Jackie Mudie

Football player infobox
playername = Jackie Mudie


fullname = John Knight Mudie
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date|1930|4|10|mf=y
cityofbirth = Dundee
countryofbirth = Scotland
dateofdeath = death date and age|1992|3|2|1930|4|10
cityofdeath = Stoke-on-Trent
countryofdeath = England
height = height|ft=5|in=6
position = Centre-forward
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1947-1961
1961-1963
1963-1967
clubs = Blackpool
Stoke City
Port Vale
Career
caps(goals) = 324 (144)
089 0(32)
054 00(9)
467 (185)
manageryears = 1965-1967
managerclubs = Port Vale
(jointly with Stanley Matthews)
nationalyears = 1956-1958
nationalteam = Scotland
nationalcaps(goals) = 017 00(9)

John "Jackie" Knight Mudie (10 April 1930 — 2 March 1992) was a Scottish international footballer who played as a forward for Blackpool, Stoke City and Port Vale in a career spanning twenty years.

Career

Early years

Born in Dundee, Mudie started his footballing career with local junior sides Lochee Harp and Stobswell Juniors.

Blackpool

Jackie Mudie joined Blackpool in 1946, signing professional terms a year later. The 1950s are the most successful decade in the club's history to date. Mudie would be at the club throughout with right winger Stanley Matthews, goalkeeper and fellow Scot George Farm, defenders Tommy Garrett and Hugh Kelly (another Scot) and outside left Bill Perry.

After three years developing in the reserves, he made his debut on March 8 1950, against Liverpool, scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win at Anfield. The following season he featured regularly as Blackpool challenged in the league and reached the 1951 FA Cup Final. Newcastle United proved too strong at Wembley, however, and two goals from Jackie Milburn took the trophy to the North-East. After the loss, Blackpool signed Ernie Taylor, and Mudie lost his place. Eventually, though, he worked his way back into the team.

In 1952-53, Blackpool bounced back from their disappointment in 1951's FA Cup Final when Mudie's last-minute goal against Tottenham Hotspur in that season's semi-final sealed a return to Wembley, this time to face Bolton Wanderers. This match is universally remembered as the "Matthews Final", due to the veteran winger's dazzling skills helping to turn a 3-1 deficit into a 4-3 win for Blackpool. Although Matthews and hat-trick scorer Stan Mortensen understandably took the limelight, Matthews himself would later acknowledge the importance of the selfless Mudie, noting that his "skill and work for others often made some of us look better than we really were". [Stanley Matthews in 1992, quoted in "Scottish Football Heroes", p. 64.]

In his early career, Mudie was considered an inside forward, however, when Mortensen was transferred to Hull City in 1955, Mudie became Blackpool's regular centre-forward, despite his diminutive stature. This change of position, combined his scoring 22 and 32 goals in consecutive seasons, enabled him to achieve international recognition and he made his international debut against Wales in 1956. His hat-trick in a 4-2 win against Spain in 1957 helped Scotland qualify for the following year's World Cup and he was subsequently selected in the squad that travelled to Sweden. Scotland flattered to deceive in the Finals, though, and an early exit led the international selectors to look to younger players, effectively ending Mudie’s international career with 17 caps and 9 goals to his name.

toke City

Stoke City signed Mudie, along with Stanley Matthews, in March 1961 for £8,500, and he scored just five minutes into his debut. [Calley, Roy (1992). "Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887-1992", p. 110. Breedon Books Sport] . The veteran pairing helped the Potters to the Division Two championship in 1962-63.

Post Vale

Mudie moved to local rivals Port Vale in 1963, and after two seasons became player-manager, combining for a third time with Matthews, who was the Valiants' general-manager by this time, until 1967. In the present (2008), Jackie's son, Graham, has continued the Port Vale connection by working as a Director of the club.

Later Years

After his playing retirement, Mudie continued to live in Stoke, his adopted hometown. He had brief spells coaching at Oswestry Town, Crewe Alexandra (where he was assistant manager), Northwich Victoria and Eastwood Town. He spent one summer in America, as coach of the Cleveland Cobras in 1978.

Mudie died in Stoke in 1992, aged 61, two years after being diagnosed with cancer.

Honours

Blackpool
*FA Cup winner: 1952/53
*Lancashire Senior Cup winner: 1953/54

Stoke City
*Division Two championship: 1962/63

International goals

:"Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first."

Notes

References

*
* [http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/player_details.cfm?playerid=113559 Mudie's profile at the Scottish FA]
*
* [http://www.londonhearts.com/scotland/players/johnknightmudie.html International stats] at Londonhearts.com

Persondata
NAME=Mudie, Jackie
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=John Mudie
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Scottish footballer
DATE OF BIRTH=April 10, 1930
PLACE OF BIRTH=Dundee, Scotland
DATE OF DEATH=March 2, 1992
PLACE OF DEATH=Stoke-on-Trent, England