HUGHES’ SWIFTS RETURN – AT 45!
“FREAK of nature” Lee Hughes might have fuelled his West Bromwich Albion career with curries and kebabs – but still feels great playing at 45.
The Baggies fan, plucked from a fruitful spell with Kidderminster Harriers in the late 90s, scored nearly 100 goals across two spells at The Hawthorns either side of a £5million move to Coventry City.
He continued to play well into his forties in the semi-professional ranks but despite retiring in 2020, Midland Football League outfit Stourport Swifts reacted quickly to Hughes being persuaded to pull on his boots again – albeit by someone else. “A friend of mine had phoned and asked me to sign for Worcester Raiders but the manager then got sacked on the Sunday,” explained Hughes.
Stick
“That was going to be that but I know the management team at Stourport, they asked me to stick with it so I decided to give it one last go.
“I was done. I was enjoying weekends with my family but when I came back I got that little buzz again and thought ‘I can do this’. I am enjoying it.”
Hughes has lost none of his instinct with age, scoring against local rivals Malvern Town, Redditch United in the Worcestershire Senior Cup before notching in a league derby at Bewdley Town to silence anyone who mistakenly thinks he is past it.
“When I was at West Brom they called me the freak of nature,” he added.
“They gave us a diet but I never stuck to it, I ate curries and kebabs and I am lucky because I don’t feel it (after games).
“I have always had stick from crowds, if you score goals you are going to and to be honest it drives me on. It always did when I played against Wolves, they gave me so much stick but I tended to score against them.
“Some people can go under but I thrive on it, I just know I am going to score to give them some back. It is a different level now but the feeling is the same.”
Duties
Hughes has never been able to resist the lure of playing, turning out for West Brom’s supporters’ club and starring in an Over-35s team featuring Lee Hendrie, Gareth Barry, Lee Carsley and Darren Byfield during his short-lived retirement.
He also dovetails his Swifts duties with being joint-manager of Redditch United Under-10s where nine-year-old son Harley is starting on his own path, a factor he expects to finally bring down the curtain on his playing career in the summer.
“I think that will be it at the end of this season,” said Hughes.
“Football has always been my life but it is nice to watch my son now. He has training and is doing boxing as well so we are out and about every night of the week.”