AFC Totton
NORTHERN IRELAND INTERNATIONAL utility man Lee Hodson has agreed to join newly-promoted National League South side AFC Totton ahead of the 2025/26 season.
The versatile 33-year-old – who can play in either full-back position or anywhere across the midfield – was born in Borehamwood, near Watford in Hertfordshire. He was involved in the youth set-up of Boreham Wood Football Club before joining The Hornets while still a young teenager, and he went on to represent their Under-18 team 26 times in the 2007/08 season while still a schoolboy.
Qualifying to represent Northern Ireland through his Belfast-born grandmother, Hodson was capped at Under-19 level for the first time in 2008, having already represented them at various youth levels. He then made his professional club debut as a substitute in Watford’s 3-1 home win over Derby County in May 2009. The following season, persistent injury to club captain Jay DeMerit meant full-back Adrian Mariappa was moved to central defence, creating an opening for Hodson to become a regular starter at right-back and earn himself a three-year contract with the Championship side.
He made 10 appearances for the Northern Ireland U21s between 2009 – when he was still only 17 years-old – and 2012, despite being approached by the FA in March 2010 to switch his allegiance to England according to a claim attributed to the then-Northern Ireland U21 manager, Steve Beaglehole. Hodson chose to remain with The Green and White Army, and he was duly rewarded with his first full international cap in a friendly against Morocco in November 2010, before going on to play in all of Northern Ireland’s games that season in the Nations Cup – a short-lived re-iteration of the old Home International tournament that inexplicably excluded England.
Hodson was a starter in the UEFA European Championship Qualifying match against Estonia at Windsor Park on 07 October 2011, and again four days later when Northern Ireland took on Italy in Pescara. Among his teammates for both matches were former Southampton players Chris Baird and Stephen Davis; ex-Saints goalkeeper Maik Taylor made his 88th and final international appearance against the Italians.
By November 2012, Hodson had racked up a total of 83 first team league appearances for Watford, before he was loaned out to Brentford in a deal that was subsequently extended until the end of the 2012/13 season. He signed for Milton Keynes Dons in July 2013, making 40 appearances in two-and-a-half seasons. In 2014/15, he was a member of The Dons squad that achieved the Runners-Up spot in League One. Midway through the following season, he joined Scottish Premiership side Kilmarnock on loan until the end of the campaign.
On the international front, Hodson was a member of the Northern Ireland side that secured qualification for the 2016 edition of the UEFA European Championships in France. He was named in the 23-man squad but did not feature in the tournament; Northern Ireland made it through their group as one of the best third-placed finishers thanks to a 2-0 win against Ukraine, before Wales knocked them out at the Second Round stage with a single goal at the Parc des Princes, Paris.
Upon his return from the Euros, Hodson chose to stay in Scotland by signing a permanent deal with Rangers for an undisclosed fee, and he made his ‘Gers debut in a Scottish League Cup tie against Annan Athletic in July 2016. He scored his first goal for the club in December 2016 in a 2-1 victory over Aberdeen at the Ibrox Stadium. He made a total of 17 league appearances for Rangers, before spending the whole of 2018/19 on loan at St. Mirren, for whom he made a further 20 league outings.
In the summer of 2019, Hodson signed for League One side Gillingham. But limited first team opportunities at Priestfield Stadium prompted a return to Paisley in January 2020, to re-join St. Mirren on loan until the end of the 2019/20 campaign. He remained north of the border to play for Hamilton Academical on loan throughout the following season, before returning to Kilmarnock on a two-year deal in September 2021. He made 18 league appearances for Killie in 2021/22 – helping them to secure the Scottish Championship title – and then spent the 2022/23 season on loan with Partick Thistle.
Eastleigh enticed Hodson all the way back down south in June 2023. He was a regular starter throughout his two seasons at Silverlake Stadium, amassing a total of 62 league appearances and helping The Spitfires to successive 13th-place finishes in the National League. He has 24 full international caps for Northern Ireland.
AFC Totton boss Jimmy Ball was delighted to welcome his new signing to the Snows Stadium.
“Lee brings bags of experience, developed throughout an outstanding professional playing career in England and Scotland. He’s versatile, has won titles, gained promotions and played at full international level, so it’s a bit of coup for us to bring a player of his quality to come and play in the National League South – but it’s also a statement of intent from the football club that we’re not here as tourists; we mean business.
“I’m very pleased to get this deal over the line in time for him to have a full pre-season with us. His presence can only be a positive for many of the younger lads in our squad, who will benefit from the example he sets as a seasoned professional.”
To enquire about sponsoring Lee Hodson for the 2025/26 season, please email [email protected]
By Ben Rochey-Adams
Images courtesy of IrishFA and Eastleigh FC/Graham Scambler Photography
