Craig Dudley interview

[singe]

I like the interview, and like Tony Carrs style of writing but

Released by Burton, he rejected the chance to sign for Crawley Town because his youngest child was only a few months old and he didn’t want to move to London

 

That's a bit like having Maher saying in the Kent Messenger he didn't choose Oldham because he didn't fancy the move to Scotland!!

 

http://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/

[real]

I like the interview, and like Tony Carrs style of writing but

Released by Burton, he rejected the chance to sign for Crawley Town because his youngest child was only a few months old and he didn’t want to move to London

 

That's a bit like having Maher saying in the Kent Messenger he didn't choose Oldham because he didn't fancy the move to Scotland!!

 

http://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/

 

Isn't Scotland further north than Oldham (by a couple of hundred miles), whereas London is actually nearer than Crawley? And isn't London the nearest city to Crawley (about 30 miles)?

 

More like Maher saying he doesn't want to sign for Burnley 'cos he doesn't want to move to Manchester??

[footy68]

Personally I couldn't give a funk about Maher.

[daniel8157]

I worked at the petrol station at Asda when he was at burton and he would come and get petrol on his way down to training at about 7.30 in the morning. He would always stop and chat for 10 mins or so. Top guy, cant meet a nicer guy

[chaddymatt]

Duds still lives around the corner from me, although his house has been up for sale for a long, long time.

Nice fella.

[Guernica]

DUDLEY IS :censored: HOT

[singe]

Isn't Scotland further north than Oldham (by a couple of hundred miles), whereas London is actually nearer than Crawley? And isn't London the nearest city to Crawley (about 30 miles)?

 

More like Maher saying he doesn't want to sign for Burnley 'cos he doesn't want to move to Manchester??

 

No, it's not at all.

I promise not many people live in London and commute to Crawley. You may, or may not be aware the house prices are a bit different and becasue of the travelling delays no one in their right mind would even contemplate it- there is a little bit more traffic on the routes in and out of London that there is from Manchester to Burnley..! It's not the as the crow flies mileage, it's the time taken.

Edited July 22, 2008 by singe

[leeslover]

No, it's not at all.

I promise not many people live in London and commute to Crawley. You may, or may not be aware the house prices are a bit different and becasue of the travelling delays no one in their right mind would even contemplate it- there is a little bit more traffic on the routes in and out of London that there is from Manchester to Burnley..! It's not the as the crow flies mileage, it's the time taken.

For "London" read "Southeast," Singe. In the same way as games like Swindon and Southend are nice and easy for us OASIS boys That said, some players do travel a fair way in the North. Beckett was meant to be a homeboy but wasn't he right down the far side of South Yorkshire?

[singe]

For "London" read "Southeast," Singe. In the same way as games like Swindon and Southend are nice and easy for us OASIS boys That said, some players do travel a fair way in the North. Beckett was meant to be a homeboy but wasn't he right down the far side of South Yorkshire?

Of course I;d have no problem with South East, and of course I exagerreated the point a little...

Just keeping Mr Carrs on his toes!

[real]

No, it's not at all.

I promise not many people live in London and commute to Crawley. You may, or may not be aware the house prices are a bit different and becasue of the travelling delays no one in their right mind would even contemplate it- there is a little bit more traffic on the routes in and out of London that there is from Manchester to Burnley..! It's not the as the crow flies mileage, it's the time taken.

 

Jesus H, it's the cockernee syndrome. Of course we don't have those infernal combustion cars and things oop north, and it's as quick to commute from bonnie scotland to mumps bridge as it is to travel 2 cock strides dahn sarf.

 

Seriously, you can promise me that "not many" people commute from Crawley to London, but how many commute from Scotland to Oldham? And funnily enough house prices vary enormously around the north west too, and there is just a little bit of traffic on various routes. And how much traffic is there in and out of manchester? rather than just from Burnley?

