Local Boy Makes Good
David George Durie 1931-2016
Dave Durie was born in Blackpool on 13 August 1931 and played his junior football as an inside left for Baines Grammar School, which he attended, Waterloo Welfare Youth Club and Oxford Amateurs. It was from the last named club that Blackpool signed him as an amateur on 10 March 1952.
After playing a few games in the Blackpool 'B' side, he made his Central League debut in a 2-0 defeat by Sheffield Wednesday reserves at Hillsborough on 19 April 1952. He also played in the final Central League game of the season, a 0-0 draw with Chesterfield reserves on 26 April 1952. He then made his first team debut in a friendly game against Hamburg Sport Verein on 30 April 1952 when he 'showed flashes of the skill that promised well for the future' as Blackpool lost 2 0. These were the only three senior games he played for the club in the 1951/52 season.
Blackpool were pleased with his early showing so he was signed as a part time professional on 5 May 1952. Thereafter he always maintained his part time status saying, 'I believe that a job outside football helps your mental and physical outlook, especially towards training. I know that after a spell at work training comes as a pleasure. I look forward to it, and because of that I feel I get real benefit from my training.' He added 'I advocate strongly a footballer taking a part time job, providing that he is given time off in the day to train and, provided also he does not take a job that is too exhausting. Not hod carrying for instance!' He worked in the family wholesale green grocery business in Elizabeth Street, Blackpool.
After a number of Central League games in the early part of the 1952/53 season, he made his League debut at inside left against Charlton Athletic on 23 February 1953 when Blackpool lost 2-0. Then on 25 March 1953 as Cardiff City defeated Blackpool 1-0 he helped set a precedent as the local press reported, 'The Durie-Wright left wing is one of the first comprising two players out of Fylde football to be fielded by Blackpool in the First Division.'
He went on to score his first League goal in a 5-1 defeat by Middlesbrough on 11 April 1953 and a week later, returning to Central League action on 18 April, he scored three goals in a 4-0 defeat of Sheffield Wednesday reserves when 'Wright and Durie, Blackpool’s left wing played havoc with Wednesday’s defence, and even Lythgoe on the right appeared formidable.' He ended the season having played eight League games, scoring one goal, and 31 Central League games, scoring 10 goals and in the League he played five games in his accustomed inside left position, two games at outside left and one game at inside right. Not surprisingly at the close of the 1952/53 season he was regarded as one 'destined to win fame', along with Cyril Robinson, Billy Wright, Stanley Hepton and Ken Booth.
In the following two seasons he only made occasional first team appearances, mainly playing in the Central League side, and there was talk of him not being retained for the 1955/56 season but the part timer stayed on and made an immediate impression by starting the Central League season with five goals in seven games. He worked his way back into the League side and ended the season with 14 goals in 16 games as well as playing in one FA Cup tie and 22 Central League games, in which he scored 13 goals. He was regarded as having a 'somewhat awkward style to watch' - he was affectionately nicknamed 'Legs' because of his long gangling legs - but he was deemed 'a hard working, conscientious clubman and a difficult man to subdue.'
He scored his first League hat-trick in a 3-2 win over Everton on 22 August 1956 and his form was such that he was selected for a representative honour, playing for an FA XI against the RAF on 10 October 1956. Despite scoring four goals in that game he found himself only as travelling reserve for the following game against the Army on 7 November 1956. Then he was selected for England ‘B’ against Scotland ‘B’ at St Andrews on 6 February 1957 but he was obliged to miss the game through injury.
He scored his second League hat-trick of the 1956/57 season in a 4-3 win over Cardiff City on 9 March 1957 and he finished the season with 20 goals, second only to Mudie's 32, in 38 League games. He also scored two goals in four FA Cup ties.
He played for an FA XI against the RAF on 9 October 1957 and later that season, in his 100th League and Cup game for the club he scored his 50th goal after 61 minutes to put Blackpool 3-1 in front against Manchester City on 1 March 1958. Unfortunately Blackpool lost the game 4-3. In 33 League games in the 1957/58 season he scored 14 goals and he also played one FA Cup tie.
