Alan Suddick

Alan Suddick (2 May 1944 – 15 March 2009) was an English professional footballer who played at inside-right for Blackpool, Bury, Newcastle United, Southport and Stoke City. A talented player, he was a dead ball specialist, with a unique ability to 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]

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)
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)
National team
196? England U23 2 (1)
Teams managed
Barrow
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

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 West Ham United, 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.[5] 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.[6]

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.[1][4][6] 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.[6][7]

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.[8] 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.[6][7] 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.[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.[6] His talent, however, was never truly realised, with his temper sometimes getting the better of him.[4] Such was his popularity at Blackpool that he became known as "The King of Bloomfield Road"[7] 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.[10]

Later career

On 31 December 1976, he moved to Stoke City for a fee of £12,000. Injury restricted him to just nine matches for Stoke in the 1976–77 season, he did score once which came in a defeat away at West Bromwich Albion.[11] 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.[6] 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 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 stem cell 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
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Newcastle United 1961–62 Second Division 143000000143
1962–63 Second Division 31100011003211
1963–64 Second Division 317102000347
1964–65 Second Division 216100000226
1965–66 First Division 29142100003115
1966–67 First Division 181001000191
Total 1444141410015243
Blackpool 1966–67 First Division 194100000204
1967–68 Second Division 239200000259
1968–69 Second Division 41121052004714
1969–70 Second Division 42103132004813
1970–71 First Division 201102151283
1971–72 Second Division 41101021524913
1972–73 Second Division 42101172415414
1973–74 Second Division 396102000416
1974–75 Second Division 5000003181
1975–76 Second Division 271001031312
1976–77 Second Division 112004031183
Total 3106511226823737082
Stoke City 1976–77 First Division 9100000091
Southport (loan) 1977–78 Fourth Division 6000200080
Bury 1977–78 Third Division 342100000352
Career Total 503109163329237522128
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. "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. Calley, Roy (20 October 1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992. Breedon Books Publishing Co Ltd. p. 118. ISBN 1-873626-07-X.
  5. "Give Us A Minute Alan Suddick". Blackpool. 17 November 2004. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 20 December 2008.
  6. 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. Pagett, Marc (24 October 2004). "Caught in Time: Blackpool win promotion to the First Division, 1970". The Times. London. Retrieved 20 December 2008.
  8. Gillatt, Peter (30 November 2009). Blackpool FC On This Day: History, Facts and Figures from Every Day of the Year. Pitch Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1-905411-50-4.
  9. Blackpool. The Seasiders (DVD). Blackpool: Blackpool Supporters.
  10. Singleton, Steve, ed. (2007). Legends: The great players of Blackpool FC (1 ed.). Blackpool: Blackpool Gazette. pp. 62–65. ISBN 978-1-84547-182-8.
  11. Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. 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. Singleton, Steve, ed. (2007). Legends: The great players of Blackpool FC (1 ed.). Blackpool: Blackpool Gazette. p. 4. ISBN 978-1-84547-182-8.
  14. "Up The Pool speaks to Alan Suddick". Up the Pool. Blackpool: Blackpool. 2008–09 season (Blackpool vs Wolverhampton Wanderers): 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. Retrieved 16 March 2009.
  17. Alan Suddick at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)

Further reading
  • Calley, Roy (20 October 1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992. Breedon Books Publishing Co Ltd. ISBN 1-873626-07-X.
  • Singleton, Steve, ed. (2007). Legends: The great players of Blackpool FC (1 ed.). Blackpool: Blackpool Gazette. ISBN 978-1-84547-182-8.
  • Joannou, Paul (1983). A Complete Who's Who of Newcastle United. Newcastle United Supporters Club. ISBN 0-9508876-0-9.
  • Canning, Tommy; Paul Joannou (23 October 1989). Ha'way the Lads!: Illustrated Story of Newcastle United. Mainstream Publishing. ISBN 1-85158-257-6.
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