FORMER Bradford Park Avenue player Gary Hudson has died aged 65.

The Bradford-born defender was a product of Avenue's youth team, which also included future Wolves star Kenny Hibbitt.

Manager Jack Rowley handed Hudson his Avenue debut in the Football League on May 1, 1968 at home to Exeter City when, still an amateur, he featured at left back.

He signed professional forms for the start of the 1968-69 season and went on to make 39 appearances in Division Four, his final outing being at Aldershot on April 20, 1970, when Avenue played for the last time before dropping into non-League football.

A team-mate in that final game was current Avenue director Terry Dolan.

Hudson was retained for the 1970-71 season but made only four further appearances before returning to the amateur game with Wibsey.

After ending his career, he became landlord of several public houses and ran Hudson's Sports on Manchester Road.