Alan Hudson hits "rock bottom"

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/alan-hudson-hits-rock-bottom-1981623

Chelsea legend Alan Hudson hits 'rock bottom' in homeless hostel
23 Jun 2013 00:00Hudson’s riches-to-rags story is a stark reminder of the turmoil many ex-footballers face when they retire


Struggling down the stairs on crutches, Alan Hudson leaves the cramped hostel he lives at after becoming ­homeless.

The former England, Chelsea and Stoke City footballer says he has hit “rock-bottom†in a fall from grace which has left him in a dingy room three miles from the Stamford Bridge ground where he used to play.

“I have nowhere to go,†says Hudson, 62, who was once one of England’s finest footballers.

“I have hit rock bottom and I don’t see any way out of it.â€

Hudson’s riches-to-rags story is a stark reminder of the turmoil many ex-footballers face when they retire.

In an exclusive interview he tells how his life spiralled out of control after a car accident left him disabled.

And problems with gambling and alcohol have also blighted his life.

Hudson now survives on disability benefits of £100 a week and a paltry £300-a-month pension.

Choking with emotion, he admits the situation left him begging for somewhere to stay.

“The council have put me up in this hostel but because of my legs I can hardly make it up the steps,†he says.

“All I have is my laptop, a shaving bag and my crutches. I haven’t even got a change of clothes.

"There is no towel, no soap and they won’t let my son in to visit.

"Living at this hostel is like being a paedophile and coming out of prison – they want to know your every move.â€

In a pub near the hostel, Hudson, who helped Chelsea to win the European Cup Winners Cup in 1971, traces his woes back to December 1997, when he was hit by a car and left in a coma for 59 days.

To this day he has physiotherapy.

“When I had the accident I was buying a house with my wife,†he says.

“When I came out of the coma I found out that she didn’t want me back home.

"She didn’t fancy pushing me around in a wheelchair.

"My mum said to me that I had better go back to live with her on the World’s End estate in Chelsea.

“You could see Stamford Bridge from the house. It was only yards from where I’d grown up.

"About 18 months later I found out she was dying of cancer. My mum passed away in about 2003 and things got worse from that point.

“Just three days after she died I got a call from the council saying that I’d got to get out.

"I had got a pay-out from the ­accident but someone convinced me to invest it into a property in Cyprus.

"I put in £150,000 and when it went belly up I got less than half of that amount back.

“Things got worse. I stayed with a mate in a pub up in Stoke, but I should have been rehoused.

"It’s of my own doing in one way, but I can’t see why I should have ended up homeless.â€

Until last year Hudson was living with his son and young daughter in a studio flat.

But after his son was diagnosed with a mental illness it became impossible to remain there. He went to Kensington and Chelsea council who told him he would have to stay in a hostel.

“It took me over five minutes to get up less than six stairs. I got to the reception and it felt like an episode of Porridge after they’ve let Ronnie Barker out of the nick.

“Then they said to read the rules and regulations. It says you can’t have anyone in your room – well, you wouldn’t want to show anyone your room.

"They’ve got a toilet that I can’t sit down on because of my knees.â€

Hudson says he feels betrayed by the clubs he played for.

He says: “I’ve been let down off the field and on the field but yes I’ve also let myself down.â€

He also admits he has fallen foul of the demons which blight the lives of many former players.

“I’m a social drinker,†he says. “I can go out on an 18-hour session, but I don’t rely on the drink.

“I love a drink. I like a drop of vodka, I like a drop of whisky. I like pink champagne and when I’m in America I love a drop of bourbon. I was brought up in an age where that was what people did.

“People say to me, ‘Every time I see you you’re in a pub,’ and I say, ‘That’s strange because every time I see you you’re in a pub’.â€

Hudson is angry at never being offered a testimonial fundraiser by Chelsea that he thinks would have spared him his present predicament.

Hudson said: “Chelsea have given me absolutely nothing.

"When I was in the coma I was sent thousands of cards from all around the world, but never one from Chelsea.

"When I die they will all be paying tributes, but that will be no good then.

"I mean how many chances does Gazza want? Nobody in football has ever helped me.â€

Hudson’s situation has left him bitter at the wages today’s players earn.

“When you look at the money the players are on today, some of them £130,000 a week,†he says.

“At Chelsea I was the fetcher and carrier with greats like Osgood and Cooke around me.

“The most I ever earned was £125 a week. Now that’s not even sandwich money.â€

Thoughts?

Hudson is before my time but i'm well aware of his career, achievements and story. I have to say, while I am respectful of what he done in his career, I have never been fond of Hudson the man.

He has always come across as a bitter person to me, one who feels entitlement and that he is owed a living.

This is nonetheless a sad and tragic story and obviously vices have taken over his life.

Alan Hudson was a great midfielder in his time, and should have been an England regular. I idolised him when I was a youngster, he was a major part of the Chelsea team of the late 60's and early 70's. Dave Sexton got rid of him because he couldn't handle him - Hudson was one of the many Chelsea players who liked a drink back then and was turfed out along with Peter Osgood, amongst others. Hudson went to Stoke City where, naturally, he was a great success, then spent a couple of years at Arsenal before going to the States to play for Seattle Sounders.

