Memory Lane: Remember this guy?

Neil Ruddock is what I’d call a football ‘hard nut’. Known for his no-nonsense tackles and style of play Ruddock became a sort of legend in his own way.

In July 1998 the defender moved to West Ham United for a fee of £300,000 making his debut on 15 August 1998 in a 1-0 away win against Sheffield Wednesday. In 56 games for West Ham he scored three goals, was booked 14 times and sent-off once, in December 1998, in a 4-0 away defeat to Leeds United, for a dangerous tackle on Harry Kewell.

Always in the mix of some kind of trouble ‘Razor’ wasn’t exactly the ideal footballer to ever have played the game. Not exactly the most elegant footballer ever to don a pair of boots Ruddock played the game the way he wanted to.

The interesting thing is could the current West Ham team use someone like Ruddock? Perhaps, even as defenders go he was never afraid to go in for a tackle and maybe this is what gave him the reputation he received but a team couldn’t be successful without players like Ruddock. After all a team full of Lionel Messi’s might be a world class attacking force but they would leak goals like no other. A team needs these powerful defenders like your Razor Ruddock’s to keep it solid at the back and at the moment it could be argued that we are struggling most in the defence.

Now don’t get me wrong I’m in no way saying I’d love to see an exact copy of the former Hammers man back at the Boleyn because I don’t think he would fit in now but I personally think we could do with that re-instalment of toughness back into the back four, because as good as players like Reid are they somewhat lack that killer instinct that Ruddock had. So not exactly the most convincing footballer ever to wear the shirt but Neil Ruddock was never afraid to get in there and this style of play is exactly why we still remember him.

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