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Budgie The Autobiography of Goalkeeping Legend John Burridge
John "Budgie" Burridge is a true journeyman pro and a hero to football fans up and down the country. In a unique career spanning 30 years, Budgie played 771 league games for 29 teams, including Crystal Palace and QPR (under Terry Venables at both clubs), Southampton (alongside a young Alan Shearer), Manchester City, Aston Villa (where he would play against Barcelona in the European Super Cup), Wolves, and in Scotland with Hibernian where he was a hero in their League Cup win of 1991. That happy sojourn to Edinburgh would end in acrimony, however, as he ended up in a dressing-room fight with the manager. Highly respected as a goalkeeper, but denounced by many as an "oddball" (he admitted that he often slept wearing only his goalkeeper's gloves), Budgie was famous for his madcap antics and his pre-match stretching routines. He would also make a point of going on a lap of honor to salute his club's fans at the end of every game, win lose or draw—a gesture that endeared him to legions of supporters as a man of the people. The Burridge story was far from over when he finally retired in 1997, at the age of 47. He lapsed into depression and spent months in the Priory Clinic as he struggled badly to cope with the void in his life. He became player-manager at non-league Blyth Spartans—only to later be convicted for dealing in counterfeit leisurewear. The prosecution case was significantly strengthened by the fact that there was video evidence of half the team wearing Burridge's sportswear before an FA Cup match. Together with his wife of more than 30 years, Budgie moved to Oman in the Middle East to take up a coaching post with the national team. He sustained serious injuries when he was knocked down by a car in 1999, but is back in good health. He is still employed with the Oman FA, lives there, and acts as a TV pundit and newspaper columnist in Singapore. Burridge is still fascinating and funny to this day, and in this tell-all autobiography he reveals the truth behind his astonishing football career.
- GenresFootballAutobiography
240 pages, Hardcover
First published April 4, 2011
1 person is currently reading
13 people want to read
About the author
John Burridge
1 book1 followerJohn Burridge was born in Workington and after briefly going down the mines, where his father worked, he became Workington's goalkeeper.
He moved on to Blackpool in April 1971 and from there he had a succession of clubs as he continued playing professional football into his 40s. He became the oldest player to appear in the Premier League when he played for Manchester City in 1994/95. In total he played 771 games for the 19 clubs that he represented at League level. In all he played for 29 different clubs at all levels.
While still playing he took his coaching badges and after retirement from the first-class game he continued in a coaching capacity, as well as becoming player-manager of Blyth Spartans.
He eventually took up a coaching post in Oman and then spent time, briefly, in Abu Dhabi before moving back to Oman to become a television pundit and newspaper columnist.
He is one of the world's great eccentrics (and there is nothing wrong with that!).
Gerry Wolstenholme
May 2011
He moved on to Blackpool in April 1971 and from there he had a succession of clubs as he continued playing professional football into his 40s. He became the oldest player to appear in the Premier League when he played for Manchester City in 1994/95. In total he played 771 games for the 19 clubs that he represented at League level. In all he played for 29 different clubs at all levels.
While still playing he took his coaching badges and after retirement from the first-class game he continued in a coaching capacity, as well as becoming player-manager of Blyth Spartans.
He eventually took up a coaching post in Oman and then spent time, briefly, in Abu Dhabi before moving back to Oman to become a television pundit and newspaper columnist.
He is one of the world's great eccentrics (and there is nothing wrong with that!).
Gerry Wolstenholme
May 2011
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 29, 2019
Ultimate Professional and it must have been an experience for any of his team mates , comes across as very ruthless when it comes to money and contracts but without a doubt the man is a legend of the game.
January 26, 2023
A good read with plenty of stories about quite a character of the game
March 10, 2023
As someone who gets bored with autobiographies and more often than not gives up before the end, I found this very interesting and read it from start to finish.
May 18, 2011
A very funny read. John 'Budgie' Burridge is a funny man and he translates his humour onto the printed page superbly.
As the title states, he is a footballing legend. Having begun his football career with his hometown club Workington he moved on to Blackpool and became such a star there that he was inducted into the hall of fame at the football club when it opened a few years ago.
He won the Anglo-Italian Cup with the Seasiders and he gives it full value in a couple of chapters about his time at Bloomfield Road. He also tells of one or two scrapes that he got into because of the nature of his ebullient character.