 

Good god, some people go to a new town and think it's suddenly the centre of the universe and mere mortals who have never seen the place are completely unable to assess or imagine the complexities of Landen with their tiny provincially based minds.

 

Which was a more valid comparison? Scotland to Oldham vs Crawley to London OR Burnley to Manchester vs Crawley to London?

[leeslover]

Jesus H, it's the cockernee syndrome. Of course we don't have those infernal combustion cars and things oop north, and it's as quick to commute from bonnie scotland to mumps bridge as it is to travel 2 cock strides dahn sarf.

 

Seriously, you can promise me that "not many" people commute from Crawley to London, but how many commute from Scotland to Oldham? And funnily enough house prices vary enormously around the north west too, and there is just a little bit of traffic on various routes. And how much traffic is there in and out of manchester? rather than just from Burnley?

 

Good god, some people go to a new town and think it's suddenly the centre of the universe and mere mortals who have never seen the place are completely unable to assess or imagine the complexities of Landen with their tiny provincially based minds.

 

Which was a more valid comparison? Scotland to Oldham vs Crawley to London OR Burnley to Manchester vs Crawley to London?

People still have to walk with a red flag in front of cars where Singe lives, he isn't familiar with our modern ways in the conurbations.

[The Chaplain]

It's a great interview. Should be compulsory reading for all new, young players.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[l_t_i_d]

duds taught me to drive lol

[singe]

People still have to walk with a red flag in front of cars where Singe lives, he isn't familiar with our modern ways in the conurbations.

We have Common land grazing rights, and everything. THat's how come I have a shed full of crates of apples.

Mind you I am sure the steam trains got to London quicker than my train does in the morning...

 

Honestly real, I think you have missed light heareted comment here. Not like you either, you are definitely one of the sharpest posters on here.

20 years in Oldham, 20 years out of it, and my immediate family still in Saddleworth. I am completely aware. Some areas Saddleworth is more expensive than down here. No superiority complex from me, I'd probably sooner bring my family up in Oldham than in Kent.

 

Seriously, you can promise me that "not many" people commute from Crawley to London, but how many commute from Scotland to Oldham?

It's about the same, I would say, and that the point I was trying to make in a jocular way, clearly I failed miserably!

 

Mind you, I have no desire to fall out with a fellow 'Tic, especially over where people live! Can we call a trcuce!

Edited July 23, 2008 by singe

[marhar]

which day was this article published, had a quick search but can't find it

[singe]

which day was this article published, had a quick search but can't find it

It was yesterday, about 11th down, caled Injuries put the brake on Dudley, as it's not update yet, it's still under Todays sport

 

Try this

http://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/SPORTT11.html

[marhar]

It was yesterday, about 11th down, caled Injuries put the brake on Dudley, as it's not update yet, it's still under Todays sport

 

Try this

http://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/SPORTT11.html

 

cheers, got it now

[Inspiral_Carpet]

Injuries put the brake on Dudley

 

Whatever happened to . . . TONY CARSS continues his series on former Latics players

 

IT doesn’t seem two minutes since Craig Dudley was terrorising opposing defences at Boundary Park with his electrifying pace, roared on by the Latics faithful.

 

Now, thanks to his new career, it’s Dudley who is terrified - often on a daily basis.

 

Having hung up his boots almost two years ago in pursuit of financial stability for his young family, the former Athletic star now earns his living working as a fully qualified driving instructor.

 

Knocking people over, running red lights and nearly crashing is all in a days work for Dudley, but one particular moment stands out for the 28-year-old.

 

“We were driving down the road at 30mph when suddenly the driver turned left and mounted the pavement for no apparent reason and nearly knocked someone over. It was quite scary.

 

“My stress levels can be quite high. People say my job is easy, but I always have to be aware of potential danger and by the end of a 10- hour shift I’m shattered.”

 

Ten-hour shifts are something footballers hear tales about, yet most find impossible to comprehend.

