Ex-England Star Demanded FA Erase Records After Feeling Disrespected
A former England player demanded the FA to delete his playing records and wanted nothing do to with the football association after feeling disrespected.
England have back-to-back World Cup qualifiers during the September international break.
They entertain Andorra at Villa Park on Saturday before facing Serbia next Tuesday.
Thomas Tuchel called up uncapped Premier League-based stars Djed Spence and Elliot Anderson, who will start against Andorra for his first senior international cap.
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Harry Kane captains the side, with England regulars Jordan Pickford and Declan Rice also playing from the start.
Over the years, England have had the luxury to call upon several high-profile, elite players, including Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard to name but a few.
To many, representing the Three Lions is the highest accolade a player can achieve.
But one England international wanted his playing records deleted by the English FA.
Alan Hudson, who played for the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal during his career, felt disrespected by the FA and is believed to be the first player to file such a request.
Hudson contacted the FA in 2021 and accused them of failing to support him in a struggle against permanent injuries suffered by a hit-and-run driver in 1997.
"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," he said.
In another interview, Hudson doubled down on his request to be removed from FA data.
“I want out," he added. "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."
Hudson earned two international caps during his career, having been called up by Don Revie following a three-year England suspension handed down by Sir Alf Ramsey, who punished him for failing to answer an under-23 call-up.
On Revie calling him up, he said: "He only did that under pressure from the media and then discarded me, even though we won both those games and I was man of the match against West Germany in one of them.
"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."
Nasir Jabbar