At the time of writing, there have been 41 trebles netted by United players in league games and we're going to delve into the Iron Vault to remember them and, if applicable, following the subsequent career of the player who scored it.
SEASON | DATE | OPPOSITION | H/A | SCORELINE | SCORERS |
1950-51 | Sep 30, 1950 | Accrington Stanley | H | W3-0 | Gorin (3) |
The Iron's very first hat-trick as a league side came in their 11th game in Division Three North as Ted Gorin bagged all three strikes in a home win against Accrington Stanley.
It was the side's third victory since being admitted to the league, and the second team to be defeated by United following the double over Oldham Athletic. The win would also become Scunthorpe's record win until the end of the season when it was doubled in April against New Brighton.
United had settled into lague football quite nicely and, as quoted in the local newspaper, "if they maintain this form they should finish well in the top half of the Northern Section". Improvements had been made in the team's standard of play purely by matching up against league sides and the win against Stanley was the best of the lot so far.
Gorin would take the chances that came his way on the day, but it was Horace Cumner and Harold Mosby who both provided those with their wing play.
Described as a "tireless and courageous leader", the workrate of Gorin on the day was high (perhaps depicted by the mission written below) and there was not a piece of white left on his kit at half-time, with his change of clothes at the interval also dirtied by full-time.
At the other end, the win was completed with a sturdy clean sheet, one of 15 out of 23 at home in the league that season. There would only be one home defeat in that campaign too, a 1-0 loss to York.
THE HAT-TRICK HELPED... BUT HE DIDN'T STAY LONG
During his time playing for Cardiff, Gorin met his to-be wife Blodwen Chapman, whom he married in 1951.
It would be the Iron's first-ever league hat-trick that would aid that relationship to solidify, but there's no doubt that Gorin was determined to make sure he netted it.
After moving to Scunthorpe, he was initially stopped from returning home but made an agreement with manager Leslie Jones that if he scored a hat-trick in a match against Accrington Stanley he would be allowed to visit.
The rest, as they say, is history and Gorin was allowed to return home after the game. The home sickness would remain though and he would transfer to Shrewsbury Town in January 1951.
ABOUT TED GORIN...
Born in Cardiff on March 2, 1924, Gorin's playing career was a prolific, yet short-lived one.
After finishing service in the Second World War, he rejoined his local side Grange Albion and finished as top scorer for two consecutive seasons, which prompted Division Two side Cardiff City to take a punt on the then-23-year-old, penning a deal there in October 1948. In total, for the Bluebirds, he made six appearances, netting twice - his final goal coming in his final game against Hull City at the end of the 1949-50 campaign.
Gorin would be snapped up by league newcomers Scunthorpe with £2,500 paid for his services, also going down as one of the first ever transfers for the club going into their new chapter of their history.
It would be an impressive debut season for the Iron and for Gorin, who finished as the club's top scorer with 12 goals, but he didn't remain beyond 1951 as he opted to return closer to home and represent Shrewsbury Town instead. Despite only staying at the Old Show Ground for half of a season, he would go down in history for a number of reasons...
- A member of the Iron's first league eleven
- Scored the club's first league goal
- Scored the club's first league hat-trick
- Finished the season as the club's first league top scorer
It would be just a short spell at the Shrews too though, with three goals in 18 league appearances before he called time on his own footballing career when his father suddenly passed away, leading to him choosing to return to Cardiff to care for his mother.
Also a keen baseball player, Gorin would be provided an opportunity with Brains Brewery and he became landlord of the now demolished Bird in Hand.
Ted died on May 30, 2013, aged 89.