DAN’S HALL OF FAME

By Robin Jones

HALLAM have landed a top summer coup in the shape of former Czech Republic international, Watford and Sheffield Wednesday defender Daniel Pudil.

Capped 35 times for his country, Pudil, who played for Wednesday for four years and lives locally with his family, has signed for Craig Denton’s Hallam side who have been promoted to the Northern Counties East Premier division after landing the Division One championship last season. Pudil will make his debut for Hallam – the world’s second-oldest club whose Sandygate home is claimed to be the world’s oldest ground – against AFC Bury in the FA Cup extra preliminary round next Sunday. Denton does not expect Pudil, 37, to be available every week, because of his work commitments on some Saturdays with sports agency Chovanecsport, who represent Burnley’s Matej Vydra as well as several other Czech stars. He will also continue to play for Sheffield & District Fair Play League side Hammer & Pincers on Sundays. In his native country, Pudil, a versatile leftback who can also play on the wing, turned out for Slavia Prague in the Champions League on 11 occasions. He started his youth career in the Czech Republic with Sparta Prague and at 18 joined FK Chmel Blšan. Pudil later moved to Belgian club KRC Genk and then Spanish club Granada. After his release from Wednesday in July 2019, he signed for Czech club Mladá Boleslav and subsequently joined another Czech side Viktoria Žižkov and also went on loan to Italian outfit Cesena. Denton said that he was “absolutely delighted” to have someone of Pudil’s quality in his side, adding that he did not want to commit too hard professional football as he has a busy life, but just wants to play and enjoy himself. A statement from Sheffield- based Hallam said that Pudil “will certainly be known by one side of the city.” 

CLASS ACT: Pudil in action for the Czech Republic