Alan Suddick
Encyclopedia
Alan Suddick was an English
professional footballer who played at inside-right. He was known for his "banana" free-kicks.
, County Durham
, at the age of 17 years and 158 days, Suddick became Newcastle United
's then-youngest-ever player. He was part of the Newcastle team that were Second Division
champions and won promotion to the First Division
in 1964–65. In his time at Newcastle, he played 152 games and scored 43 goals.
On 22 October 1966, Blackpool
beat Newcastle 6-0 at Bloomfield Road
. Suddick was in the Magpies team that day, and so impressed were the home side with his commitment that, two months later, they paid a then-club-record £63,000 for his services.
, and was virtually ever-present from that point on, striking up a partnership with Tommy Hutchison
on the left or deep in midfield. Five days after his debut Suddick scored his first goal for the club in a 5-1 win at Southampton
.
In 1968–69
, he was Blackpool's top scorer with twelve goals, missing just one game all season. He was part of the Blackpool team that won promotion to the First Division in 1969–70, and played in every league and cup match. He also played a big part in the Seasiders' FA Cup third round replay victory over Arsenal
at Bloomfield Road
on 15 January 1970, when Blackpool, 2-0 down at half-time, came back to win 3-2 with Suddick scoring the first goal.
He missed the majority of the 1970–71 season with a leg injury. In the 1971 Anglo-Italian Cup
, Suddick scored what he considered to be the best goal he ever scored, in a 3-3 draw with Verona
at Bloomfield Road on 26 May. In the final against Bologna
in Rome on 12 June, he took the opposition apart in a 2-1 extra-time victory.
On 27 October 1971, Charlton Athletic
tried to sign Suddick, but the deal was turned down, with Blackpool manager Bob Stokoe
refusing to even comment on it. At the end of the 1971–72 he won the club's Player of the Year award. In the close season he once again played in the Anglo-Italian Cup and scored one goal as Blackpool beat Lanerossi Vicenza
10-0 at home. Blackpool again reached the final, losing to Roma
.
He helped the club reach the quarter-finals of the League Cup
in 1972–73 and in an earlier round captained the side against Bournemouth
on 6 September 1972. He became the first player to score a penalty in all of the major competitions – the League, FA Cup and League Cup – when he scored from the spot in Blackpool's 2–1 victory over Bradford City A.F.C.
at Valley Parade
on 13 January. At the end of the season he again played in the Anglo-Italian Cup as Blackpool went undefeated, but were eliminated at the group stage by not scoring enough goals.
Suddick scored his 100th League goal, a penalty, in Blackpool's 3–0 victory over Preston North End
at Bloomfield Road on 23 March 1974.
He missed much of the 1974–75 season with a re-occurrence of the leg injury that kept him out of action in 1970–71. Injuries would limit his appearances toward the end of his time at Blackpool and in October 1976 he was put on the transfer list. His last game came on 30 October, a 2-2 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers
.
He made a total of 371 appearances for the Seasiders, scoring 81 goals. His talent, however, was never truly realised, with his temper sometimes getting the better of him. Such was his popularity at Blackpool that he became known as "The King of Bloomfield Road" a title which the fans still affectionately call him. During his time playing for the club, Seasiders fans adapted two lines from the traditional English Christmas carol
, "The First Nowell" to,
Suddick! Suddick! Suddick! Suddick!
Born is the King of Bloomfield Road!
Toward the end of his time at Blackpool, Suddick established an unofficial keepie uppie
world record, completing three laps and 20 yards of the pitch, keeping the ball off the ground at Bloomfield Road in just under 20 minutes.
for a fee of £12,000, where he played only nine league games, scoring one goal. In August 1977 he joined Fourth Division
club Southport
on loan, playing six games. Then in September he joined Third Division
club Bury
, before ending his league career at the end of the 1977–78 season. After spending a time coaching with Blackpool, in August 1978 he moved into non-league football
with Barrow
who were then in the Northern Premier League
, where he played 38 games, scoring three goals. He also became the club's part-time player-manager, balancing a role as a hotel manager at the same time.
