Oh for an Ian Gibson.
Well-Known Member
They can have it, after all they did sell us Bill Glazier (even though it was a world record fee for a goalkeeper at the time.)
They can have it, after all they did sell us Bill Glazier (even though it was a world record fee for a goalkeeper at the time.)Crystal Palace use Glad All Over as their main song and walk out music. They nicked it off us !
That is a truly brilliant story, my condolences to Georges family.This is very sad , I had the privilege of meeting George on many occasions, I remember moving to Bury late 87 and becoming a close friend to his son Alan . I was was sat there in George’s house just talking away when Alan said ..I was born in Coventry and my dad played for them .. well I really did think he was taking the piss . Next thing George brings out this book/bible as large as you like . Every pink/telegraph cutting about him , well I was in shock/heaven , I could not believe I was in the same room as the great man himself. The years have gone by and I got to know him and his family. I remember one Friday night going for a pint at the Bay Horse on Parr Lane which is George’s local and all hell broke out . He was hard as nails and never shy of a punch up .
Alan , Chris ,Lynn and Dean . My thoughts are with you . We have all lost a great man . R.I.P George one of the best xx
Thank god for your recollections, rattles - and those of others. You certainly won't read about this in any book!He scored goals with his head as well as with his feet. Hard as nails too took no messing about from defenders. When I used to clean Ernie Machins windows,he told me once that George Curtis told the Hud to come back and help the defence. He ignored that advice and so Curtis had him round the neck,but Hudson laughed it off. Ernie said he was the laziest but as he scored so many goals,he got away with it.
City legends all 3 I've mentioned,but to me George Hudson was awesome.
I wrote an article for Late Tackle on players I've met by chance etc a couple of months ago, and it was published. The editor loved it as I wrote about bumping into Jimmy Greaves at the Central Studios,as he is a Spurs fan and Greavsie is a legend at his club. I'll write about the HUD coming out of his house to us kids, and watching him train at Shilton,and us kids stood there in awe !Thank god for your recollections, rattles - and those of others. You certainly won't read about this in any book!
I only ever met George Hudson once - In the foyer of the Ricoh after a former players gathering. I've become a bit of a 'train spotter' in my elder years and like to get autographs. When I realised who he was I genuinely felt in awe as I asked for his.
Like many others have said - he was before my time, but there can't be many City fans who are not aware of his name and the status he was held in by supporters.
RIP George.
Nice post Craig. I heard he was a legend round Whitefield.This is very sad , I had the privilege of meeting George on many occasions, I remember moving to Bury late 87 and becoming a close friend to his son Alan . I was was sat there in George’s house just talking away when Alan said ..I was born in Coventry and my dad played for them .. well I really did think he was taking the piss . Next thing George brings out this book/bible as large as you like . Every pink/telegraph cutting about him , well I was in shock/heaven , I could not believe I was in the same room as the great man himself. The years have gone by and I got to know him and his family. I remember one Friday night going for a pint at the Bay Horse on Parr Lane which is George’s local and all hell broke out . He was hard as nails and never shy of a punch up .
Alan , Chris ,Lynn and Dean . My thoughts are with you . We have all lost a great man . R.I.P George one of the best xx
Jimmy Hill replaced Terry Bly with Hudson which was met with shock and anger. But it turned out to be spot on as the HUD was prolific. Then Jimmy decided it was time for Hudson to go and that was a surprise too. But Hill knew what he was doing, even though at the time fans thought he was barmy !This was all before my time but he seemed to be a huge success and part of the clubs upward curve. Why did he end up going to Northampton, did he get injured or something? It seems a downward move. Were fans surprised at the time?
Northampton were promoted to the First Division during the time George Hudson was with us but somehow managed to go from the Fourth Division to the First and back again right down to the Fourth within a decade I think. They reached the top flight before us but didn't stay quite so long! I seem to remember the suddenness of George's departure from Coventry was quite a shock at the time and wasn't it believed to be do with something going on behind the scenes involving a director maybe?This was all before my time but he seemed to be a huge success and part of the clubs upward curve. Why did he end up going to Northampton, did he get injured or something? It seems a downward move. Were fans surprised at the time?
It may seem a strange move but Northampton were a year more advanced in their ascendancy than we were. Hill was proven right as Gould did well and we were promoted as the Cobblers went down, all the way down.This was all before my time but he seemed to be a huge success and part of the clubs upward curve. Why did he end up going to Northampton, did he get injured or something? It seems a downward move. Were fans surprised at the time?
Jimmy Hill could be ruthless and didnt care what anybody thought. But he had the knack at seeing talent in a player, and he was spot on almost all the time. He brought in George Kirby who got a hat trick on his debut,but was only bought as a short term striker. He also seemed to know when a player was replaceable while us fans thought he'd lost the plot. Jimmy Hill knew a lot more than we did !Yep, Jimmy Hill used to regularly remind the players that they could set the mood in the car factories for the following week , by the way we played on the Saturday. I remember coming back into Cov station on Sky Blue Specials, and there were big signs saying ‘Welcome to Coventry, City of Skills and Opportunities’. Went pear shaped in the 80’s of course.
