Although he admits the fierce rivalry between Chester FC and Wrexham crossed his mind momentarily, Blaine Hudson described signing for the Blues as an ‘easy decision’.
The 24-year-old was one of 16 players to be shown the door at the Racecourse Ground at the end of the 2015/16 season but the big defender, who hails from Norfolk, had no wish to relocate from an area where he feels settled with a partner and close circle of friends.
Hudson explained: “No it wasn’t a difficult decision really. I wanted to stay in the area, I’d always enjoyed playing at Chester and it’s close to where I want to be so I’m looking forward to getting started.
“The rivalry was obviously on my mind a little bit and other people have said stuff to me about it and I know how much it means to everyone involved on both sides but I didn’t want to leave there, it wasn’t my decision to leave so coming here was an easy decision for me to be honest.
LISTEN: Blaine Hudson discusses his move to Chester
“I did have a few other clubs interested but since I moved up here I just fell in love with the place. I’m always in Chester and location wise I think it’s perfect.
“My Mrs is up here now and I’ve got a strong group of friends from over the last two years and to move away now would just ruin a lot of things for me so to stay up here I’m delighted.”
Kevin Wilkin took Hudson to Wrexham in May 2014 after the 6ft 4ins centre-back, who was on the books of Norwich City as a schoolboy, was released from Cambridge United, where he had spent six years.
He featured 73 times in the league over his two seasons with the Dragons, scoring seven goals, but Gary Mills decided against offering him a new contract.
Hudson, who had an up and down relationship with a section of the Racecourse support, insists he has no axe to grind with Mills or anyone else at Wrexham and is instead focused on helping Chester improve on a disappointing campaign last time around and repaying the faith Jon McCarthy and Ian Sharps have shown in him.
“I don’t think I’ve got a point to prove and I’ve not looked at it that way,” said Hudson, who has signed an initial 12-month deal at the Lookers Vauxhall Stadium .
“With the amount of players that have gone from Wrexhan it’s one of them and I don’t know what’s gone on. I don’t hold any grudges against them at all. I wanted to stay up here so I’ll be quite at home returning there and I don’t see why I would want to put anything back in anybody’s face.
LOOK: Blaine Hudson's career in football
“I think credit has to go to Macca and Sharpy for what they’ve done since they’ve come in and when I came to meet them it was clear they’ve both had a clean slate to have a go themselves this season so I’d like to be a big part of that and help them.
“I hope we can be competing at the right end of the table this season. I’m still very ambitious and I want to try and push this club forward.”
