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Dave Worthington

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For the sculptor, see David Worthington (sculptor).

Dave Worthington
Personal information
Full name David Worthington
Date of birth (1945-03-28) 28 March 1945 (age 79)
Place of birth Halifax, England
Position(s) Right back
Youth career
– Halifax Town
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1961–64 Halifax Town 37 (8)
1964–66 Barrow 61 (7)
1966–73 Grimsby Town 293 (14)
1973 → Halifax Town (loan) 5 (0)
1973–76 Southend United 95 (0)
– Cambridge City ? (?)
Total 491 (29)
Managerial career
– Cambridge City
1999 Halifax Town
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

David "Dave" Worthington (born 28 March 1945)[1] is an English[2] former professional football player and coach. Worthington, who played as a right back, made nearly 500 appearances in the Football League between 1961 and 1976.

Personal life

Born in Halifax,[1] Worthington had two brothers who were also professional footballers – Bob and Frank.

His son Gary was also a professional footballer.[3]

Career

Worthington made nearly 500 appearances in the Football League between 1961 and 1976 for Halifax Town, Barrow, Grimsby Town and Southend United.[1] At Grimsby between 1966 and 1973, he made 293 appearances in the Football League, scoring 14 goals in the process. Worthington was part of the 1971–72 team that won the Division Four title.[4]

Worthington later became player-manager of non-league Cambridge City.[5] Worthington also had a brief spell as Halifax Town caretaker manager in 1999.

Worthington started scouting at Halifax Town, after they went into administration in 2002 he joined Neil Thompson at Boston United before being hired by Sam Allardyce at Bolton Wanderers in 2003. He was hired by Chelsea in 2007 before working in Portugal and Spain for Hull's former boss Phil Brown.[6] He then rejoined Sam Allardyce, watching matches in the Spanish and French leagues to identify potential signings for Blackburn Rovers.[6]

Worthington was crucial to some of Sam Allardyce's signings, spotting Abdoulaye Faye on loan at French side Istres who Bolton paid £750,000 and was later sold for £2-million.[6] Worthington's biggest success was striker Nicolas Anelka, who he guided back to the Premier League to Bolton in 2006 from Fenerbahçe, "It was against everyone's view to sign Anelka," Worthington said. He also recommended his move to Chelsea two seasons later. "I tried to get Karim Benzema (now at Real Madrid) to Chelsea from Lyon when he was 18," Worthington said. "At Bolton, I also tracked Hugo Lloris (now a reigning Ligue 1 goalkeeper of the year at Lyon) at his hometown club Nice, and a young Samir Nasri – but Marseille wanted 12-million euros rather than our offer of three million."[6]

Worthington currently lives in Spain as of August 2012, working as an international scout for Premier League side Sunderland.[5]

Honours

Club

Grimsby Town

References

  1. ^ a b c Dave Worthington at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database
  2. ^ In The Mad Crowd profile
  3. ^ "Sons and Daughters". Bob Dunning. Archived from the original on 31 August 2010. Retrieved 12 September 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ "Historical league tables". Stats.football.co.uk. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
  5. ^ a b c "Team spirit can give Grimsby Town squad a chance, says Dave Worthington". Grimsby Telegraph. 23 August 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
  6. ^ a b c d "Mariners' ex-skipper Dave Worthington still loves the coast". Grimsby Telegraph. 30 November 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
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