As for selling him to Northampton, BBR is dead right, it was greeted with shock and anger by all fans (Taxi for Hill). But Hill knew what he was doing, and despite the Huds superb goalscoring ability (62 goals in 113 games), memory tells me that we became a stronger team, and we of course progressed to win the second division title.
Hudson was sold to Northampton who were in the first division at the time for £29000 a good fee in those days George was about 30 would be seen as on top of the hill in those days about at his peak and we had young Bobby Gould and John Tudor and looking back was probably good business, in the next closed season Hill doubled that fee and bought Ian Gibson architect of our promotion to the top flight.This was all before my time but he seemed to be a huge success and part of the clubs upward curve. Why did he end up going to Northampton, did he get injured or something? It seems a downward move. Were fans surprised at the time?
I still have my Ray Pointer star badge somewhereBeing a Skyblues fan in the 60’s was indeed a magical experience, the whole City seemed to be behind our team. Jimmy Hill had got the team winning, the car factories offered well paid employment and Coventry was the place to be. I well remember the star hat badges, rattles turning to Dave Clark’s Glad All Over and JH’s pop and crisps parties....take me back.
I recall George getting sent off away from home after decking a player who niggled him. Think he did some boxing before becoming a footballer ? He definitely could handle himself. Proper old style player, no messing about just get on with his job,which he was very good at. As we can see with all the stories and tributes, he was a legend and will never be forgotten.This is very sad , I had the privilege of meeting George on many occasions, I remember moving to Bury late 87 and becoming a close friend to his son Alan . I was was sat there in George’s house just talking away when Alan said ..I was born in Coventry and my dad played for them .. well I really did think he was taking the piss . Next thing George brings out this book/bible as large as you like . Every pink/telegraph cutting about him , well I was in shock/heaven , I could not believe I was in the same room as the great man himself. The years have gone by and I got to know him and his family. I remember one Friday night going for a pint at the Bay Horse on Parr Lane which is George’s local and all hell broke out . He was hard as nails and never shy of a punch up .
Alan , Chris ,Lynn and Dean . My thoughts are with you . We have all lost a great man . R.I.P George one of the best xx
What was hiss middle name? G. B. H. would be fitting initialsI recall George getting sent off away from home after decking a player who niggled him. Think he did some boxing before becoming a footballer ? He definitely could handle himself. Proper old style player, no messing about just get on with his job,which he was very good at. As we can see with all the stories and tributes, he was a legend and will never be forgotten.
A lot of centre forwards were tough and hardy back then, because the centre halves were usually like George Curtis, so they had to give it back. I couldn't see them wearing gloves or rolling about as if they'd been shot !What was hiss middle name? G. B. H. would be fitting initials
I had a lot of conversations with George Curtis over the years and he once told me that it wasn’t his job to pass to anyone. His job was to keep the ball as far away from our penalty area without actually killing anyoneA lot of centre forwards were tough and hardy back then, because the centre halves were usually like George Curtis, so they had to give it back. I couldn't see them wearing gloves or rolling about as if they'd been shot !
George ran the Chip Butty after retiring and strangely they never had much trouble in there,I wonder why ?I had a lot of conversations with George Curtis over the years and he once told me that it wasn’t his job to pass to anyone. His job was to keep the ball as far away from our penalty area without actually killing anyone
He battered more than cod when he needed toGeorge ran the Chip Butty after retiring and strangely they never had much trouble in there,I wonder why ?
I was at that game Huddersfield away, the player he knocked surname was Davidson, same player who was famously dropped on the eve or Prestons cup-final team to allow a young 17 year old Howard Kendall to play. It happened right in front of us I just remember Hudson laying him out.I recall George getting sent off away from home after decking a player who niggled him. Think he did some boxing before becoming a footballer ? He definitely could handle himself. Proper old style player, no messing about just get on with his job,which he was very good at. As we can see with all the stories and tributes, he was a legend and will never be forgotten.
No definitely not Northampton were in the 1st division at the time soThis was all before my time but he seemed to be a huge success and part of the clubs upward curve. Why did he end up going to Northampton, did he get injured or something? It seems a downward move. Were fans surprised at the time?
It may seem a strange move but Northampton were a year more advanced in their ascendancy than we were. Hill was proven right as Gould did well and we were promoted as the Cobblers went down, all the way down.
Never has an away player been given the reception The HUD got on his return with Tranmere in the cup in 68.
I've done some research and it was John Coddington who the HUD floored in that match. He was the Huddersfield centre half and was marking George. By all accounts it was a boxers punch !I was at that game Huddersfield away, the player he knocked surname was Davidson, same player who was famously dropped on the eve or Prestons cup-final team to allow a young 17 year old Howard Kendall to play. It happened right in front of us I just remember Hudson laying him out.
I think aswell as football he was an aba champion as a youngster.
Referencing JB's comment earlier, it seems that unlike George Curtis, the Hud only battered Cod.I've done some research and it was John Coddington who the HUD floored in that match. He was the Huddersfield centre half and was marking George. By all accounts it was a boxers punch !
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