Dave Simmons (footballer)

Dave Simmons
Personal information
Full name David John Simmons
Date of birth (1948-10-24)24 October 1948
Place of birth Ryde, Isle of Wight, England
Date of death 3 July 2007(2007-07-03) (aged 58)
Place of death Ely, Cambridgeshire, England
Playing position Striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1966-1969 Arsenal 0 (0)
1968Bournemouth (loan) 7 (3)
1969-1970 Aston Villa 17 (7)
1970Walsall (loan) 5 (2)
1970-1973 Colchester United 62 (11)
1973-1974 Cambridge United 24 (3)
1974-1975 Brentford 52 (17)
1975-1976 Cambridge United 17 (5)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.


David John Simmons (24 October 1948 – 3 July 2007) was an English footballer who played for a number of Football League teams in the 1970s. He is perhaps best known for scoring the decisive goal in Colchester United's shock win against Leeds in the 1971 FA Cup.[1]

Career

A native of Ryde on the Isle of Wight, Simmons began his professional football career at Arsenal, but never played any first team competitive matches for the Gunners. Although a prolific goalscorer in the youth and reserve teams, he only played friendlies for the first team and spent a period of time out on loan at Bournemouth.[2] In February 1969, he was transferred to Aston Villa, where he only played sporadically despite a good goal rate. In December 1970, he moved to Colchester. On 13 February 1971, Simmons scored one of the goals as the Fourth Division side won 3-2 against Don Revie's Leeds to qualify for the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.[3]

In March 1973, Simmons moved to Cambridge United, and a year later he moved to Brentford, before returning for a second spell at Cambridge in November 1975. In total, Simmons played 184 league games, scoring 48 goals. He left Cambridge at the end of the 1975-76 season, and retired from the professional game due to injury. He later played for several non-league clubs in Cambridgeshire, including Cambridge City, Newmarket Town, Ely City and Soham Town Rangers.[1]

Simmons died in July 2007, following a long battle with cancer, aged 58.

Honours

Club

Arsenal[4]
Colchester United[5]

References

  1. 1 2 Cambridge News: Warm tributes to giantkiller Dave
  2. Harris, Jeff (1995). Hogg, Tony, ed. Arsenal Who's Who. Independent UK Sports. ISBN 1-899429-03-4.
  3. Football: On this day - 13 February 1971, The Independent
  4. "FA Youth Cup Honours". Coludaybyday.co.uk.
  5. "Watney Cup Honours". Coludaybyday.co.uk.
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