Background
Hughes was born in Washington, which was then in County Durham.
Hughes was born in Washington, which was then in County Durham.
He played as a right winger. He worked as a coal miner and played football part-time for Tow Law Town. Even when he joined First Division club Newcastle United in 1956 he did not initially go full-time.
He became a first-team regular in the 1957-1958 season, and remained so for four years.
He was involved in one of the highest-scoring matches in the club"s history, in September 1958. Newcastle led at Chelsea by four goals to three with half an hour to play when Hughes had to leave the field with a broken nose and eye damage.
After Peterborough United failed to sign him ahead of the April transfer deadline, Hughes signed for Second Division Derby County for a £10,000 fee. He played more than 200 times for Derby, then joined Lincoln City towards the end of the 1967-1968 season.
He spent three years in the Fourth Division with Lincoln, playing 131 games in all competitions, and was released in March 1971.
He then moved into non-league football with Northern Premier League club Boston United, managed by former Lincoln teammate Jim Smith. He helped them reach the third round proper of the in 1971-1972, and ended his Boston career at the end of that season.