On 2 November 1979 he joined Northern Premier League club Lancaster City
teaming up at Giant Axe with former Blackpool team-mate Keith Dyson
.
in April 2006. Organised by the Blackpool Supporters Association, Blackpool fans around the world voted on their all-time heroes. Five players from each decade are inducted; Suddick is in the 1970s.
, against Belgium when he scored one of the goals in a 6-1 victory and then against Yugoslavia
when England won 4-2.
, close to Bloomfield Road, where he regularly attended matches.
He was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Bloomfield Road, when it was officially opened by former Blackpool player Jimmy Armfield
in April 2006.
In December 2008 Suddick revealed that he would be undergoing stem cell
replacement
therapy in his battle against cancer, at Manchester Royal Infirmary
in early 2009. On 18 February 2009 it was revealed that he was critically ill in hospital. He underwent a tracheotomy
on 27 February; however, his condition deteriorated and three weeks later both his legs were amputated below the knees after he contracted an infection and developed gangrene
. His condition worsened again during 15 March and he died in his sleep the following day.
Blackpool
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
professional footballer who played at inside-right. He was known for his "banana" free-kicks.
Newcastle United
Born in Chester-le-StreetChester-le-Street
Chester-le-Street is a town in County Durham, England. It has a history going back to Roman times when it was called Concangis. The town is located south of Newcastle upon Tyne and west of Sunderland on the River Wear...
, County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, at the age of 17 years and 158 days, Suddick became Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
's then-youngest-ever player. He was part of the Newcastle team that were Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
champions and won promotion to the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
in 1964–65. In his time at Newcastle, he played 152 games and scored 43 goals.
On 22 October 1966, Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
beat Newcastle 6-0 at Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road is an all-seater football stadium in the English town of Blackpool, Lancashire. It has been the permanent home of Blackpool F.C. since 1901 and is named after the road on which the stadium's main entrance used to stand. The stadium has been in a process of redevelopment since 2000...
. Suddick was in the Magpies team that day, and so impressed were the home side with his commitment that, two months later, they paid a then-club-record £63,000 for his services.
Blackpool
Suddick made his Blackpool debut on 26 December 1966, in a 4-1 home defeat by West Ham UnitedWest Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
, and was virtually ever-present from that point on, striking up a partnership with Tommy Hutchison
Tommy Hutchison
Thomas "Tommy" Hutchison is a Scottish former footballer.-Club career:Beginning his professional career with Alloa Athletic in the Scottish Second Division, being spotted by Archie McPherson...
on the left or deep in midfield. Five days after his debut Suddick scored his first goal for the club in a 5-1 win at Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
.
In 1968–69
1968-69 in English football
The 1968–69 season was the 89th season of competitive football in England.-First Division:Leeds United won the League for the first time in their history, finishing six points ahead of Liverpool...
, he was Blackpool's top scorer with twelve goals, missing just one game all season. He was part of the Blackpool team that won promotion to the First Division in 1969–70, and played in every league and cup match. He also played a big part in the Seasiders
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
at Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road is an all-seater football stadium in the English town of Blackpool, Lancashire. It has been the permanent home of Blackpool F.C. since 1901 and is named after the road on which the stadium's main entrance used to stand. The stadium has been in a process of redevelopment since 2000...
on 15 January 1970, when Blackpool, 2-0 down at half-time, came back to win 3-2 with Suddick scoring the first goal.
He missed the majority of the 1970–71 season with a leg injury. In the 1971 Anglo-Italian Cup
Anglo-Italian Cup
The Anglo-Italian Cup is a defunct European football competition that was played intermittently between 1970 and 1996 between clubs from England and Italy. Founded by Gigi Peronace in 1970, following the success of the Anglo-Italian League Cup, it was played as a professional tournament until 1973...
, Suddick scored what he considered to be the best goal he ever scored, in a 3-3 draw with Verona
Hellas Verona F.C.
Hellas Verona Football Club is a professional Italian association football team, based in Verona, Veneto. The team's colours are yellow and blue and gialloblu is the team's most widely used nickname...
at Bloomfield Road on 26 May. In the final against Bologna
Bologna F.C. 1909
Bologna Football Club 1909, known simply as Bologna, is an Italian Football League club based in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, formed in 1993. The club are nicknamed the rossoblù because of the red and blue striped shirts they wear. Red and Blue are the official colours of the town.During its history...
in Rome on 12 June, he took the opposition apart in a 2-1 extra-time victory.
On 27 October 1971, Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
tried to sign Suddick, but the deal was turned down, with Blackpool manager Bob Stokoe
Bob Stokoe
Robert "Bob" Stokoe was an English footballer and manager who was able, almost uniquely, to transcend the traditional north-east rivalry between the region's footballing giants, Newcastle United and Sunderland....
refusing to even comment on it. At the end of the 1971–72 he won the club's Player of the Year award. In the close season he once again played in the Anglo-Italian Cup and scored one goal as Blackpool beat Lanerossi Vicenza
Vicenza Calcio
Vicenza Calcio is an Italian football club based in Vicenza, Veneto. The club was formed in 1902 and currently plays in Italy's Serie B, having spent the entire 1960s and a large part of the 1990s in Serie A...
10-0 at home. Blackpool again reached the final, losing to Roma
A.S. Roma
Associazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s...
.
He helped the club reach the quarter-finals of the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
in 1972–73 and in an earlier round captained the side against Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
on 6 September 1972. He became the first player to score a penalty in all of the major competitions – the League, FA Cup and League Cup – when he scored from the spot in Blackpool's 2–1 victory over Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
at Valley Parade
Valley Parade
Valley Parade, also known as the Coral Windows Stadium through sponsorship rights, is an all-seater football stadium in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. It was built in 1886, and was the home of Manningham Rugby Football Club until 1903, when they changed code from rugby football to association...
on 13 January. At the end of the season he again played in the Anglo-Italian Cup as Blackpool went undefeated, but were eliminated at the group stage by not scoring enough goals.
Suddick scored his 100th League goal, a penalty, in Blackpool's 3–0 victory over Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
at Bloomfield Road on 23 March 1974.
He missed much of the 1974–75 season with a re-occurrence of the leg injury that kept him out of action in 1970–71. Injuries would limit his appearances toward the end of his time at Blackpool and in October 1976 he was put on the transfer list. His last game came on 30 October, a 2-2 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
.
He made a total of 371 appearances for the Seasiders, scoring 81 goals. His talent, however, was never truly realised, with his temper sometimes getting the better of him. Such was his popularity at Blackpool that he became known as "The King of Bloomfield Road" a title which the fans still affectionately call him. During his time playing for the club, Seasiders fans adapted two lines from the traditional English Christmas carol
Christmas carol
A Christmas carol is a carol whose lyrics are on the theme of Christmas or the winter season in general and which are traditionally sung in the period before Christmas.-History:...
, "The First Nowell" to,
Suddick! Suddick! Suddick! Suddick!
Born is the King of Bloomfield Road!
Toward the end of his time at Blackpool, Suddick established an unofficial keepie uppie
Keepie uppie
Keepie uppie, or "kick-ups" is the skill of juggling with a football using feet, lower legs, knees, chest, shoulders, and head, without allowing the ball to hit the ground...
world record, completing three laps and 20 yards of the pitch, keeping the ball off the ground at Bloomfield Road in just under 20 minutes.
Later career
On 31 December 1976, he moved to Stoke CityStoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
for a fee of £12,000, where he played only nine league games, scoring one goal. In August 1977 he joined Fourth Division
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
club Southport
Southport F.C.
Southport Football Club are an English football club, based in Southport, Merseyside. They are currently in the Conference National, and play their home matches at Haig Avenue, which has a capacity of 6,008...
on loan, playing six games. Then in September he joined Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
club Bury
Bury F.C.
Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...
, before ending his league career at the end of the 1977–78 season. After spending a time coaching with Blackpool, in August 1978 he moved into non-league football
Non-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
with Barrow
Barrow A.F.C.
Barrow A.F.C. are an English football club founded in 1901 based in the town of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria. Following promotion at the end of the 2007–08 season, they currently play in the Conference National. The club spent over fifty years in the Football League between 1921 and 1972, and have...
who were then in the Northern Premier League
Northern Premier League
The Northern Premier League, is one of the regional English football leagues which sits directly below the Football Conference featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. Geographically, the league covers all of Northern England, and the northern areas of the Midlands. Originally just one...
, where he played 38 games, scoring three goals. He also became the club's part-time player-manager, balancing a role as a hotel manager at the same time.
On 2 November 1979 he joined Northern Premier League club Lancaster City
Lancaster City F.C.
Lancaster City F.C. is an English football club based in Lancaster, Lancashire. The club are currently members of Northern Premier League Division One North and play at Giant Axe.-History:...
teaming up at Giant Axe with former Blackpool team-mate Keith Dyson
Keith Dyson
Keith Dyson is an English former professional football player. He played as a forward.Dyson began his career with Newcastle United in 1968. In three years at St James' Park, he made 76 league appearances and scored 22 goals....
.
Blackpool F.C. Hall of Fame
Suddick was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Bloomfield Road, when it was officially opened by former Blackpool player Jimmy ArmfieldJimmy Armfield
James Christopher "Jimmy" Armfield, CBE, DL is an English former professional football player and manager who currently works as a football pundit for BBC Radio Five Live. He played the whole of his Football League career at Blackpool, usually at right back...
in April 2006. Organised by the Blackpool Supporters Association, Blackpool fans around the world voted on their all-time heroes. Five players from each decade are inducted; Suddick is in the 1970s.
International career
Suddick played twice at Under-23 level for EnglandEngland national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
, against Belgium when he scored one of the goals in a 6-1 victory and then against Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia national football team
The Yugoslavia national football team represented the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in association football. It enjoyed a modicum of success in international competition. In 1992, during the Yugoslav wars, the team was suspended from international...
when England won 4-2.
Post-retirement
After he retired Suddick continued to live in BlackpoolBlackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
, close to Bloomfield Road, where he regularly attended matches.
He was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Bloomfield Road, when it was officially opened by former Blackpool player Jimmy Armfield
Jimmy Armfield
James Christopher "Jimmy" Armfield, CBE, DL is an English former professional football player and manager who currently works as a football pundit for BBC Radio Five Live. He played the whole of his Football League career at Blackpool, usually at right back...
in April 2006.
In December 2008 Suddick revealed that he would be undergoing stem cell
Stem cell
This article is about the cell type. For the medical therapy, see Stem Cell TreatmentsStem cells are biological cells found in all multicellular organisms, that can divide and differentiate into diverse specialized cell types and can self-renew to produce more stem cells...
replacement
Stem cell treatments
Stem cell treatments are a type of intervention strategy that introduces new cells into damaged tissue in order to treat disease or injury. Many medical researchers believe that stem cell treatments have the potential to change the face of human disease and alleviate suffering...
therapy in his battle against cancer, at Manchester Royal Infirmary
Manchester Royal Infirmary
The Manchester Royal Infirmary is a hospital in Manchester, England which was founded by Charles White in 1752 as a cottage hospital capable of caring for twelve patients. Manchester Royal Infirmary is part of a larger NHS Trust incorporating several hospitals called Central Manchester University...
in early 2009. On 18 February 2009 it was revealed that he was critically ill in hospital. He underwent a tracheotomy
Tracheotomy
Among the oldest described surgical procedures, tracheotomy consists of making an incision on the anterior aspect of the neck and opening a direct airway through an incision in the trachea...
on 27 February; however, his condition deteriorated and three weeks later both his legs were amputated below the knees after he contracted an infection and developed gangrene
Gangrene
Gangrene is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition that arises when a considerable mass of body tissue dies . This may occur after an injury or infection, or in people suffering from any chronic health problem affecting blood circulation. The primary cause of gangrene is reduced blood...
. His condition worsened again during 15 March and he died in his sleep the following day.
Honours
Newcastle United- Second DivisionFootball League Second DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
champion: 1964–65
Blackpool
- Anglo-Italian CupAnglo-Italian CupThe Anglo-Italian Cup is a defunct European football competition that was played intermittently between 1970 and 1996 between clubs from England and Italy. Founded by Gigi Peronace in 1970, following the success of the Anglo-Italian League Cup, it was played as a professional tournament until 1973...
winner: 1971