Tributes have been paid following the news that one of Mansfield Town's greatest ever players has passed away

His death has led Mansfield Town to pay tribute to their former star, who died aged 78.

A club statement said: “He was a lovely man who always had time to talk to fans about his career and the club.

"The club sends its deepest condolences to Dudley’s loved ones at this difficult time.”

Dudley, who starred in one of the club’s greatest ever FA Cup wins over star-studded West Ham, began his career with Coventry City where he burst into the first team with five goals in six appearances in 1965-66.

He was the son of the pre-war Coventry centre-forward Ted Roberts and inherited his father’s knack for scoring goals and was prolific for Cheylesmore School.

His last game for Coventry was his only game in the First Division which was also Jimmy Hill’s last game in charge of the Sky Blues.

He was signed for the Stags by Tommy Egglestone in March 1968 as a wing-half.

Dudley made the number 10 shirt his own during the 1968-69 cup run to the quarter-finals, scoring four goals along the way.

In the 5th round against West Ham United – which included three World Cup winners – he side-footed the Stags into the lead in the 22nd minute.

He became an integral player in one of the best periods in the Stags’ league history,

Powerful in the air, and the scorer of many headed goals, he netted over 70 times during his stay at Field Mill.

During the 5th round FA Cup tie at Elland Road, Leeds, he rose well above Paul Reaney to nod the ball down for Jimmy Goodfellow to slot home, only for referee Bill Castle to give a foul against 'Deadly' Dud and disallow the goal which would have given the Stags the lead.

He went one better the following season at Field Mill against Liverpool when a ferocious header hit the back of the net only for the referee (this time Dennis Corbett) to disallow the goal for a push that only he had seen.

Dudley was joint-leading scorer Division 3 during the 1970-71 season with 22 goals.

After hanging up his boots in 1976, he stayed in the town and worked for East Midlands Electricity as a storekeeper at their Huthwaite depot.