Finally meet the HUD (2 Viewers)

[johnniericoh]

For the likes of WINGY and HOUCHENS HEAD et al,

Well I've finally done it at last - met one of the greatest CCFC players ever - shook hands plus autograph to boot of George Hudson via the Legends Day last Saturday.

Not really known or appreciated outside of coventry but he certainly was for CCFC during the seasons of 1963-1966 scoring 63 league goals in 113 games spoke volumes.

Still unmistakable at 78 the man was and still is a legend to me and many others.

 

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[Houchens Head]

Absolutely LOVED George Hudson! One of the all time greats!

 

[Otis]

Before my time, but my dad raved about him. Best player he had ever seen play he says.

 

[chinamans view]

No doubt, the best player ever to put a sky blue shirt on, I can still see him now scoring against Wolves. Adored by ever fan those days.

 

[Sky Blue Kid]

Midweek game against Southampton, we shoved the "Old Five" up 'em, George received a kick from(Think it was Bob Wesson) chested it and flicked it over their halfback, headed it over their centre half and volleyed it into the top corner of the net from 30 yards out....The ball never touched the ground from our keepers hands till it hit the net. sheer class, but the laziest bugger in the team lol

 

[chinamans view]

Midweek game against Southampton, we shoved the "Old Five" up 'em, George received a kick from(Think it was Bob Wesson) chested it and flicked it over their halfback, headed it over their centre half and volleyed it into the top corner of the net from 30 yards out....The ball never touched the ground from our keepers hands till it hit the net. sheer class, but the laziest bugger in the team lol

He headed into the net at the west end. great great goal

 

[Covcraig@bury]

He's a great bloke is George . Hard as nails in his day . And still is.

 

[Hobo]

We may not have had that much success but we have been blessed with a hell of a lot of really good players over the years.

 

[johnniericoh]

Midweek game against Southampton, we shoved the "Old Five" up 'em, George received a kick from(Think it was Bob Wesson) chested it and flicked it over their halfback, headed it over their centre half and volleyed it into the top corner of the net from 30 yards out....The ball never touched the ground from our keepers hands till it hit the net. sheer class, but the laziest bugger in the team lol

I often wonder whether he would have survived in the current Prem League - alas I think his stamina would let him down plus the onus of chasing back wouldn't have suited the maestro as all he would offer the team would be to score goals !!

 

[Sky Blue Kid]

I often wonder whether he would have survived in the current Prem League - alas I think his stamina would let him down plus the onus of chasing back wouldn't have suited the maestro as all he would offer the team would be to score goals !!

Centre forwards never tracked back in those days Johnnie, didn't need to when you had half backs and a centre half like George Curtis, Ernie Machin and Ron Farmer. Very rarely did anything get past them.

 

[bringbackrattles]

My all time favourite City player by far. I've written before that as a kid I went to his house in Norton Hill and he came out and gave us kids his autograph and glasses of pop ! A true legend.

 

[wingy]

Superb stuff JR
What a privilege
Hard for today's youngsters to find such a hero

 

[Sky Blue Harry H]

Superb stuff JR
What a privilege
Hard for today's youngsters to find such a hero

Peter Bodak - a legend (in his own mind!) - Remember he had a ring with PB7 on it, and pretty sure after playing well against Man City (away) in the cup, he likened himself to some all time great. Still makes me chuckle.

 

[Wheelfass]

My ultimate hero. I remember his goal v Colchester that gave us a 1-nil victory and the championship of the third division. My Dads friend was true to his word and gave me his new wooden rattle after that victory and I still have it to this day. You are indeed privileged to have met this great man from our history.

 

[Houchens Head]

George Husdon: GOAT (Greatest Of All Time)

 

[SkyBlueSid]

For the likes of WINGY and HOUCHENS HEAD et al,

Well I've finally done it at last - met one of the greatest CCFC players ever - shook hands plus autograph to boot of George Hudson via the Legends Day last Saturday.