His weekly wage for the 1958/59 season was increased to £13 in the summer and £15 in the winter and this wage structure was to last through to the end of the 1960/61 season.
He added another string to his bow when against Leeds United on 15 November 1958 following a collision with Alan Shackleton, George Farm was carried off on a stretcher and David Durie had to take over in goal. In the final minute he 'pulled off a magnificent save when he fell to his right to punch out Shackleton’s shot' as the game was drawn 1-1 [The game was at Elland Road and having gone with my Dad, I remember the game and more particularly the save well!] He went on to play 38 League games, scoring nine goals, and six FA Cup ties, scoring two goals, in that 1958/59 season.
In the 1959/60 season he scored two hat tricks, the first against Burnley, who went on to become champions, in a 4 1 win at Turf Moor on 10 October 1959 and the second against Mansfield Town in the FA Cup third round tie on 9 January 1960. [I was fortunately at both games.] But later in the season manager Ron Suart moved him to left half and in his first game in that position he still managed to score one of Blackpool’s goals in a 4-2 victory over Leeds United on 5 March 1960. Then after a few games in the new position he said, 'I’m still very much an apprentice, as it were, and in each game I am learning new things. But I must say I have settled into the position much quicker than I expected.' He later added, 'I prefer to play in a position where I am enjoying my game and at present I am enjoying my game at left half.' That season he played 32 League games, scoring 10 goals, and three FA Cup ties, scoring three goals.
Thereafter he appeared mostly at left half, and he was so successful that his name was one of the first on the team sheet each week for the following three seasons. And in recognition of his performances his all-year-round weekly wage for the following two seasons was increased to a basic £15 with an extra £5 when he played in the first team. And he was regularly earning that maximum £20 per week for he played 36 League games, scoring six goals, and two League Cup ties, scoring one goal, in the 1960/61 season, 40 League games, scoring one goal, two FA Cup ties and eight League Cup ties in the 1961/62 season and 40 League games, scoring four goals, two FA Cup ties and three League Cup ties in the 1962/63 season.
He did on one further occasion demonstrate his goalkeeping skills as, after 10 minutes of the game against Leicester City on 10 March 1962 goalkeeper Tony Waiters was injured and had to leave the field. Durie took over in goal and, with Blackpool winning 2-1, he earned the headline in that night’s Green THIS WAS DAVE DURIE’S DAY Waiters hurt, deputy ‘keeper makes saves galore. The comment to support the headline was 'Dave Durie’s display as an emergency goalkeeper might have been unorthodox. It was certainly unconventional at times, but however you wish to describe it, his performance helped to lift this game out of the rut. There were times when he seemed to weave a good luck spell around his goal, but more often than not he displayed astonishing anticipation, confidence and agility, and some of his saves were straight out of the soccer textbook.'
By the 1963/64 season Bill Cranston was pressing for a first team place and Durie shared the duties with him until Cranston finally took over full time. So Durie played his final seven League games for Blackpool back in the forward line, at inside left, inside right and even at centre forward. And it was while replacing the injured Ray Charnley at centre forward that he played his 300th League game, when after 11 years’ sterling service as a part time professional, he returned to the side and scored a consolation goal in a 5 1 defeat by Chelsea on 26 December. And what turned out to be his final League game for the club was also against Chelsea in the return match on 28 December when Blackpool lost 1-0.
It was in a way ironic that his final games for the club should be over the Christmas period for Durie always exercised the privilege, contained in every professional footballer’s contract at the time, of not playing on Christmas Day and Good Friday. He said of his decision 'I have nothing against those who do play on those days. I think it’s a matter for the individual.' And he chose not to play.
In December 1963 he received arguably the ultimate accolade when club managers, players and the PFA voted David Durie as the best example of a player who had never been sent off, never been booked and never been guilty of any petty actions after over 300 League and Cup games. It certainly summed up the man, who was a gentleman through and through.
