Long serving fan favourite Andy Hughes has indeed left the club for 18 months at Scunthorpe, after 4 years and 139 apps for Leeds - joining on the day we were docked fifteen points. Some saw his waving to the Kop on Wednesday night and predicted this eventuality, others saw it as just Hughesy being Hughesy... as I certainly did.It is sad to see someone who gave so much in heart and passion playing for the club leave, even if admittedly he didn't always have outstanding technical ability. Saying that though, he played in so many different positions for us, fulfilling roles all over the pitch and there's no denying he was a key in our promotion out of the depths of League One and was a major part of us getting back to where we see we belong. He was assured at left back and proved to many he could indeed make the role his own. Out of the 33 games we won last season, he started 32 of them... says it all.
In many ways, he showed exactly what Leeds fans want to see from a player and he was quite rightly held in high esteem by all the fans at the club for his heart on the sleeve style of play. His passion was unquestionable. Warming up along the touchline would spark chants of "Hughesy!" and the applause of fans, smitten with his pride at playing for Leeds United. All fans ask is for players to show they want to play for the badge and the shirt and if they did that they are bound to be remembered fondly.What I would say is this, Andy Hughes - we are proud to have had you playing for our club. You helped us out in our most desperate time, and saw us through to promotion as a key part of our side. Further to this, we can say he was part of the side that beat off the likes of Rooney, Berbatov, Valencia, and Giggs at Old Trafford as League One Leeds, on our way back to where we belong, beat the "Scum" 1-0 - in surely one of his best performances of his career and one of the all time greatest performances from a Leeds side given the standings of each club at the time.
Hughesy will most certainly never be forgotten as an icon for his part in the club's return from the "wilderness" and I would say is a good shout as a modern era talisman of the club's spirit. As Moscowhite has said wonderfully in his blog - LWMYD - Andy showed the "side before self, every time" attitude that Billy Bremner embodied and cited as the Leeds United way. Hughesy wasn't in it for himself, and in the same way that Bremner had personified in his time at the club - he was doing "something for Leeds United" and something for the fans, and he was proud and honoured to say that.All the best for the future Andy - it has been a pleasure to have had you at the club! Cult hero.
Hughesy! Hughesy!
2 Comments:
Good luck to Andy, thanks for all your hard work for LUFC! Great post :)
MOT
Your efforts in a Leeds shirt will always be appreciated,none more so than against Bristol Rovers after Max was sent off. Top man. Good luck Hughesy.
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