Nothing changed throughout his career, the same pattern was to develop at each of the 29 clubs that he played for and he gives some delightful stories of his escapades on and off the field, including his liking for Terry Venables, his not too favourable opinion of Ron Saunders, his escape from Arthur Cox, who he later teamed up with at Newcastle, and his fall out with Ossie Ardiles.
He took his coaching badges while still playing and later managed Blyth Spartans, concomitant with being goalkeeping coach at Newcastle United! It certainly stretched his time and eventually made him decide to retire from the roles.
He made the decision to leave England and he went on to coach the national side in Oman, briefly spent some time in a similar role in Abu Dhabi before settling back in Oman as an extremely popular television football pundit and newspaper columnist.
There are no holds barred in this down to earth autobiography as he mentions his depression and its effect on him once he realised that his football career was over - he did, however, become the oldest Premier League player when appearing for Manchester City aged 43 and 126 days.
It is a most enjoyable read and gives the full flavour of a true English eccentric.
Footnote: I was fortunate enough to play five-a-side football with Budgie and I saw at first hand his fitness and intense dedication to the game. I was also lucky enough to be the first player he picked for his side and I often wonder whether that was because I was a very good footballer, , I also kept myself very fit, I had the same will to win at all costs as he did or that I was merely seen as another English eccentric. I would like to think that it was the first of these but I feel sure, in my heart of hearts, that it was the last (or, if I am feeling generous to myself, perhaps a bit of them all)!
As the title states, he is a footballing legend. Having begun his football career with his hometown club Workington he moved on to Blackpool and became such a star there that he was inducted into the hall of fame at the football club when it opened a few years ago.
He won the Anglo-Italian Cup with the Seasiders and he gives it full value in a couple of chapters about his time at Bloomfield Road. He also tells of one or two scrapes that he got into because of the nature of his ebullient character.
Nothing changed throughout his career, the same pattern was to develop at each of the 29 clubs that he played for and he gives some delightful stories of his escapades on and off the field, including his liking for Terry Venables, his not too favourable opinion of Ron Saunders, his escape from Arthur Cox, who he later teamed up with at Newcastle, and his fall out with Ossie Ardiles.
He took his coaching badges while still playing and later managed Blyth Spartans, concomitant with being goalkeeping coach at Newcastle United! It certainly stretched his time and eventually made him decide to retire from the roles.
He made the decision to leave England and he went on to coach the national side in Oman, briefly spent some time in a similar role in Abu Dhabi before settling back in Oman as an extremely popular television football pundit and newspaper columnist.
There are no holds barred in this down to earth autobiography as he mentions his depression and its effect on him once he realised that his football career was over - he did, however, become the oldest Premier League player when appearing for Manchester City aged 43 and 126 days.
It is a most enjoyable read and gives the full flavour of a true English eccentric.
Footnote: I was fortunate enough to play five-a-side football with Budgie and I saw at first hand his fitness and intense dedication to the game. I was also lucky enough to be the first player he picked for his side and I often wonder whether that was because I was a very good footballer, , I also kept myself very fit, I had the same will to win at all costs as he did or that I was merely seen as another English eccentric. I would like to think that it was the first of these but I feel sure, in my heart of hearts, that it was the last (or, if I am feeling generous to myself, perhaps a bit of them all)!
November 20, 2015
I'm from the same area as John Burridge, so this was always going to be a fascinating read.
'Budgie' is as great an example as you're ever likely to get of professionalism, dedication, honesty and sheer bloody-mindedness!
A down to earth self description of this goalkeeping legend's journey through a plethora of football clubs - from his baptism of hard knocks at Workington Reds to brutal encounters with the likes of Ossie Ardiles and Authur Cox.
Hilarious anecdotes obviously - Andy Gray in the living room pelting fruit at Burridge in order to sharpen his reflexes being my particular favourite!
'Budgie' is as great an example as you're ever likely to get of professionalism, dedication, honesty and sheer bloody-mindedness!
A down to earth self description of this goalkeeping legend's journey through a plethora of football clubs - from his baptism of hard knocks at Workington Reds to brutal encounters with the likes of Ossie Ardiles and Authur Cox.
Hilarious anecdotes obviously - Andy Gray in the living room pelting fruit at Burridge in order to sharpen his reflexes being my particular favourite!
February 1, 2014
Book was a good read and Burridge was one of my first goalkeeping heroes. To be honest though I was disappointed in him - he came across as very high maintenance and someone who would have a bit of a sulk if things didn't go his way. struck me as one of those "really popular in their own mind" type people.
June 9, 2023
Superb. Budgie just lives and breathes football.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews