Alan Suddick

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Alan Suddick
Personal information
Date of birth (1944-05-02)2 May 1944
Place of birth Chester-le-Street, England
Date of death 15 March 2009(2009-03-15) (aged 64)
Place of death Manchester, England
Position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1961–1966 Newcastle United 144 (41)
1966–1976 Blackpool 310 (65)
1976–1977 Stoke City 9 (1)
1977–1978 → Southport (loan) 6 (0)
1977–1978 Bury 34 (2)
1978–1979 Barrow 38 (3)
1979–19?? Lancaster City
Total 541 (112)
International career
196?
England U23
 2 (1)
Managerial career
Barrow
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Alan Suddick (2 May 1944 – 15 March 2009) was an English professional

bend the ball, and was known in particular for his "banana" free-kicks; he would often crouch down before taking set pieces, so that the keeper could not see him, thus making his strikes more difficult to read.[1][2]

Club career

Newcastle United

Born in Chester-le-Street, 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.[3] 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.[4]

Blackpool

Suddick made his Blackpool debut on 26 December 1966, in a 4–1 home defeat by

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.[6]

He missed the majority of the

Roma.[6][7]

He helped the club reach the quarter-finals of the

League goal, a penalty, in Blackpool's 3–0 victory over Preston North End at Bloomfield Road on 23 March 1974.[9] 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.[6]

He made a total of 371 appearances for the Seasiders, scoring 81 goals.

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.[10]

Later career

On 31 December 1976, he moved to

Giant Axe with former Blackpool teammate Keith Dyson.[6]

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 Armfield in April 2006.[10] 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.[12]

International career

Suddick played twice at Under-23 level for England,[10] against Belgium when he scored one of the goals in a 6–1 victory and then against Yugoslavia when England won 4–2.[6]

Post-retirement

After he retired Suddick continued to live in Blackpool, close to Bloomfield Road, where he regularly attended matches.[5][7]

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Bloomfield Road when it was officially opened by former Blackpool and England captain Jimmy Armfield in April 2006.[13]

In December 2008 Suddick revealed that he would be undergoing

replacement therapy in his battle against cancer, at Manchester Royal Infirmary in early 2009.[14] On 18 February 2009 it was revealed that he was seriously ill in hospital.[15] 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 14 March and he died in his sleep the following day.[16]

Career statistics

Source:[17]

Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other[A] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Newcastle United 1961–62 Second Division 14 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 3
1962–63 Second Division 31 10 0 0 1 1 0 0 32 11
1963–64 Second Division 31 7 1 0 2 0 0 0 34 7
1964–65 Second Division 21 6 1 0 0 0 0 0 22 6
1965–66 First Division 29 14 2 1 0 0 0 0 31 15
1966–67 First Division 18 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 19 1
Total 144 41 4 1 4 1 0 0 152 43
Blackpool 1966–67 First Division 19 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 20 4
1967–68 Second Division 23 9 2 0 0 0 0 0 25 9
1968–69 Second Division 41 12 1 0 5 2 0 0 47 14
1969–70 Second Division 42 10 3 1 3 2 0 0 48 13
1970–71 First Division 20 1 1 0 2 1 5 1 28 3
1971–72 Second Division 41 10 1 0 2 1 5 2 49 13
1972–73 Second Division 42 10 1 1 7 2 4 1 54 14
1973–74 Second Division 39 6 1 0 2 0 0 0 41 6
1974–75 Second Division 5 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 8 1
1975–76 Second Division 27 1 0 0 1 0 3 1 31 2
1976–77 Second Division 11 2 0 0 4 0 3 1 18 3
Total 310 65 11 2 26 8 23 7 370 82
Stoke City 1976–77 First Division 9 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 1
Southport (loan) 1977–78 Fourth Division 6 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 8 0
Bury 1977–78 Third Division 34 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 35 2
Career Total 503 109 16 3 32 9 23 7 522 128
A. ^ The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals in the Anglo-Italian Cup, Anglo-Scottish Cup, Texaco Cup and Watney Cup.

Honours

Newcastle United

Blackpool

References

  1. ^ a b "Pool Legend Passes Away". Blackpool. 16 March 2009. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 20 December 2008.
  2. ^ Smyth, Rob (28 August 2009). "The Joy of Six: free-kick specialists". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  3. ^ "Blackpool vs Newcastle United". Soccerbase. Retrieved 21 December 2008.
  4. ^
    ISBN 1-873626-07-X
    .
  5. ^ a b "Give Us A Minute Alan Suddick". Blackpool. 17 November 2004. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 20 December 2008.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wolstenholme, Gerry (17 March 2009). "The King is Dead … Long Live the King". Blackpool Mad. Archived from the original on 18 March 2009. Retrieved 18 March 2009.
  7. ^ a b c d Pagett, Marc (24 October 2004). "Caught in Time: Blackpool win promotion to the First Division, 1970". The Times. London. Retrieved 20 December 2008.
  8. ISBN 978-1-905411-50-4
    .
  9. The Seasiders (DVD). Blackpool
    : Blackpool Supporters.
  10. ^
    ISBN 978-1-84547-182-8
    .
  11. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0
    .
  12. ^ "The Hall of Fame – 1970's". Blackpool Supporters Association. Archived from the original on 12 June 2010. Retrieved 29 November 2009.
  13. ISBN 978-1-84547-182-8
    .
  14. ^ "Up The Pool speaks to Alan Suddick". Up the Pool. 2008–09 season (Blackpool vs Wolverhampton Wanderers). Blackpool: Blackpool: 11. 29 December 2008.
  15. ^ Canavan, Steve (18 February 2009). "Pool legend seriously ill in hospital". Blackpool Gazette. Archived from the original on 21 February 2009. Retrieved 18 February 2009.
  16. ^ Hyde, Nick (16 March 2009). "Pool legend loses cancer battle". Blackpool Gazette. Archived from the original on 23 July 2012. Retrieved 16 March 2009.
  17. ^ Alan Suddick at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)

Further reading

External links
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