JOHN BURRIDGE

Born:   3rd December 1951
Height: 5`11" (180cm)
Weight: 13st. 3lb (84kg)
Pos:    Goalkeeper
Record: 771 league appearances between 1968 and 1996.
        Only 4 players have ever made more appearances than this in Britain.
Clubs:  Workington         27 apps
        Blackpool         134 apps
        Aston Villa        65 apps
        Southend United     6 apps (loan)
        Crystal Palace     88 apps
        QPR                39 apps
        Wolves             74 apps
        Derby County        6 apps (loan)
        Sheffield United  109 apps
        Southampton        62 apps
        Newcastle United   67 apps
        Hibernian          65 apps
        Scarborough         3 apps * (more to come)
        Lincoln City        4 apps
        Aberdeen            3 apps
        Dumbarton           3 apps
        Falkirk             3 apps
        Manchester City     4 apps
        Darlington          3 apps
        Queen of the South  6 apps

John has past his 45th birthday and is still going strong! He came to City towards the end of a distinguished league career to provide goalkeeping cover for Tony Coton, Andy Dibble and Martyn Margetson, who had all been unavailable for long periods during the 1995/96 season due to either injury or suspension. He is currently player-manager of Blyth Spartans and his enthusiasm for the game is still unparalleled, as these testimonials from Martin Haworth and Phil Davison indicate:

Just a note on John Burridge. I noted from your "Where are they now" item that you state that he has played for numerous clubs in England and Scotland. That's right and he is still at it. He is currently signed by Blyth Spartans in the Unibond League Premier Division (the league below the Conference).

On a couple of occasions over the last year, he has played for the club I support (Durham City) when they have been stuck for a 'keeper. Durham are two leagues lower than Blyth, and at the time John was inbetween clubs, and still lives in Durham. He was brilliant, as at this level you can hear everything that is said on the pitch. He spent the entire 90 minutes of each game coaching the back four. You would imagine that for someone who has played at the very highest level that he wouldn't really be bothered with football at this level, but his enthusiasm really was infectious.

He was back at the club pre-season this year, begging for a game, and played for Durham in a friendly against Sunderland, and again he was a joy to watch. When Durham were stuck again for a 'keeper in September, John was unavailable because of his contract with Blyth, but he arranged for one of the youth team 'keepers at Leeds United (where he is goalkeeper goach for 2 days a week, 3 days at Newcastle United), to turn out for Durham, ferrying the lad to and from the lad's Hull home for the two games we needed him. The man is an absolute diamond, and as mad as a hatter.

Budgie is now player-manager of Blyth Spartans. When he played for Enfield, he once travelled down south to catch the team coach back to the north-east for Bishop Auckland vs. Enfield (FA Trophy) because he said it was good for team morale (it was!). Rumour has it that when Enfield signed him, the chairman wasn't too sure about having a goalie older than he was so Budgie proved his fitness by diving over the boardroom table three times. He never let in a goal in a league match for Enfield before the lure of Aberdeen became too much for him.