David Sidney Riley (born 8 December 1960) is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder and striker, making 190 league appearances in a nine-year career in the Football League, scoring 40 goals.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | David Sidney Riley[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 8 December 1960[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Northampton, England[1] | ||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder; forward | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 198?–198? | Shepshed Charterhouse | ||
| 198?–1983 | Keyworth United | ||
| 1983–1987 | Nottingham Forest | 12 | (2) |
| 1987 | → Darlington (loan) | 6 | (2) |
| 1987 | → Peterborough United (loan) | 12 | (2) |
| 1987–1990 | Port Vale | 76 | (11) |
| 1990–1992 | Peterborough United | 84 | (23) |
| 1992–199? | Kettering Town | ||
| 199?–1993 | Mount Albert-Ponsonby | ||
| 1993–1994 | Boston United | 34 | (10) |
| 1994–199? | King's Lynn | ||
| Total | 224+ | (50+) | |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
He began his career at Nottingham Forest in 1983, and had loan spells at Darlington and Peterborough United, before joining Port Vale for £20,000 in October 1987. In March 1990 he was sold on to Peterborough United for £40,000, and helped the club to two successive promotions into the Second Division. He later played for Kettering Town, Mount Albert-Ponsonby (in New Zealand), Boston United, and King's Lynn.
Career edit
Nottingham Forest edit
Riley played for Shepshed Charterhouse and Keyworth United, before leaving his job as a sales representative to turn professional with Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest at the age of 23 in June 1983. Clough had seen him play in a reserve team game and said "son, I don't give a fuck how old are you, if you can score goals like that".[3] He had been recommended to Forest by goalkeeping coach and former Shepshed manager Alan Hill.[3] Riley played 12 First Division games for the club between April 1984 and 1987, scoring two goals. He tore his cruciate ligament in 1985–86 pre-season and was out of action for 18 months.[3] He was loaned out to Darlington in February 1987, and played six Third Division games for Cyril Knowles' side, scoring two goals. He joined Fourth Division side Peterborough United on loan in 1987, and played twelve league games under Noel Cantwell, scoring two goals. Peterborough tried to sign him but were unable to as the club headed for administration.[3]
Port Vale edit
Riley joined Third Division club Port Vale in October 1987, manager John Rudge splashing out £20,000.[1] He scored on his debut at Vale Park in a 2–1 win over Bristol Rovers on 19 October.[1] He became the club's joint-top scorer in the 1987–88 season with 10 goals, along with Darren Beckford.[1] He played in the FA Cup fourth round victory over Tottenham Hotspur on 30 January 1988, getting the better of former Forest teammates Steve Hodge and Chris Fairclough.[4]
He then switched to left-wing to cover for the injured Paul Atkinson.[5] Ron Futcher was signed in August 1988 and initially kept Riley out of the first XI, and despite interest from Walsall for Riley's services, Rudge refused his repeated transfer requests.[4] Winger Paul Atkinson then injured his ankle, which left a space in the team for Riley to start matches again, though his main task was to protect left-back Darren Hughes.[4] He played 48 league and cup games in the 1988–89 season, but broke his leg in a 1–1 draw at Bolton Wanderers on 25 April 1989, and so missed out on the play-off final victory over Bristol Rovers.[1] He managed to recover, but did not re-capture his first-team position and in March 1990 was loaned back to Peterborough United, who were then under Mark Lawrenson's stewardship; Peterborough paid £40,000 for his services on a permanent basis the next month.[1]
Later career edit
Riley won promotion with the "Posh" in 1990–91, helping Chris Turner's side to the fourth and final promotion place in the Fourth Division. They then won a second-successive promotion into the Second Division after beating Stockport County 2–1 in the play-off final at Wembley. Riley then joined Conference National club Kettering Town, and later played for Mount Albert-Ponsonby in New Zealand, before returning to England with non-League sides Boston United and King's Lynn.
Style of play edit
Riley was a versatile midfielder and forward; at just 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) in height he was small and lacked pace, but was a hard working player.[6]
Later life edit
By March 2011, he was working as under-15s manager at Peterborough United.[7] He found work at Klassic Kitchens Company in nearby Yaxley.[6] He married Fred Barber's cousin.[8]
Career statistics edit
Source:[9]
| Club | Season | Division | League | FA Cup | Other | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Nottingham Forest | 1983–84 | First Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1984–85 | First Division | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 2 | |
| 1985–86 | First Division | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1986–87 | First Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 2 | ||
| Darlington (loan) | 1986–87 | Third Division | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 |
| Peterborough United (loan) | 1987–88 | Fourth Division | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 16 | 3 |
| Port Vale | 1987–88 | Third Division | 34 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 43 | 10 |
| 1988–89 | Third Division | 40 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 48 | 4 | |
| 1989–90 | Second Division | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| Total | 76 | 11 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 96 | 14 | ||
| Peterborough United | 1989–90 | Fourth Division | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 5 |
| 1990–91 | Fourth Division | 41 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 50 | 11 | |
| 1991–92 | Third Division | 28 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 41 | 12 | |
| Total | 84 | 23 | 8 | 3 | 16 | 2 | 108 | 28 | ||
| Boston United | 1992–93[10] | Conference | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1993–94[11] | Northern Premier League Premier Division |
34 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 42 | 11 | |
| Total | 34 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 43 | 11 | ||
| Career total | 224 | 50 | 22 | 6 | 36 | 4 | 282 | 60 | ||
Honours edit
Peterborough United
- Football League Fourth Division fourth-place promotion: 1990–91
- Football League Third Division play-offs: 1992
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g h Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 21. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
- ^ Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 266. ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5.
- ^ a b c d "The David Riley Interview (Part 1)". The Vale Park Beano. 124.
- ^ a b c "The David Riley Interview (Part 2)". The Vale Park Beano. 125.
- ^ Fielding, Rob (17 July 2020). "Five of the best: Port Vale utility players". onevalefan.co.uk. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
- ^ a b "Cult Hero 02: David Riley". onevalefan.co.uk. 29 January 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- ^ "Centre of Excellence Staff". theposh.com. 15 March 2011. Archived from the original on 17 August 2011. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
- ^ "The David Riley Interview (Part 3)". The Vale Park Beano. 126.
- ^ David Riley at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
- ^ "Statistics Season 1992/93". bufc.drfox.org.uk. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
- ^ "Statistics Season 1993/94". bufc.drfox.org.uk. Retrieved 15 February 2023.