Burton Albion's 83-year-old kitman says working 'kills the loneliness' of living on his own
ITV News Central's Sports Correspondent Dan Salisbury-Jones speaks to the 83-year-old kitman about his time with Burton Albion.
Burton Albion's 83-year-old kitman Ray 'Rocky' Hudson says working at the club 'kills the loneliness' of living on his own.
Mr Hudson starts a nine-hour shift every morning at 7am to wash everything from the kit to the napkins in hospitality.
He's been doing the job for almost 30 years.
These days he uses old shopping trollies to help carry the kit from the dressing room to the washing machines at the Brewers' stadium.
Retirement is not in his plan and he said: "The worst part of my job is when I go home.
"I live on my own because I lost my good lady. Meeting people in this club and the people here keep me going.
"If I have any problems I can sit down with the manager and talk to him or any of them, they're all brilliant with me.
Rocky speaking about how his work at the club and with those people "keeps him going".
"Although I've got a nice family. Don't get me wrong, they're not there when I walk in the door, you know.
"I walk in the laundry room or walk in the front door here, and there's always somebody saying 'good morning' so yeah it kills the loneliness."
Rocky was once a brewer, but in 1994 he was left unemployed and spent much of his time at the club's old ground watching the team train.
The then-management team asked Rocky if he wanted to clean the players' boots for "a few quid" and soon enough he was washing the kit.
It wasn't long before he became the club's kitman, travelling home and away as Albion climbed up the leagues.
He no longer travels with the team, but is still a crucial figure at Burton. With club captain John Brayford even respectfully calling him "Mr Burton."
Despite an age gap of almost 70 years, he loves working with the players and is more than a match for his younger colleagues.
Rocky said: "They call me names now and then and it begins with 'old...' But they don't mean it. Well, I don't think they do.
"I just threaten them. I used to say, I'll introduce you to Hercules if you start. And then when they say 'who is that?' I just show them my right fist.
It works, they laugh, I laugh and that's how we get on."