He played out the remainder of the 1963/64 season in the Central League side, captaining the side in his final game at Bloomfield Road on 25 April 1964 when, fittingly, he scored the goal, a penalty, in a 1 0 win over Burnley reserves. He played 12 League games, scoring three goals, two League Cup ties, scoring one goal, and 25 Central League games, scoring four goals, in that final 1963/64 season. And his Blackpool career had encompassed 301 League games, scoring 84 goals, 19 FA Cup ties, scoring seven goals, 15 League Cup ties, scoring two goals, and 130 Central League games, scoring 39 goals.
He retired when his contract expired at Bloomfield Road on 30 June 1964 and Blackpool manager Ronnie Suart commented, 'Dave feels that he hasn’t much future as far as our first team is concerned, but I can tell you we are sorry to see him retire. He has been a great servant to the club, a credit to us, both on and off the field. I hope we have many more like Dave Durie at Bloomfield Road.'
Having declined an offer to become player manager of Lancashire combination side Morecambe in February 1964 and commenting on his decision with 'The future, my future that is, is uncertain. We shall just have to wait on events' and not being interested in Oldham Athletic's interest in signing him as a part time professional, he signed a full time contract for former Blackpool team-mate Peter Hauser’s Chester in September 1964. Justifying his decision, he said that he couldn’t bear to be on the sidelines and commented, 'I just had to come back.' He went on to play 87 League games, make two substitute appearances and score four goals for Chester, finishing with the club in the 1966/67 season.
He later joined Fleetwood as player-coach under former team-mate Jimmy Kelly and he subsequently took charge of the club when Kelly emigrated to Australia. But, as player-manager, he broke his leg and that set him thinking. He later commented, 'It gave me time to take a long look at the game and I realised that managership wasn’t for me.' He left Fleetwood in October 1968 when the club hit a lean spell in the newly formed Northern Premier League; he commented briefly that he regarded the dismissal as 'unfair'. However he did continue his association with football for he spent some time from 1970 onwards on the coaching staff of the Lancashire Schools’ Football Association.
After retirement from the game altogether, he taught physical education and religious instruction at Palatine School, Blackpool, and he later became a driving instructor, running his own business until final retirement.
He continued to live in Blackpool and was always delighted to chat with fans about the club. And, reflecting on his Blackpool career in October 1976, he recalled, 'I never saw the inside of a football ground as a player until I was 21. If that happened now I would be considered too old. I didn’t make the first team until I was 23, having gone through the colts, ‘A’, ‘B’ and reserve teams. I have never been coached in my life. You didn’t get trained under the old regime. But I am an FA coach myself which helped me to get this job [teaching at Palatine School].' He described his coaching work as rewarding but frustrating and added, 'You coach lads and see them mature then they go up a year and you have to start all over again. It is like a football club manager having to sell all his players at the end of every season.' After his stint in management he went to college and remembering that he commented, 'I had always been sport-minded and I worked out that the ideal profession would be to teach sport, and qualify as an FA coach so I could combine teaching and football. I went to college for three years at Chorley and marked time until qualifying. For four years now I have been at Palatine. During that spell I realised the unfairness of soccer. It was insecure.' He continued, 'I was born within sight of the ground and I watch Blackpool quite often. It is nice to see them playing wingers. They must come back because they are the most effective means of attack when you have two good strikers.' As to the future he said, 'I am not very ambitious really. I have left it too late to get to the top in teaching. I am happy and that is the main thing. I am a keen churchgoer and get involved in that sort of thing, and I like walking our Labrador dog. Also, I’m paid to keep myself fit. I could have done better at school and it is important to strike a happy medium between lessons and sport. Not like me. I was putting my boots on under the desk waiting for the bell to go before a game. That was bad. I would cycle to and from Baines Grammar School and I would arrive home at all hours after matches. But how can you regret something that has given you enormous pleasure?' A fitting final comment from one of the games nicest men.
