HUDSON: THE BEST SQUAD I'VE KNOWN

“WE’VE FINALLY DONE IT!”

That was the blunt, ecstatic statement of club-captain Mark Hudson after watching his side clinch promotion to the top flight for the first time in fifty-three years.

“We’ve finally done it,” said the skipper. “Under Malky it’s been been a building process for the two years that he’s been here so it’s a great achievement for us. He’s had a hard job because when he signed I think we had twelve professionals and had to sign a lot of players quickly in the summer. We got to a league cup final and the play-offs but it didn’t quite happen, so we went again.

“The staff, manager and chairman have all done a fantastic job. Any of the boys in there - myself and Bellers, will tell you it’s the best squad they’ve been involved in. The honesty of the boys is second to none and we put everything into every game.

“We’ve taken on board what the manager’s wanted of us – and we’ve finally done it. Malky’s the ultimate professional. That’s what he demands from us and that’s what we try and give back. We’ve been promoted today but the manager wants us to win the league, and that’s what we’re going to try and do.”

And although Hudson has been ruled out through injury in recent weeks and had to watch nervously from the sideline, he’s been just as involved with the squad off the pitch, and enjoyed the taste of promotion as much as anyone.
 
“It’s the best moment of my career,” he beamed. “I would have loved to have been in the shirt today but unfortunately it’s not quite happened for me. I’ve had a good season, but that’s football and it happens.

"I’ve been in the dressing room right up to the kick-off of every game since and, as I said, it’s the best dressing room I’ve been involved in. Every single player has worked their socks off this year and when they’ve been called upon they have delivered the goods."