Everyone at Bury Football Club was saddened to hear of the passing of former Shaker Hughen Riley, after battling Leukaemia in recent years.
Hughen was a Lancashire lad, born in Accrington, but he started his professional career with Rochdale, appearing in Dale’s first team for five seasons, amassing 114 league and cup appearances. He then spent four years with Crewe Alexandra, adding another 131 games before transferring to Gigg Lane for a fee of £4,000 on 1 December 1974 at the age of 25. Manager Bob Smith stated at the time that he had signed him because the midfielder was “strong in the tackle” and that proved to be an understatement.
Our ‘older’ supporters will recall Hughie’s no-nonsense approach only too well. The ball was there to be won and nothing was going to stop him winning it, even if it meant that the man came with it. His wholehearted approach, work rate, determination and desire to attack made him a firm fan favourite. His Shakers’ debut came in an away game at Blackburn Rovers and he then scored on his home debut in a 3-0 Bonfire Night win against Peterborough United.
After 63 league and cup games, and 5 goals, Bob Smith allowed Hughen to move on to AFC Bournemouth in April 1976 and he spent two further seasons at Dean Court before moving into non-league with Dorchester Town and Weymouth. Arthritis ended his career, and he had the first of three hip operations at the age of just 33. He also broke both arms later in life, suggesting that his determined approach to life didn’t change much.
Hughen and his wife, Joyce, settled in Salisbury, Wiltshire and he became a publican for the next forty years, running 14 different pubs along the way and enjoying life as a grandad.
On 16 December 2020 Hughen was diagnosed with myelofibrosis, a rare type of blood cancer and he tackled the disease with the same determination that he had possessed during his playing career, raising money for Cancer Research UK along the way.
Rest easy Hughen.
Once a Shaker, always a Shaker