He died after a long illness on 30 August 2016.
Dave Durie was born in Blackpool on 13 August 1931 and played his junior football as an inside left for Baines Grammar School, which he attended, Waterloo Welfare Youth Club and Oxford Amateurs. It was from the last named club that Blackpool signed him as an amateur on 10 March 1952.
After playing a few games in the Blackpool 'B' side, he made his Central League debut in a 2-0 defeat by Sheffield Wednesday reserves at Hillsborough on 19 April 1952. He also played in the final Central League game of the season, a 0-0 draw with Chesterfield reserves on 26 April 1952. He then made his first team debut in a friendly game against Hamburg Sport Verein on 30 April 1952 when he 'showed flashes of the skill that promised well for the future' as Blackpool lost 2 0. These were the only three senior games he played for the club in the 1951/52 season.
Blackpool were pleased with his early showing so he was signed as a part time professional on 5 May 1952. Thereafter he always maintained his part time status saying, 'I believe that a job outside football helps your mental and physical outlook, especially towards training. I know that after a spell at work training comes as a pleasure. I look forward to it, and because of that I feel I get real benefit from my training.' He added 'I advocate strongly a footballer taking a part time job, providing that he is given time off in the day to train and, provided also he does not take a job that is too exhausting. Not hod carrying for instance!' He worked in the family wholesale green grocery business in Elizabeth Street, Blackpool.
After a number of Central League games in the early part of the 1952/53 season, he made his League debut at inside left against Charlton Athletic on 23 February 1953 when Blackpool lost 2-0. Then on 25 March 1953 as Cardiff City defeated Blackpool 1-0 he helped set a precedent as the local press reported, 'The Durie-Wright left wing is one of the first comprising two players out of Fylde football to be fielded by Blackpool in the First Division.'
He went on to score his first League goal in a 5-1 defeat by Middlesbrough on 11 April 1953 and a week later, returning to Central League action on 18 April, he scored three goals in a 4-0 defeat of Sheffield Wednesday reserves when 'Wright and Durie, Blackpool’s left wing played havoc with Wednesday’s defence, and even Lythgoe on the right appeared formidable.' He ended the season having played eight League games, scoring one goal, and 31 Central League games, scoring 10 goals and in the League he played five games in his accustomed inside left position, two games at outside left and one game at inside right. Not surprisingly at the close of the 1952/53 season he was regarded as one 'destined to win fame', along with Cyril Robinson, Billy Wright, Stanley Hepton and Ken Booth.
In the following two seasons he only made occasional first team appearances, mainly playing in the Central League side, and there was talk of him not being retained for the 1955/56 season but the part timer stayed on and made an immediate impression by starting the Central League season with five goals in seven games. He worked his way back into the League side and ended the season with 14 goals in 16 games as well as playing in one FA Cup tie and 22 Central League games, in which he scored 13 goals. He was regarded as having a 'somewhat awkward style to watch' - he was affectionately nicknamed 'Legs' because of his long gangling legs - but he was deemed 'a hard working, conscientious clubman and a difficult man to subdue.'
He scored his first League hat-trick in a 3-2 win over Everton on 22 August 1956 and his form was such that he was selected for a representative honour, playing for an FA XI against the RAF on 10 October 1956. Despite scoring four goals in that game he found himself only as travelling reserve for the following game against the Army on 7 November 1956. Then he was selected for England ‘B’ against Scotland ‘B’ at St Andrews on 6 February 1957 but he was obliged to miss the game through injury.
He scored his second League hat-trick of the 1956/57 season in a 4-3 win over Cardiff City on 9 March 1957 and he finished the season with 20 goals, second only to Mudie's 32, in 38 League games. He also scored two goals in four FA Cup ties.
He played for an FA XI against the RAF on 9 October 1957 and later that season, in his 100th League and Cup game for the club he scored his 50th goal after 61 minutes to put Blackpool 3-1 in front against Manchester City on 1 March 1958. Unfortunately Blackpool lost the game 4-3. In 33 League games in the 1957/58 season he scored 14 goals and he also played one FA Cup tie.
