Footballer.
Born: July 13, 1932. Died: April 5, 2014.
Andy Davidson, who has died aged 81, was a footballer from the mining village of Douglas Water in the outskirts of Lanark who became a Hull City Football Club legend and former captain of the club.
He was born and raised one of three children and was a distant relative of Bill Shankly, the manager of Liverpool Football Club. Davidson's late brother David, who was six years his senior, had joined Hull City in 1946 and asked his manager at the time if his brother could get a trial. The young footballer easily won over the manager Raich Carter and was on the brink of a team debut at the age of 16.
In the end, he never played for Carter as he was called up for Royal Air Force duties although he had the manager's contacts to thank for his placement at RAF Finningly (now the site of the Robin Hood Airport near Doncaster )
The two-year placement in the Air Force and the first of three broken legs delayed the Lanark man's football progress through his teenage years but on September 8, 1952, he made his Hull debut as a centre forward.
He went on to play 11 league games and an FA Cup match in season 1952/53. Over the next two or three years, he had several further set backs including a further two broken legs and it was not until season 1955/56 as a 24-year-old that his football career really got going and he made his mark.
From the 1955/56 season, he completed 11 seasons, recording an impressive lengthy spell, playing more than 520 league and cup matches.
In his last two seasons, he made a further 40 plus league and cup appearances and in addition to friendly matches he was just short of 600 games for the one club - a record that is unlikely to be broken.
Following his retirement from playing, he became actively involved in the club in a coaching capacity and as an assistant manager. In 1969 an Andy Davidson Testimonial match was played against Manchester City for a man regarded by many as Hull City's greatest ever servant, a captain, motivator, and a man who led by example and was involved with the club for over three decades.
At a Clydesdale Sports Council Dinner in Lanark at the beginning of 2013, he was inducted into his area of birth's Sports Hall of Fame to recognise his dedication and commitment to Hull City and the sport of football.
He is survived by his wife Susan, son Neil, daughters Angela and Julie, and nine grandchildren.
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