David Needham
Encyclopedia
David Needham is an English former professional footballer who played in the Football League
for Notts County, Queens Park Rangers and Nottingham Forest, and in the North American Soccer League
for the Toronto Blizzard
, in the 1970s and 1980s.
Needham started his career at Notts County in 1966. He spent eleven years at the Magpies and was signed by Queens Park Rangers in the close season of 1977 for £90,000. He was signed to replace the recently retired Frank McLintock
in the centre of QPR's defence. He only spent six months at the West London club before newly promoted Nottingham Forest signed him in December 1977 for £140,000.
At the end of the 1977-78 season he had picked up a winners medal as Forest won the First Division
, but was ineligible for the League Cup
which they won as he had played for QPR earlier in the competition. He did win a League Cup winners medal the following season when Forest retained the trophy, and was in the team which lost the 1980 final, when a mix-up between Needham and Peter Shilton
led to the winning goal for Andy Gray. He was an unused substitute in both of Forest's European Cup final wins in 1979 and 1980. He left Forest in 1982 to play in Canada
for Toronto Blizzard
in the North American Soccer League
.
Needham was capped six times for England 'B'
, scoring twice.
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
for Notts County, Queens Park Rangers and Nottingham Forest, and in the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
for the Toronto Blizzard
Toronto Blizzard (NASL)
The Toronto Blizzard were a professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that played in the North American Soccer League.-History:The Toronto Metros joined the NASL in 1971. Their home field was Varsity Stadium....
, in the 1970s and 1980s.
Needham started his career at Notts County in 1966. He spent eleven years at the Magpies and was signed by Queens Park Rangers in the close season of 1977 for £90,000. He was signed to replace the recently retired Frank McLintock
Frank McLintock
Francis "Frank" McLintock MBE is a Scottish former football defender who played for Leicester City, Arsenal and QPR.-Leicester City:...
in the centre of QPR's defence. He only spent six months at the West London club before newly promoted Nottingham Forest signed him in December 1977 for £140,000.
At the end of the 1977-78 season he had picked up a winners medal as Forest won the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
, but was ineligible for the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
which they won as he had played for QPR earlier in the competition. He did win a League Cup winners medal the following season when Forest retained the trophy, and was in the team which lost the 1980 final, when a mix-up between Needham and Peter Shilton
Peter Shilton
Peter Leslie Shilton OBE is a former English footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He currently holds the record for playing more games for England than anyone else, earning 125 caps....
led to the winning goal for Andy Gray. He was an unused substitute in both of Forest's European Cup final wins in 1979 and 1980. He left Forest in 1982 to play in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
for Toronto Blizzard
Toronto Blizzard (NASL)
The Toronto Blizzard were a professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that played in the North American Soccer League.-History:The Toronto Metros joined the NASL in 1971. Their home field was Varsity Stadium....
in the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
.
Needham was capped six times for England 'B'
England B national football team
England B is a secondary football team run occasionally as support for the England national football team. At times they have played other nations' full teams; they have also played matches against 'B' teams from other football associations...
, scoring twice.