His weekly wage for the 1958/59 season was increased to £13 in the summer and £15 in the winter and this wage structure was to last through to the end of the 1960/61 season.
He added another string to his bow when against Leeds United on 15 November 1958 following a collision with Alan Shackleton, George Farm was carried off on a stretcher and David Durie had to take over in goal. In the final minute he 'pulled off a magnificent save when he fell to his right to punch out Shackleton’s shot' as the game was drawn 1-1 [The game was at Elland Road and having gone with my Dad, I remember the game and more particularly the save well!] He went on to play 38 League games, scoring nine goals, and six FA Cup ties, scoring two goals, in that 1958/59 season.
In the 1959/60 season he scored two hat tricks, the first against Burnley, who went on to become champions, in a 4 1 win at Turf Moor on 10 October 1959 and the second against Mansfield Town in the FA Cup third round tie on 9 January 1960. [I was fortunately at both games.] But later in the season manager Ron Suart moved him to left half and in his first game in that position he still managed to score one of Blackpool’s goals in a 4-2 victory over Leeds United on 5 March 1960. Then after a few games in the new position he said, 'I’m still very much an apprentice, as it were, and in each game I am learning new things. But I must say I have settled into the position much quicker than I expected.' He later added, 'I prefer to play in a position where I am enjoying my game and at present I am enjoying my game at left half.' That season he played 32 League games, scoring 10 goals, and three FA Cup ties, scoring three goals.
Thereafter he appeared mostly at left half, and he was so successful that his name was one of the first on the team sheet each week for the following three seasons. And in recognition of his performances his all-year-round weekly wage for the following two seasons was increased to a basic £15 with an extra £5 when he played in the first team. And he was regularly earning that maximum £20 per week for he played 36 League games, scoring six goals, and two League Cup ties, scoring one goal, in the 1960/61 season, 40 League games, scoring one goal, two FA Cup ties and eight League Cup ties in the 1961/62 season and 40 League games, scoring four goals, two FA Cup ties and three League Cup ties in the 1962/63 season.
He did on one further occasion demonstrate his goalkeeping skills as, after 10 minutes of the game against Leicester City on 10 March 1962 goalkeeper Tony Waiters was injured and had to leave the field. Durie took over in goal and, with Blackpool winning 2-1, he earned the headline in that night’s Green THIS WAS DAVE DURIE’S DAY Waiters hurt, deputy ‘keeper makes saves galore. The comment to support the headline was 'Dave Durie’s display as an emergency goalkeeper might have been unorthodox. It was certainly unconventional at times, but however you wish to describe it, his performance helped to lift this game out of the rut. There were times when he seemed to weave a good luck spell around his goal, but more often than not he displayed astonishing anticipation, confidence and agility, and some of his saves were straight out of the soccer textbook.'
By the 1963/64 season Bill Cranston was pressing for a first team place and Durie shared the duties with him until Cranston finally took over full time. So Durie played his final seven League games for Blackpool back in the forward line, at inside left, inside right and even at centre forward. And it was while replacing the injured Ray Charnley at centre forward that he played his 300th League game, when after 11 years’ sterling service as a part time professional, he returned to the side and scored a consolation goal in a 5 1 defeat by Chelsea on 26 December. And what turned out to be his final League game for the club was also against Chelsea in the return match on 28 December when Blackpool lost 1-0.
It was in a way ironic that his final games for the club should be over the Christmas period for Durie always exercised the privilege, contained in every professional footballer’s contract at the time, of not playing on Christmas Day and Good Friday. He said of his decision 'I have nothing against those who do play on those days. I think it’s a matter for the individual.' And he chose not to play.
In December 1963 he received arguably the ultimate accolade when club managers, players and the PFA voted David Durie as the best example of a player who had never been sent off, never been booked and never been guilty of any petty actions after over 300 League and Cup games. It certainly summed up the man, who was a gentleman through and through.
