David Affleck
Encyclopedia
David Roy Affleck was a Scottish
professional footballer who played as a centre-half for Clapton Orient and Southampton
in the 1930s.
, Ayrshire
and joined Notts County
in July 1932 but made no first team appearances before moving on to Bristol City
in May 1934. After a season with City he joined Clapton Orient in July 1935, where he spent two seasons in the Third Division South
.
In May 1937, he was recruited by Tom Parker
to join Southampton
as part of his drive to strengthen the team in an attempt to gain promotion from the Second Division
, along with Frank Hill
(from Blackpool
), Billy Bevis
(from Portsmouth
) and Ray Parkin (from Middlesbrough
).
After two seasons at The Dell
, "his heading ability, coupled with some incisive tackling, reportedly attracted the attention of top London clubs, Tottenham Hotspur
and Chelsea
" but, unfortunately, the war
interrupted his career and prevented a move to a bigger club. Affleck joined the Southampton
police reservists and, during the war, turned out for the Southampton Police XI as well as making sporadic appearances for The Saints in wartime matches.
When hostilities were over, he was 33 years old and joined non-league Yeovil Town
. He was now a full-time policeman and remained in Somerset
for the rest of his life.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
professional footballer who played as a centre-half for Clapton Orient and Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
in the 1930s.
Playing career
Affleck was born in CoyltonCoylton
Coylton is a village in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It is located east of Ayr, and west of Drongan, on the A70. Sundrum Castle Holiday Park is located to the west of the village, in the grounds of Sundrum Castle, which partly dates to the 13th century...
, Ayrshire
Ayrshire
Ayrshire is a registration county, and former administrative county in south-west Scotland, United Kingdom, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine. The town of Troon on the coast has hosted the British Open Golf Championship twice in the...
and joined Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
in July 1932 but made no first team appearances before moving on to Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
in May 1934. After a season with City he joined Clapton Orient in July 1935, where he spent two seasons in the Third Division South
Football League Third Division South
The Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
.
In May 1937, he was recruited by Tom Parker
Tom Parker (footballer)
Thomas Robert "Tom" Parker was an English football player and manager.-Southampton:Born in Woolston, Southampton, Parker began playing with local sides, such as Sholing Rangers and Sholing Athletic, before joining Southern League side Southampton as an amateur in 1918, just before the end of the...
to join Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
as part of his drive to strengthen the team in an attempt to gain promotion from the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
, along with Frank Hill
Frank Hill
Frank Robert Hill was a Scottish football player and manager.-Forfar and Aberdeen:Hill was born in Forfar and started his career at Forfar Athletic, joining the club in 1924. He moved to Aberdeen in 1928 and played over 100 Scottish First Division matches...
(from Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
), Billy Bevis
Billy Bevis
William Ernest "Billy" Bevis D.S.M. was an English footballer who played for Southampton as an outside right in the years either side of World War II.-Portsmouth:...
(from Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
) and Ray Parkin (from Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
).
After two seasons at The Dell
The Dell (Southampton F.C.)
The Dell in Milton Road, Southampton, England was the home ground of Southampton Football Club, between 1898 and 2001.-New stadium:Since 1896, Southampton had been tenants of Hampshire County Cricket Club at the County Ground, having vacated the Antelope Ground in the summer of 1896...
, "his heading ability, coupled with some incisive tackling, reportedly attracted the attention of top London clubs, Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
and Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
" but, unfortunately, the war
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
interrupted his career and prevented a move to a bigger club. Affleck joined the Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
police reservists and, during the war, turned out for the Southampton Police XI as well as making sporadic appearances for The Saints in wartime matches.
When hostilities were over, he was 33 years old and joined non-league Yeovil Town
Yeovil Town F.C.
Yeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...
. He was now a full-time policeman and remained in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
for the rest of his life.