David Price (footballer)
Encyclopedia
David James Price is an English former footballer who played in the Football League
for Arsenal
, Peterborough United
, Crystal Palace
and Leyton Orient
.
Born in Caterham
, Surrey
, Price was snapped up by Arsenal
in 1970, having been already known as a prodigious young midfielder
(he was captain of the England
schoolboys team). He spent the next few years in the Gunners' youth and reserve sides, winning the FA Youth Cup
in 1971. He had made his first-team debut aged 17 in a First Division
match against Leeds United on 9 May 1973 but even after this, he still played mainly in the reserves for the next few years.
After a loan spell at Peterborough United
, Price fully broke into the Arsenal first team in 1977–78
, playing 51 matches that season (he had only made 13 appearances in four years before then). His regular spell in the Arsenal side coincided with the Gunners' FA Cup
runs of the late 1970s, reaching the Cup Final three seasons running between 1978 and 1980 – Price played in all three but Arsenal only won the one in 1979
, 3–2 against Manchester United
; Price set up Brian Talbot
for the opening goal. Price also played in Arsenal's Cup Winners' Cup defeat at the hands of Valencia
in 1980, on penalties
after a 0–0 draw.
Price surprisingly lost his place to the veteran John Hollins
at the start of the 1980–81
season, and was sold to Crystal Palace
in March 1981, in a part-exchange
deal which saw Peter Nicholas
move the other way. In all he played 176 games for Arsenal, scoring 19 goals.
Price's spell at Crystal Palace was not a happy one, being hampered by injury; he only made 27 League appearances in two seasons, and after a brief spell at Leyton Orient
, he quit the game because of injury, at the early age of 28.
He became a taxi
driver in Croydon
.
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 Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, 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...
, 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...
and Leyton Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
.
Born in Caterham
Caterham
Caterham is a town in the Tandridge District of Surrey, England. The town is geographically divided into two sections: Caterham on the Hill and Caterham Valley - the main town centre. The town lies close to the A22, a few miles south of Croydon, in a valley cut into the dip slope of the North Downs...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, Price was snapped up by Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
in 1970, having been already known as a prodigious young midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
(he was captain of the England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
schoolboys team). He spent the next few years in the Gunners' youth and reserve sides, winning the FA Youth Cup
FA Youth Cup
The Football Association Youth Challenge Cup is an English football competition run by The Football Association for under–18 sides. Only those players between the age of 15 and 18 on 31 August of the current season are eligible to take part...
in 1971. He had made his first-team debut aged 17 in a 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....
match against Leeds United on 9 May 1973 but even after this, he still played mainly in the reserves for the next few years.
After a loan spell 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...
, Price fully broke into the Arsenal first team in 1977–78
1977-78 in English football
The 1977–1978 season was the 98th season of competitive football in England, from August 1977 to May 1978:-First Division:Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest side took on the First Division by storm, by winning the League Cup on 22 March and confirming themselves as league champions the following month...
, playing 51 matches that season (he had only made 13 appearances in four years before then). His regular spell in the Arsenal side coincided with the Gunners' FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
runs of the late 1970s, reaching the Cup Final three seasons running between 1978 and 1980 – Price played in all three but Arsenal only won the one in 1979
1979 FA Cup Final
The 1979 FA Cup Final was a football match played on 12 May 1979 at Wembley Stadium. The match was contested by Arsenal and Manchester United. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest-ever finishes in an FA Cup final. For over 85 minutes the game had been unremarkable, with Arsenal taking...
, 3–2 against Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
; Price set up Brian Talbot
Brian Talbot
Brian Ernest Talbot is an English football manager and former player. His son is Daniel Talbot.-Playing career:...
for the opening goal. Price also played in Arsenal's Cup Winners' Cup defeat at the hands of Valencia
Valencia CF
Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the...
in 1980, on penalties
Penalty shootout (football)
A penalty shoot-out, referred to as kicks from the penalty mark in the Laws of the Game, is the FIFA official term for a method used in association football to decide which team progresses to the next stage of a tournament following a tied game...
after a 0–0 draw.
Price surprisingly lost his place to the veteran John Hollins
John Hollins
John William Hollins MBE is a retired English footballer and manager. He was initially a midfielder who, later in his career, became an effective centre back.Hollins' son, Chris Hollins is the main sport presenter on BBC Breakfast....
at the start of the 1980–81
1980-81 in English football
The 1980–81 season was the 101st season of competitive football in England.-Overview:The Football League introduced a three points for a win system in place of the two points for a win system which had operated since the league's formation in 1889...
season, and was sold to 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...
in March 1981, in a part-exchange
Part exchange
A part exchange or part exchange deal is a type of contract. In a part exchange, instead of one party to the contract paying money and the other party supplying goods/services, both parties supply goods/services, the first party supplying part money and part goods/services.Whether a part exchange...
deal which saw Peter Nicholas
Peter Nicholas (footballer)
Peter Nicholas is a Welsh former professional footballer and Wales international, now football manager.He was capped 73 times at senior level for Wales between 1979 and 1991.-Crystal Palace:...
move the other way. In all he played 176 games for Arsenal, scoring 19 goals.
Price's spell at Crystal Palace was not a happy one, being hampered by injury; he only made 27 League appearances in two seasons, and after a brief spell at Leyton Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
, he quit the game because of injury, at the early age of 28.
He became a taxi
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
driver in Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
.