 

“Take me back to football and three hours a day followed by a game of snooker, says Craig. “This is the real world I’m living in now and it’s not easy.

 

“Players don’t realise what a privileged position they are in until, for most of them, it’s too late. It’s the best job in the world. I now appreciate how lucky I was to have had the career I’ve had.”

 

He began that career as a promising youngster at Notts County under then manager Sam Allardyce. He played for England at youth level and made the under-20 national team. Great things were expected of the young striker.

 

But things became stale after three years at County and both Dudley and Allardyce knew it was time for a change of scenery.

 

BUST-UP

 

The move to Boundary Park came out of the blue, but at the perfect time.

 

“Things were quite strange at that time. I was supposed to have been shipped out to Ireland to play for Sligo four weeks before transfer deadline but I refused the move. I ended up having a big bust-up with Sam Allardyce because of it.

 

“The next day Andy Hughes told me that Oldham had been asking about me. I was then pulled in the office and told to go for talks with Andy Ritchie.

 

“I had talks with Oldham and they offered me a two-year deal which I accepted. The next day, with the ink still drying on my contract, I flew to Nigeria with the England under-20 squad so things were happening quickly and all at once.

 

“I returned four weeks later to meet my team-mates for the first time and the club just avoided relegation that season.”

 

Under Andy Ritchie, Dudley played his best football for the club. But for injuries at crucial times he believes things might have been more fruitful.

 

“When I was doing well I always seemed to get injured. Just as things were getting interesting, I’d be out for weeks - and then it takes time to get back into it. I believe that I missed some great opportunities due to my injuries.

 

“Making my debut for the club was a highlight, as was the successful period the team enjoyed just before Ritchie got the sack. We were flying in the league and I was playing really well myself. I was told that several clubs were looking at me and I actually signed a new deal with the club during that time.”

 

Dudley enjoyed his time at Athletic, but under the new management team of Mick Wadsworth and Iain Dowie things never quite got going for him.

 

Having not enjoyed a great relationship with Dowie when he was number two, once he became manager Dudley felt his days at the club were numbered.

 

“I injured my ankle just as he became manager and when I got fit he said Burton were interested in me and would I like to talk to them. He had said it was a clean slate for me at the club, but I felt things hadn’t really changed and it was best for me to move on.

 

“I didn’t want to drop out of the league but I spoke to Burton and they offered me a good deal which, along with my compensation from Oldham, meant that the move was good for me.

 

“Financially it was a great move, but career-wise it was a bad one.

 

And my second season with Burton was particularly tough as my dad died and I also had a bad car crash. I got going again in my third year and finished as runner up in the player of the year awards which was nice.”

 

It was during his time at Burton that Dudley began looking at different career paths for life after football - and it came sooner that he expected.

 

Released by Burton, he rejected the chance to sign for Crawley Town because his youngest child was only a few months old and he didn’t want to move to London.

 

“I’d already begun a career as a driving instructor as Burton was only part time. It took me four months training before I began teaching and became fully qualified.

 

“I ended up doing it full time because the lower down the leagues you fall obviously the less money you earn but you still have to pay the bills. I had a young family and needed the security that the job gave me.”

 

After a brief spell at Hyde United and a season at Ashton United, Dudley decided to hang up his boots and concentrate on his new career.

 

“I’ve been out of the game now for almost two years now. I’ve turned out a few times on a Sunday morning for a local side, but now I have my kids on a Sunday morning and they mean the world to me, so football is on the back burner.

 

“You never know what’s round the corner, but I don’t have much spare time to bother with football coaching badges or getting fit again. I’m sat in the car all day now so I could do with losing a few pounds.”

 

Dudley has missed a couple of opportunities to return to Boundary Park socially, but if another comes along he’ll be sure to take it.

 

“I’ve never had the chance to go back to Boundary Park. The club has asked me a couple of times but because of work I’ve been unable to make it, which I regret.

 

“I’ve got nothing but fond memories of my time there.”