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Doc P shares memories of a real club legend and friend

Before the Internet, WhatsApp and social media took over, selection for TSJ was a mysterious business. A group of unknown selectors (generally chairman Cyril and the captains, if we're honest) would get together, mull over the threadbare list of available players and pick two sides for the upcoming weekend. Assuming we could find 22 players that is. Once selected the players would only discover their fate when the teams were published in that week's Bury Times. Yes indeed, this really happened.

As a newer player back in the late 1980s, it always fascinated me that 21 of the 22 selected players would be listed by their first initial and surname - F. Brockway, P. Yates, N. Brooks etc. Yet there was one exception, a certain N. G. Hudson. That's right, folks, Nick Hudson, "The Hud", life member and all time hero of your author. He was always listed with both initials, and yet for years nobody had a clue what the G actually stood for, nor dared ask.

To set the scene, you need to imagine the aura Nick had at that time. Indeed he still does, a regular presence at most home games with fellow former teammates Frankie Brockway and Al Vernon. You may know them as the "Coffin Dodgers", but to me they were larger than life figures who commanded a lot of respect in the dressing room and from opponents to boot. As a young player you sat there like a sponge, absorbing everything on offer - some of it cricket-related, much of it an education in life! Nick was your typical fast bowler of the time, and to see him in full flow was quite a sight. I'm sure ladies of a certain age will remember Mr Darcy emerging from the lake dripping wet, or later a similar scene with Daniel Craig striding from the water in Casino Royale. Well, to see Nick storming in down the football field end hill, shirt agape and golden locks flowing in the breeze, it was quite a sight, let me tell you. The spectators of the time were in for quite the thrill.

Come to think of it, this was a bit of a theme in that era. Denis Stringfellow, a lovely bloke but one of the nastiest fast bowlers you can imagine at that level of cricket, was much the same, shirt open, ripping in; maybe there was something in the Tottington water back in those days. Nowadays you're more likely to wonder how many haircare products the bowlers are using!

Three anecdotes sum Nick up for me. Back before we had a bar - and sponsorship was unheard of - our sole fundraiser for the year was the annual sponsored walk. We'd set off from the Robin Hood in Tottington, head down to the Dusty Miller, all the way up Brangy Road and then through Hawkshaw, finishing with the long pull up Turton Road and back down into Totty around three hours later. I often used to walk with Nick, enjoying the good company and tall tales, and one year pretty much every car that passed us pipped its horn and Nick would wave. Indeed we all knew he was Mr Tottington and a popular figure, but this was quite ridiculous. Eventually we got to the top of Turton Road and about three cars in a row were all tooting, and Nick was waving away so I finally gave in to my curiosity and asked "who's that Nick?". "Not a clue, old boy," came Nick's charming riposte, "blind as a bat!"

The second story comes much later in Nick's career in an away game at Glodwick. Former Totty top order batsman Mark Parkinson, one of the four prominent Parkinson brothers, was by this time playing for the Oldham side and he was greeted on arrival at the wicket by Nick. "Parky, you used to be the best number three in the league, and I used to be the best point fielder!" About three balls later Parky smashed one straight up and sure enough in ran Nick to take the catch. "And you know what, Parky? I still am!" crowed Nick. Marvellous times, when chatting to the opposition and "sledging" was funnier and invariably less confrontational than today. We'll save some of those stories for a future chapter!

The final anecdote took place on the football field, where Nick was a full-throated, hard-hitting player, renowned for leaving opponents in the mud. On one such occasion at Totty Utd an opponent dared to square up to our hero and such was the aggression that the pair took off, the opponent legging it in the direction of The Lines, with Nick in hot pursuit. The game was forced to carry on briefly before the two men returned, arms wrapped around each other's shoulders, laughing away and full of the joys of life. That's Nick for you - fierce, loyal but also a great sport.

Anyway, to get back to the point, I eventually plucked up the courage to ask Nick about the old selection days and why he was listed as N. G. Hudson and indeed what the G stood for. In very typical Nick fashion, he fronted up and said, quite distinctly, "I can tell you, dear chap, but you must never let anyone else know. It's Garvey".

Don't worry, old friend, your secret's safe with me!

Garvey (right) with Eddie Smith, proud teammates in the 1980s and reunited in 2021