He played out the remainder of the 1963/64 season in the Central League side, captaining the side in his final game at Bloomfield Road on 25 April 1964 when, fittingly, he scored the goal, a penalty, in a 1 0 win over Burnley reserves. He played 12 League games, scoring three goals, two League Cup ties, scoring one goal, and 25 Central League games, scoring four goals, in that final 1963/64 season. And his Blackpool career had encompassed 301 League games, scoring 84 goals, 19 FA Cup ties, scoring seven goals, 15 League Cup ties, scoring two goals, and 130 Central League games, scoring 39 goals.
He retired when his contract expired at Bloomfield Road on 30 June 1964 and Blackpool manager Ronnie Suart commented, 'Dave feels that he hasn’t much future as far as our first team is concerned, but I can tell you we are sorry to see him retire. He has been a great servant to the club, a credit to us, both on and off the field. I hope we have many more like Dave Durie at Bloomfield Road.'
Having declined an offer to become player manager of Lancashire combination side Morecambe in February 1964 and commenting on his decision with 'The future, my future that is, is uncertain. We shall just have to wait on events' and not being interested in Oldham Athletic's interest in signing him as a part time professional, he signed a full time contract for former Blackpool team-mate Peter Hauser’s Chester in September 1964. Justifying his decision, he said that he couldn’t bear to be on the sidelines and commented, 'I just had to come back.' He went on to play 87 League games, make two substitute appearances and score four goals for Chester, finishing with the club in the 1966/67 season.
He later joined Fleetwood as player-coach under former team-mate Jimmy Kelly and he subsequently took charge of the club when Kelly emigrated to Australia. But, as player-manager, he broke his leg and that set him thinking. He later commented, 'It gave me time to take a long look at the game and I realised that managership wasn’t for me.' He left Fleetwood in October 1968 when the club hit a lean spell in the newly formed Northern Premier League; he commented briefly that he regarded the dismissal as 'unfair'. However he did continue his association with football for he spent some time from 1970 onwards on the coaching staff of the Lancashire Schools’ Football Association.
After retirement from the game altogether, he taught physical education and religious instruction at Palatine School, Blackpool, and he later became a driving instructor, running his own business until final retirement.
He continued to live in Blackpool and was always delighted to chat with fans about the club. And, reflecting on his Blackpool career in October 1976, he recalled, 'I never saw the inside of a football ground as a player until I was 21. If that happened now I would be considered too old. I didn’t make the first team until I was 23, having gone through the colts, ‘A’, ‘B’ and reserve teams. I have never been coached in my life. You didn’t get trained under the old regime. But I am an FA coach myself which helped me to get this job [teaching at Palatine School].' He described his coaching work as rewarding but frustrating and added, 'You coach lads and see them mature then they go up a year and you have to start all over again. It is like a football club manager having to sell all his players at the end of every season.' After his stint in management he went to college and remembering that he commented, 'I had always been sport-minded and I worked out that the ideal profession would be to teach sport, and qualify as an FA coach so I could combine teaching and football. I went to college for three years at Chorley and marked time until qualifying. For four years now I have been at Palatine. During that spell I realised the unfairness of soccer. It was insecure.' He continued, 'I was born within sight of the ground and I watch Blackpool quite often. It is nice to see them playing wingers. They must come back because they are the most effective means of attack when you have two good strikers.' As to the future he said, 'I am not very ambitious really. I have left it too late to get to the top in teaching. I am happy and that is the main thing. I am a keen churchgoer and get involved in that sort of thing, and I like walking our Labrador dog. Also, I’m paid to keep myself fit. I could have done better at school and it is important to strike a happy medium between lessons and sport. Not like me. I was putting my boots on under the desk waiting for the bell to go before a game. That was bad. I would cycle to and from Baines Grammar School and I would arrive home at all hours after matches. But how can you regret something that has given you enormous pleasure?' A fitting final comment from one of the games nicest men.
He died after a long illness on 30 August 2016.
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