Ray Hudson - WikiHQ

Raymond Wilfred Hudson (born 24 March 1955) is an English former professional football player and manager who currently works as a radio host for SiriusXM FC 157. He started playing professionally at 17, in 1973, with Newcastle United. Fans nicknamed him Rocky and he stayed with the Football League First Division side for four years before moving to the U.S. and playing with various teams for about 15 years.

When he finished his playing career, he started coaching. He was named the head coach in the middle of the 2000 season of the Miami Fusion and was then hired by D.C. United on 8 January 2002 to be their head coach. He was replaced in 2004.

Hudson then began a broadcasting career as color commentator in television and radio. In 2012, he joined Sirius XM Radio as the morning show host of The Football Show on SiriusXM FC 157.

Playing career

Hudson signed with Newcastle United in 1973 at the age of 17, from local team Whickham Juniors. He made 25 appearances for Newcastle and fans there nicknamed him "Rocky". After four years in the Football League First Division, Hudson moved to the United States, playing for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the North American Soccer League from 1977 to 1983. His former teammate at Newcastle, Paul Cannell, who like Hudson had struggled to get a first team place, in his book Fuckin' Hell It's Paul Cannell, claimed he was one of the people responsible for getting Hudson to play his football in America. Cannell had spell on loan at the Washington Diplomats in the 1970s. When Cannell came back to Newcastle, Hudson, was keen to know what life and playing football was like in the US. Cannell claimed he gave Hudson tales of sex, drugs, rock and roll and football. In the next season Cannell played against Fort Lauderdale Strikers, a team full of world class players, and he explained Hudson was by far the best player on the pitch... Hudson played the winter season of 1983–84 in Germany with Union Solingen, making 10 appearances without scoring. Hudson also played for the Strikers following their move to Minnesota in 1984, which proved to be the league's final year. Over the course of his eight years in NASL, Hudson scored 44 goals in 197 matches with 99 assists, and was named to five All-NASL squads, including once as a Best XI in 1984.

He followed this with a season playing for Edmonton Brick Men before joining the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the American Soccer League. After a knee injury sidelined him, the Strikers released him. He spent one season (1990) playing for cross-state rivals Tampa Bay before returning to the Strikers in 1991. By this time the team was playing in the American Professional Soccer League. He was released by the Strikers when the club was mired in a four-match scoreless streak to begin the season. In 1992, he injured his other knee while playing in an NASL reunion match between NASL-era Strikers and Rowdies.

Coaching

After starting out as the Miami Fusion's community outreach director and TV commentator,

Hudson's commentating style, which mimics fellow Geordie, famous darts commentator Sid Waddell, consists of metaphors and excited, romanticized descriptions (e.g., "magisteeerial") of players and goals, has both earned him praise and been described as "ludicrous."

In March 2020, it was announced that Hudson would serve as color commentator for Inter Miami CF of Major League Soccer.

In September 2022, Hudson left BeIN Sports and joined CBS Sports for its television coverage of the UEFA Champions League.

In September 2025, Hudson announced to The Athletic that he was retiring from football commentary.

References

Sources

;Books

Playing career

Coaching

References

Sources

External links