Hudson comes to Palace

Last updated : 21 January 2004 By Nik Taylor

Iain Dowie has eased his defensive headache with the loan signing of Mark Hudson from Fulham. The 21-year-old defender has signed for Palace on a month-long contract.

Hudson has already played under Dowie this season – having made 18 league and cup appearances for Oldham earlier in the season. The Palace manager told the official club site, "He’s a footballing centre-half. He’s got pace, he’s a good passer of the ball and is a bright player.
"We are lacking some pace in the back line and that’s no criticism of what I’ve got. We need some youthful pace to get the balance right."

Dowie has seen his back-line decimated in recent weeks – with Kit Symons, Darren Powell, Tony Popovic and Curtis Fleming all expected to miss Saturday’s game at Watford. The signing of Hudson gives him some much-needed options ahead of a game that Palace really can’t afford to lose. With Watford just two points below us in the table, defeat would see the Eagles looking nervously over their shoulders at the bottom three once again.

Hudson goes straight into the sqaud for the Watford game, and his loan period lasts until the home match against Stoke on 14th February.