Brian Budd
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | April 8, 1952 | ||
| Place of birth | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Date of death | June 11, 2008 (aged 56) | ||
| Place of death | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| ? – 1974 | UBC Thunderbirds | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1974–1978 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 39 | (7) |
| 1978 | Caribous of Colorado | 2 | (0) |
| 1978 | Toronto Metros-Croatia | 11 | (5) |
| 1978–1979 | Cleveland Force (indoor) | 19 | (24) |
| 1979–80 | Toronto Blizzard | 5 | (1) |
| 1980 | Houston Hurricane | 11 | (0) |
| 1980–1981 | Baltimore Blast (indoor) | 17 | (6) |
| National team | |||
| 1976–1977 | Canada | 7 | (2) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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Brian "Budgie" Budd (April 8, 1952 – June 11, 2008) was a Canadian professional soccer player best known for winning the World Superstars competition three years in a row from 1978 to 1980. He was also a soccer sportscaster.
Born in Toronto and raised in Delta, British Columbia to an Atlantic Canadian couple, Brian was the second of four children and only son. His father Leighton was strict and the two did not have a very good relationship.
Budd was an all-around athlete in his youth. He was a competitive swimmer and was training to be a figure skater until he quit at age 14. He did not focus on soccer until he was 19 years old.
Budd won a CIAU championship medal as a member of the UBC Thunderbirds in 1974.
Budd played seven seasons in the North American Soccer League. He began his career with the Vancouver Whitecaps in 1974 in the team's inaugural season and remained with the squad until 1978, when he was acquired by the Colorado Caribou in that team's only season. After languishing on the bench and playing in just two games, Budd requested a trade to the Toronto Metros-Croatia, and the deal was made in May 1978. He scored five goals in his first four games with Toronto. In 1979, Budd returned to the team, renamed the Toronto Blizzard under new owners, but did not play regularly. With a year left on his contract, he was offered an outright release by the Blizzard in November so he could play a full season of indoor soccer. He chose to remain with the Blizzard. Budd began the 1980 season in Toronto but was released in June. He then signed with the Houston Hurricane and played there for the remainder of the season, finishing his NASL career. Budd may have played for the reserve team of Ayr United at some point in the mid-1970s. Budd played indoor soccer professionally with the Cleveland Force of the original Major Indoor Soccer League. He led the Force in scoring in their maiden season, 1978–79, with 29 points (25 goals, 4 assists) and was named the team's MVP. The Force finished the year in last place in the six-team league with the weakest offence in the MISL. He did not return the following year because it would have overlapped with training camp for the outdoor season. In 1980, Budd signed a two-year deal with the Baltimore Blast.
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