Introducing our latest Hotspur Hero - Brian Judson
Tue 23 February 2016, 12:15|
Tottenham Hotspur
Brian Judson was a pioneer as football hit the digital age.
Our latest Hotspur Hero started following Spurs in 1957 and was a Season Ticket Holder for 28 years between 1970-1998.
Deaf since his 20s, Brian used the power of the written word to express his views and spread his encyclopedic knowledge on Spurs. And in the dawn of the internet, Spurs fans were quickly hooked.
Brian was a regular contributor to the 'Spurs List' - the first Spurs fans' forum online - and wrote for 'The Legend', 'Spursforlife', the fanzine 'Cock-a-doodle-do' and proved the inspiration for Paul Smith to begin another Spurs online institution, 'Spurs Odyssey'.
Sadly, illness struck Brian in 1998, rendering him flat-bound until he was admitted into the Kilfillan House Nursing Home in Berkhamstead in 2011.
Brian was nominated by Greg Tanner and last week, legendary former skipper and Club Ambassador Ledley King paid a visit to Kilfillan House Nursing Home to meet Brian and honour him as our latest 'Hotspur Hero'.
Here, Greg takes up Brian's story...
"Brian has been completely deaf since he was in his 20s and he's suffering from a wide range of illnesses including cancer in his eye socket, diabetes, respiratory problems, crippling arthritis in his hands and more.
"His deafness was something he could overcome as the internet opened new ways to communicate with the world and to share his incredible knowledge of Tottenham Hotspur with a large, global network.
"I first got to know Brian as a contributor to 'The Spurs List', an internet Spurs fan discussion group formed in 1993, probably the first ever. Many other members of the Spurs List have sent supporting messages nominating Brian. Since it's an online forum, many of us had no idea for years that Brian was either deaf or disabled. I only fund out myself by chance having engaged in a discussion by mail with him and suggesting we had a phone call!
"If anyone could be described as a Spurs fanatic and 'Hotspur Hero' it is Brian. The internet was his window on the world for some years after his illnesses overtook him and made him flat-bound. But since he went into the home in 2011, he's really been cut off.
"He's been given 'a few weeks to live' prognoses on several occasions over almost 20 years, but somehow he goes on and on. He's remarkable in that respect.
"This news breathed new life into him, it seems. I said on the day that Ledley had a 'Lazarus Effect' on Brian - I have never seen him look so happy and alert.
"Thank-you for making Brian's day and for making me prouder than ever of our great Club."
