields and the Liberal Club.
He had also previously played for Wolverhampton Wanderers Colts, had a trial for Aston Villa and had played for Redditch Town in the Birmingham League.
After losing his place in the Rovers side he played for Crowle United in the Worcester League.
He re-joined Rovers in November 1929, when Frank Moss was player-coach. He had been scoring freely in the 1929/30 season in local football for Hanbury. He was leading scorer that season, in a mis-firing Rovers front line with 12 goals.
At the end of the season he took part in trials for a Worcestershire Amateur side and was selected for a place on their American tour. This would have curtailed his cricket activities as he was opening bat and vice-captain of Aston Fields at this time.
As it turned out it was injury not an American tour that put an end to his cricket. Whilst bowling in a match against Nettlefords on 19th July he sustained an "internal injury". It was obviously quite serious injury as it was reported that it ended his cricket season, made him miss the Worcester Amateurs American tour and was expected to put him out of action for the first half of the 1930-31 football season for the Rovers. As it turned out he did not play for Rovers at all during that campaign.
He returned to first team action in the 1931/32 season. He was chosen to represent Worcestershire F.A. in an inter-league match against Birmingham F.A. in April 1932. He asked to be excused from this match, but his request was refused. He did not turn up to the match and was asked to explain his actions in writing to the Worcester F.A. At the time he was working the night shift at the Austin and the fact that this was a midweek evening game probably explained his absence.
He was sometimes captain in the 1932/33 season and was the leading scorer for that campaign, and one of the few who came through that campaign with any credit, in what was an awful season for Rovers when the were bottom of the Birmingham Combination.
At the end of the season he played for a Rest of the Combination side, against champions Redditch Town.
Sadly that was the last game of football he played. On 1 July he went on holiday to Blackpool with his fiancÊe Beatrice King. On the morning of the 9 July, George Grimes, a retired school teacher was taking a walk near his home in Garstang looking for flowers for his granddaughter for a school project, when he found the bodies of Hancock and Miss King hanging from a branch of a tree. In a probable suicide pact, a note was left by the tree from Hancock to Mr & Mrs Tilley, who Hancock lodged with saying, âAll things left by me to you. Thank you for all you have done for me. Byeâ Whatever the truth of the matter the Coroner recorded an open verdict. Hancock was only 25 years of age. Terribly sad.
Stats:
Debut: Leamington Town, Birmingham Combination, Victoria Ground, 24 December 1927, 2-0.
Last game: vs Gresley Rovers, Birmingham Combination, Gresley, 1 May 1933, 2-7.
4 goals in a game:
vs Cannock Town, Birmingham Combination, Victoria Ground 14 December 1929, 10-2.
1927/28: 5 appearances, 2 goals
1929/30: 25 appearances, 12 goals
1931/32: 19 appearances, 9 goals
1932/33: 38 appearances, 26 goals
TOTAL: 87 appearances, 49 goals
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Born:
Bromsgrove
D.O.D:
09/07/1933
Died:
Garstang
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