Histro, Heighway and me

The Media men

Alyson Rudd

Background: Alyson Rudd. A woman in a man's world. One of the big-name football writers at The Times…

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What's your personal background?
'Born in Liverpool, raised in rural Lancashire, went to a Grammar School, then onto the LSE. Worked in fashion, which was very dull, and then became a financial writer, which was, er, also very dull. Began writing about football in 1992 - much happier.'

When did your interest begin?
'When I first saw Steve Heighway playing. I was eight or nine and was mildly interested that Liverpool were on the telly but Heighway's speed and ability to skip over a challenge had me spellbound.'

Who are your football heroes?
'Stevie, of course, Matt Le Tissier, around whom the England side should have been built and Hristo Stoichkov. I nearly called my first son Hristo.'

Do your footballing loyalties cause any problems when writing? Can you remain unbiased?
'Well, I have my favourites and I have clubs and players I do not much care for but I bury that when at work. At least I hope I do.'

Do you still get star-struck?
'You should never meet your heroes and so far I have avoided meeting Stevie, Matt and Hristo. But I would hope if I did bump into them I would be chatty and calm and not stare, mouth open, drooling slightly. Generally though, players and managers are fairly down to earth and often shy of the interviewer.' 

Apart from Liverpool, do you have a soft spot for any other club?
'I have loads of soft spots and cannot remember quite where they all came from. I like Leicester, Derby and Fulham in particular. Actually come to think of it, all three offer the press very nice food. You get homemade scones at Craven Cottage.'

Have you ever seen a Wrexham match or been to the Racecourse?
'I followed Wrexham for part of their FA Cup run in 1997 but I only visited the Racecourse in order to interview Brian Flynn. Joey Jones popped in so I was chuffed about that.'

What do you know about Wrexham?
'I know you win the Welsh Cup a lot.'

What is the future for smaller clubs?
'I really do feel they should consider becoming part-time outfits along the Scandinavian model. There is not enough money in the game at a lower level to sustain full-time professionals. This need not be the beginning of the end. A club prepared to be more open- minded about its talent base might unearth more decent players.

Do you play for a women's side?
'I used to play for Leyton Orient Ladies and am proud to have run out onto the Brisbane Road pitch. I am no longer with them because I simply do not have time to train midweek, play on Sundays, cover games and spend time with my kids. So I just play once a week with the lads.'

What do you think of women's football and its future?
'Bizarre. In the US it is a top sport, here we barely acknowledge its existence. But, if England's women, say, were to win something it would really take off.'

Wrexham bought Joey back from Liverpool for £210,000. How much are you worth in footballing terms?
'Priceless.'

Can you see a female manager at a league club in the next 20 years? 
'Twenty years is long time anywhere else but in football. There is no reason why a woman could not do it and do it well but think of the fuss about dressing-room privacy. And of course I would do it. I cannot bear to look at Cherie Lunghi - she being The Manageress in the TV series - without feeling jealous and bitter, and it was only fiction.'