It was sadly announced today that Preston goalkeeper Declan Rudd is retiring from professional football after struggling with a persistent knee injury.
The 31-year-old picked up a knee injury in training in January 2021 and also went off injured in the first game of the season against Hull City. Several knee operations have followed and Rudd was hoping to get back to full fitness this year.
However a final decision has been made, and with a young family, perhaps it’s for the best no matter how hard it will have been for him to come to terms with the fact he won’t be able to step out on that pitch again.
“I’ve known for a while now so I’ve had a bit of time to let it sink in, but I wouldn’t say I’ve quite come to terms with it,” said Rudd.
“It’s a big thing that was always a possibility but one I hoped wouldn’t happen. Everybody wants to finish on their terms and I thought that I still had my best playing days to come, but unfortunately it’s stopped too early,” he added.
31 is no age for a goalkeeper, with many in that position coming into their peak and playing into their late 30’s. It’s even more sad for Preston fans as we saw Declan Rudd in the infancy of his career.
He was one of Graham Westley’s final signings in 2013, arriving on loan from Norwich City and staying the following season under Simon Grayson.
A key part of the side that reached the play-offs in 2014, Rudd would return to Norwich and feature in the Premier League under a certain Alex Neil.
The following season saw Rudd drop down to League One again with Charlton Athletic, before Simon Grayson swooped in to bring him back to Deepdale but this time on a permanent basis.
Neil would replace Grayson in the hotseat that summer though and Rudd faced a battle with Chris Maxwell in the 2017-18 season. He would go on to establish himself as the number one the following campaign though as Alex Neil’s side attempted to sneak into the top 6.
Rudd became a reliable player in the team and a fan favourite too. His vegan diet led to some amusing chants, memorably one about him only eating avocado. Rudd played every league game of the Covid hit 19-20 season and carried on into the following season before an injury led to the arrival of Daniel Iversen.
The Dane has been a revelation for North End, and luckily Rudd’s absence hasn’t been felt too much. With Iversen’s loan deal expiring at the end of the season, and Connor Ripley and Mathew Hudson likely to leave the club at the end of their contracts too, it leaves Preston in need of at least two new signings between the posts.
Rudd did manage one full game for Preston this season, and it came in front of a full house at Deepdale, when we met Liverpool in the Carabao Cup.
There’s certainly worse games to bow out on, and Rudd will be present at the Blackpool game on Tuesday where he will get a chance to thank the fans for their support over the past 9 years, and likewise the North End faithful will be wishing him the best as well.