Ex-England star demanded the FA delete his playing records after feeling disrespected

According to the official England website, 1290 players have represented the Three Lions at senior level in the national team's entire history since the first international fixture in 1872.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis is the latest player to be capped for England, scoring on his debut in a 5-0 UEFA Nations League win over the Republic of Ireland in November.

Dan Burn and Myles Lewis-Skelly have both received their first call-ups in Thomas Tuchel's first England squad and could take that number to 1292 in legacy caps if they both take to the pitch in upcoming games against Albania and Latvia.

For many, playing for your country is the absolute pinnacle and one that brings a feeling of pure pride. However, the 904th player to play for England wants his records to be erased from history.

Alan Hudson, who turned out for Chelsea and Arsenal, played twice for England under Don Revie in 1975 - having served a three-year England suspension enforced by Sir Alf Ramsey for not answering a call-up to the Under 23's.

He was called up again a a replacement in 1978 by Ron Greenwood but refused to play after not being named in the initial squad for a game against Brazil.

Hudson holds feelings of resentment towards the Football Association (FA) and accused them of failing to support him after he was ran over in a hit-and-run incident in 1997 which left him in a 59-day coma and reportedly required 70 surgical operations.

Hudson's unprecedented request to the FA

He contacted the FA with an unprecedented request in 2021, telling the Daily Mail: "I don't want anything to remain in the FA statistics to remind me of the demoralising and very depressing way I was passed over for all but two England matches."

Just over a year on in May 2022 Hudson doubled down on his request and gave an update on his situation.

Alan Hudson played twice for England but wants his records removed. Image: Getty

“I want out," he said. "I've asked the FA to remove my name from everything, I don’t want anything to do with them. I’m preparing a legal case to force them to do it.

"My dream of a long international career was ruined and has led to long-term depression, anxiety and panic for which I still have counselling. It will be a great relief to be removed from my links with the history of England football."

It's understood Hudson is the first player in history to make such a demand and received responses from legal and governance Polly Handford, though there is no word on whether he has been successful.

SPORTbible reached out to the FA for comment on Alan Hudson's request.