Scoring a hat-trick is something any footballer savours but what about two hat-tricks in the same match? This incredible feat is something very few players have ever experienced over the history of the game but a select few have pulled it off. One of the players to have done so is Chelsea’s George Hilsdon, who acquired the nickname the ‘Gatling Gun’ during his playing years. Fans affectionately called Hilsdon this because of his incredibly powerful shots that sped like bullets from a gun.
You will be forgiven if the name does not ring any bells as Hilsdon last wore the blue of Chelsea in 1912. Coincidentally, this was the year the Londoners swapped from light blue to royal blue as their main colour. He is a man worth learning about though as he is one of the few players to have scored six goals in one match, plus five in another. Let us quickly take a look at these goal-laden matches as well as provide you with an overview of Hilsdon’s footballing career.
Who Was George Hilsdon?
Born in Bromley-by-Bow, East London, George Hilsdon began his career at his local side West Ham United. Aged 18, the then-inside-forward made his debut for the Hammers during the 1903/04 season but he struggled to get a consistent place in the team. Across two years for the East London side, Hilsdon made just 16 league appearances due to a combination of injuries and strong competition. Deemed not to be an essential part of the team, he was made available for a free transfer. When Chelsea manager John Robertson found out about this in the summer of 1916, he rushed to secure the services of the Englishman, believing he could turn him into Chelsea’s next centre forward.
Hilsdon accepted the £4 a week wages and Roberton’s eye for potential did not let him down as Hilsdon went on to play 164 times for the Blues, scoring 108 goals across competitions. This made him the club’s highest goalscorer until George Mills broke the record in 1937. Hilsdon also reached exactly 100 league goals, doing so in 150 appearances. A rate of a league goal every 1.5 games is something almost any striker would be delighted to have.
Hilsdon’s stay at Chelsea came to an end in 1912, six years after his move, as injuries and alcoholism got the better of him. No longer the player he once was during his first three seasons at Stamford Bridge (in which he averaged 29 goals a season), he returned to the Southern League Division 1 to play for West Ham again. Despite his issues, he ended up being a real asset in his first year back with the Hammers, finishing as their top scorer with 17 goals in 36 league and cup games.
He remained with the Hammers until he went to fight in WWI, where he became badly injured in a gas attack. He survived the war and lived until 1941, but the mustard gas attack virtually put an end to his footballing career. He did have a brief stint for Chatham Town in 1919 but there has been too much damage to his lungs for him to play regularly.
On the international stage, Hilsdon only featured eight times for England between 1907 and 1909 but managed to score 14 goals. Eight of his goals came in England’s first-ever overseas tour in 1908, two against Austria, four against Hungary and two against Bohemia (Czechoslovakia).
Hilsdon’s Debut
It is worth giving special mention to Hilsdon’s debut as you will struggle to find many better first appearances for a club. Lining up for Chelsea in the unfamiliar centre-forward role, Hilsdon scored five goals in a 9-2 win over Glossop North End. This may sound like it was a friendly, as Glossop are way down the English footballing ladder now, but at the time the club were part of the Second Division. So, a five-goal league debut for Hilsdon in what proved to be promotion promotion-winning season for the Blues. Not only was this a huge moment for George but also for manager Robertson who had taken a gamble on the youngster.
There was a drawback to this exceptional debut though as Hilsdon immediately found himself a marked man. In his next game, against Fulham, he had a target on his back and was on the receiving end of a big hit 10 minutes in. After that, a battered and bruised Hilsdon struggled to get involved in the game. Rough treatment was a common theme for Hilsdon throughout the season but he became better at dealing with it as time went on.
Six Goal Haul
Remembering former #ChelseaFC player George Hilsdon (#30) who passed away #OnThisDay in 1941 aged 56.
‘Gatling Gun’ made 164 1st-team appearances scoring 108 for #CFC between 1906-12
See his full profile here: https://t.co/a1NCLHWFNA#CFCHeritage #NeverForgotten #OTD pic.twitter.com/qAdZJWxMEv
— The History of Chelsea FC ⭐⭐ (@stamford_bridge) September 10, 2024
Most players would be delighted to score five goals in a single game but Hilsdon was not done there. The Englishman went one better the following season, this time in a 1908 FA Cup match against Worksop Town. It was very much a David versus Goliath cup contest and the Nottinghamshire outfit ended up soundly beaten 9-1 in front of nearly 19,000 fans at Stamford Bridge.
Given the lower quality of the opposition (who were then playing in the Midland League), the six-goal haul is arguably less impressive than the five scored against Glossop North End but it’s the one you will find in the record books. The hammering did Chelsea little good either as they were knocked out by Manchester United 1-0 in the following round.
Gone But Not Forgotten
When Hilsdon died in Leicester in 1941, only four people attended his funeral. Although there were few on the day to remember him, Chelsea supporters raised funds for a headstone to mark his grave in 2015. Additionally, at Stamford Bridge, you will find a tribute to Hilsdon if you look in the right place. On the East Stand, there is a weather vane featuring Hilsdon on one end and a ball on the other. The vane, which has stood for decades, was temporarily removed during the 1970s during a period of renovation. This coincided with a period of financial and footballing difficulties so some superstitious fans believe the Hilsdon tribute should never be moved again.