Edward Kearsley Hudson (1887-1945) was born in Bolton, Lancashire in January 1887 and died in January 1945 in Manchester. A reliable full-back, Hudson featured mainly as cover in three Football League seasons either side of the First World War, during which he also served in the British Army.
Football Career
Hudson began his football career at local amateur side Walkden Central, before joining Manchester United for a fee of £75 mid-way through the 1911/12 season. After featuring mainly for the reserve side, Hudson finally made his United debut on 24 January 1914 in a 2-2 draw at Oldham Athletic. He would then go on to play eight further games during the 1913/14 season, as United finished in a disappointing 14th position.
The 1914/15 campaign saw Hudson play just two games, a 4-2 defeat to Everton at Goodison Park and a 2-0 loss at Spurs, which would prove to be his last for United. When official competition resumed in August 1919, Hudson signed for Second Division Stockport County, playing 11 games as the Hatters secured a mid-table finish. He would spend just one season at Edgeley Park and subsequently moved to non-league side, Aberdare, in the summer of 1920 where he ended his career soon after.
First World War Service
Hudson enlisted in the British Army under Lord Derby’s Group Scheme on 8 December 1915 in Stockport and was then transferred to the Army Reserve. After returning to his job as a butcher, Gunner 85570 Hudson was called for service in the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) on 23 May 1916 and was posted to RGA Number 2 Depot at Gosport.
On 12 November 1916, Hudson was posted to 25th Anti-Aircraft Company RGA, based at Halifax, West Yorkshire, where he was struck down with influenza and admitted to Halifax Military Hospital on 27 January 1917. Subsequently discharged on 7 February, Hudson was later transferred to 28th AA Coy at Selby before serving with 56th AA Coy until he was transferred to Class “Z” Army Reserve on 3 September 1919 and demobilized.
COMPLETE CAREER STATISTICAL RECORD
Season | Club | League Position | FA Cup | League Games | League Goals | FA Cup Games | FA Cup Goals | ||||||
Walkden Central | |||||||||||||
1913/14 | Manchester United | 14th (First Division) | R1 | 9 | |||||||||
1914/15 | Manchester United | 18th (First Division) | R1 | 2 | |||||||||
1919/20 | Stockport County | 16th (Second Division) | R1 | 11 | |||||||||
Aberdare | |||||||||||||
Summary | |||||||||||||
Manchester United | 11 | ||||||||||||
Stockport County | 11 | ||||||||||||
Total | 22 | ||||||||||||
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