Dave Swindlehurst
Encyclopedia
David "Dave" Swindlehurst (born 6 January 1956 in Edgware
, Middlesex
) is an English
former footballer who played as a striker
.
He came up through the ranks at Crystal Palace
, playing youth football in the early 1970s with future West Ham United
team-mate Alan Devonshire
. Starting his senior career in 1973, he played for Palace for eight seasons and amassed 81 goals in 278 appearances. Swindlehurst first joined Derby County
as a loan player, two months before his transfer was made permanent in April 1980. Derby paid £410,000, the first time the club had broken the £400,000 barrier.
A good record for Derby saw John Lyall
take Swindlehurst to Upton Park
for £160,000 in March 1983, but injuries hampered his chances of regular first-team football. He played his last game for West Ham on 27 April 1985 against Luton Town
and got sent off, and after two seasons and 71 League and cup games for the East Londoners, he moved on to Sunderland
.
After a spell in Cyprus
with Anorthosis Famagusta
, Swindlehurst returned to London
to play for Wimbledon
, but he managed just two appearances in the season they got to the 1988 FA Cup Final. He later played for Colchester United
, and on loan at Peterborough United
.
After spells playing and coaching at non-League Bromley
and Molesey
, he rejoined his old club Crystal Palace to take up a coaching role within the youth academy. He was promoted to reserve team manager in 2001, but was sacked in October 2002.
Swindlehurst joined Crawley Town
as assistant manager in 2003. He was sacked in September 2005 and won an unfair dismissal
claim against the club the following year. He took the manager's job at Isthmian League Division One South side Whyteleafe
in December 2006, and remained there until the end of the following season. He now coaches football at the Harrodian School in London.
Edgware
Edgware is an area in London, situated north-northwest of Charing Cross. It forms part of both the London Borough of Barnet and the London Borough of Harrow. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
) is an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former footballer who played as a striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
.
He came up through the ranks at Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
, playing youth football in the early 1970s with future West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
team-mate Alan Devonshire
Alan Devonshire
Alan Devonshire is a retired English footballer and manager of Conference National club Braintree Town. He was a wide midfielder who made his name in the late 1970s playing for West Ham United . He won eight caps for England between 1980 and 1983...
. Starting his senior career in 1973, he played for Palace for eight seasons and amassed 81 goals in 278 appearances. Swindlehurst first joined Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
as a loan player, two months before his transfer was made permanent in April 1980. Derby paid £410,000, the first time the club had broken the £400,000 barrier.
A good record for Derby saw John Lyall
John Lyall
John Angus Lyall was an English footballer and manager of Scottish descent. His mother, Catherine, was from the Isle of Lewis, his father, James, was from Kirriemuir. He was born in Ilford, Essex.- Youth team career :...
take Swindlehurst to Upton Park
Boleyn Ground
The Boleyn Ground, more commonly referred to as Upton Park due to its location in Upton Park, London is the football stadium of West Ham United.-History:...
for £160,000 in March 1983, but injuries hampered his chances of regular first-team football. He played his last game for West Ham on 27 April 1985 against Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
and got sent off, and after two seasons and 71 League and cup games for the East Londoners, he moved on to Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
.
After a spell in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
with Anorthosis Famagusta
Anorthosis Famagusta FC
Αnorthosis Famagusta FC is a Cypriot football and volleyball club which is originally based in Famagusta, but is now temporarily based in Larnaca, due to the Turkish invasion. Anorthosis is one of the most successful clubs in Cypriot football, having won 13 league titles, 10 Cypriot Cups and 6...
, Swindlehurst returned to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to play for Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
, but he managed just two appearances in the season they got to the 1988 FA Cup Final. He later played for Colchester United
Colchester United F.C.
Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910....
, and on loan at Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
.
After spells playing and coaching at non-League Bromley
Bromley F.C.
Bromley Football Club are an English football club based in Bromley, in Greater London, England. They currently play in the Conference South, and play their home matches at Hayes Lane.-Early years:...
and Molesey
Molesey F.C.
Molesey F.C. is an English football club based in West Molesey, Surrey. The club are currently members of the Combined Counties League Premier Division and play at the Walton Road Stadium.-History:...
, he rejoined his old club Crystal Palace to take up a coaching role within the youth academy. He was promoted to reserve team manager in 2001, but was sacked in October 2002.
Swindlehurst joined Crawley Town
Crawley Town F.C.
Crawley Town Football Club is an English football club based in Crawley, West Sussex. They won the title of the Football Conference, by a record 15 point margin on second place, and with it promotion to The Football League, in April 2011.-1896–2009:...
as assistant manager in 2003. He was sacked in September 2005 and won an unfair dismissal
Unfair dismissal
Unfair dismissal is the term used in UK labour law to describe an employer's action when terminating an employee's employment contrary to the requirements of the Employment Rights Act 1996...
claim against the club the following year. He took the manager's job at Isthmian League Division One South side Whyteleafe
Whyteleafe F.C.
Whyteleafe F.C. are an English semi-professional football club based in Whyteleafe, Surrey. The club was established in 1946 and joined the Athenian League in 1981. They are currently members of Division One South of the Isthmian League.-History:...
in December 2006, and remained there until the end of the following season. He now coaches football at the Harrodian School in London.
Sources
- Swindlehurst profile, last accessed 2 June 2007
- Swindlehurst statistics, last accessed 2 June 2007