Not really known or appreciated outside of coventry but he certainly was for CCFC during the seasons of 1963-1966 scoring 63 league goals in 113 games spoke volumes.

Still unmistakable at 78 the man was and still is a legend to me and many others.

Well done. I had the honour to meet George for the first time yesterday too.

We were guests in the VIP area in the casino after the game and I had just got up to check the England Rugby score. When I came back a chap had sat down next to my wife looking exhausted and told her "I'm knackered." She asked who this old bloke was and I said "That, my dear, is the legend that is George Hudson. You are in the presence of greatness." I had the chance to chat with him for a few minutes and he's a lovely bloke who seems genuinely amazed that he is so fondly remembered. His wife was really nice too, telling us she'd put up with him for 55 years!

A great day and we had the chance to meet and chat with quite a few of the other legends too.

 

[lordsummerisle]

Shared a fag with him outside the Ricoh a few years ago at some legends black-tie Sporting Dinner, really nice fella.

Not too keen on "him with the chin" though..

 

[johnniericoh]

Whilst wallowing in the current HUD admiration society I dug this out of one of my previous thread archives - sorry for repeating but he deserves all possible recognition and his name revered FOR EVER because he was so special.

"Some of the posts picking their best 11 of all time included George Hudson but most SBT's were not around at the time to witness one of the greatest players of all time play for CCFC.

GH was bought from Peterboro in 1963 replacing current legend Terry Bly causing absolute mayhem for City fans BUT the maestro promptly scored a hat trick on his debut against Halifax Town and another legend was born.

It wasn't just the quantity of goals, 162 in 296 games, but the sheer brilliance of most of them.

George was not a big guy, about the same size and stature as Kevin Philips, but boy could he put it about.

With his swarthy looks and style of play you would have thought he was of Brazillian stock but he was just a normal English guy from Manchester.

Some of his goals defied logic and it is tragic there was no media in those days to capture this mesmerising character and his goals.

George stayed with us for three years top goal scoring every year until he was sold to Northampton in 1966 missing the push to Div 1 the following year.

Such was his popularity thousands (yes thousands) of City fans actually watched George play at Northampton for a number of games - simply wouldn't happen in todays game.

George is still alive and kicking in Manchester aged 74 and is a frequent guest of the Sky Blues Legend match days.

His career goal total of 162 in 296 games would equate to 25+ goals per 46 goal season.

What a player."

 

[phildownunder]

I think the measure of a player`s stature with a club is the number of moments that stay with you even years later and George gave many to those who saw him play. Among these for me is his hat trick on debut v Halifax, a goal he scored in a 5-1 win over Crewe (yes Crewe!) when he held on to the ball on the edge of the box with no one able to dispossess him for what seemed an age him until he saw an opening and scored with one of his trademark dipping lobs, a lob over the goalkeeper in the snow v Preston (yes Preston!) which the goalie got his hand to but couldn`t stop it - and that Southampton goal of course.

However I think a little perspective is needed before describing him as the greatest player ever to put a sky blue shirt on. People shouldn`t forget that he did have dips in form sometimes. In the season of promotion from Div 3 he scored 26 goals by the turn of the year. After this he suffered a loss of form and the goals dried up forcing JH to sign a replacement (George Kirby). In fact he only managed 2 more goals that season including the one that clinched promotion in the final game. A similar loss of form happened later in Div 2 and this I think prompted JH to move him on.

I really don`t mean to debunk the memories people have of him (as I do myself), I just feel that it is easy to only remember the good parts.

Despite this I`m glad I was around to see those golden moments he gave many of us.

 

[Johhny Blue]

Centre forwards never tracked back in those days Johnnie, didn't need to when you had half backs and a centre half like George Curtis, Ernie Machin and Ron Farmer. Very rarely did anything get past them.

There was one player that got through, but he's regretted it ever since