However, I don't have much, if any, sympathy for Hudson. He constantly whines that Chelsea should help him out, but so far as I know Stoke and Arsenal have never helped him either. He slags Chelsea off to whoever wants to listen, then expects the club to bail him out - maybe if he showed a bit more respect for the club they might be inclined to help out.

Sounds like it's his fault for throwing away his money to dodgy investments and alcohol/gambling, don't see how that is the clubs fault.

Sad about his wife chucking him out after the accident though, what a bitch.

I`m sorry but....for f**k sake, not another I`m down on me luck story from this guy again.More "Mega rich Chelsea won`t help me"bo**ocks...piss off and beg outside arsenal or stoke doorstep!

I have sympathy for our ex player...Even if he wasnt an ex id have sympathy for him...yes he did squander plenty of dosh but the accident really  posted his future into a spiral probably from when his missus f**ked him off.....If i had the space hed be welcome here...Ill remember the pleasure he gave me and the flamboiant play he produced for CFC....Other lesser players have had testemonials...I believe , just on a human level, he should be given some sort of fundraiser by cfc and stoke to set his future.....

Does this story every couple of years ,we all struggle in life ,why should Chelsea or any other club bail him out when he pissed most of what he had up the wall

Whatever happened to 'ask and ye shall receive'? We have an opportunity to help someone in need, and as much of a prick as he may be, he was once one of our own and quite a player as well. I struggle to believe that we don't have a spare hotel room reservation or an 'empty suit' ambassadorial role we could give him until he gets back on his feet. Interesting that he mentions being disappointed in us and not Arsenal or Stoke - it may simply be instrumental as we are the richest of the three clubs or it could be that he holds us to a higher standard. If it is the latter then I am proud of that and I think we should live up to it. Then again maybe I am just naive...

Great talent /was great to watch however appears to be talented in the whinging and throwing it all away department and expecting bail outs because of celebrity status.

To late for a testimonial about 40 years to late.The local council should find him suitable accomodation and health care to suit his needs, they manage to find it for unlimited immigrants.

PloKoon13 said:

Whatever happened to 'ask and ye shall receive'? We have an opportunity to help someone in need, and as much of a prick as he may be, he was once one of our own and quite a player as well. I struggle to believe that we don't have a spare hotel room reservation or an 'empty suit' ambassadorial role we could give him until he gets back on his feet. Interesting that he mentions being disappointed in us and not Arsenal or Stoke - it may simply be instrumental as we are the richest of the three clubs or it could be that he holds us to a higher standard. If it is the latter then I am proud of that and I think we should live up to it. Then again maybe I am just naive...

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No, you're not naive, Ploks. You're just a person who says "There but for fortune go you and I"  Someone should write a song about that!

F@ck him the piss stained old has been, he constantly slags off Chelsea, he's so skint yet he can sit in a pub all day like he did the other day(photo's of him on twitter in The Goose pub)

Give it a few more years & he'll be in the paper again slaggiing us off.

Consider the possibility that third-rate journalists (how generous of me to describe them thus) actively seek him out, feed him booze, then edit from his ramblings anything complimentary he might have said about Chelsea and anything derogatory he might have said about Arsenal.

The trouble with Hudson is it's the same old story. Every couple of years he resurfaces, usually just before a big match we're involved in, to moan about how awful we are and blame us for his lot in life. He said he preferred Stoke and Arsenal anyway, so why not tap them for a few quid?

He was the first poster on my bedroom wall. Long hair, blue kit, part of the team of stars I just had to support.

It's now like looking at some old bird you used to fancy years ago who's turned into a mess.

I have some sympathy for him and I don't like to see one of our players in such a state but can't help thinking that if Chelsea (or Stoke or Arsenal) had given him a testimonial, that money would have gone the same way as the £150,000 he got as compensation.  Surely at the time, he should have bought himself a nice little property instead of trying to "invest" the money.  

 He comes across as someone who can't take much responsibility for his own actions and has been poorly advised.  Would any other company pick up an ex-employee from 35 years ago who was down on their luck - very few would.  And moaning about how much footballers earn now - well, I don't suppose he gave much thought to the ex-players from the 50s who had a maximum wage imposed when he was earning and spending his £125 a week - this figure in 1972 would be the equivalent of about £1500 a week to adjust for inflation - hardly a pittance.  

No, on second thoughts,  I really want to have sympathy but can't, sorry.  

Had a job at Chelsea as match day host few years ago if I`m not mistaken...f**ked that up as well.

He's a creation of his own stupidity and arrogance.f**k him.

Wish I had the opportunity to invest £150k

I'm lucky to have a penny to my name at the end of each month but I don't blame my ex-employers about it.

Guy needs to man up and take responsibility for his past actions.

Phew. I was a bit hesitant about posting this and my own views on him as I wasn't sure what kind of reaction it would get.

Am glad it's not just me then.