Derek Draper (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Derek Draper is a former Welsh
professional footballer. He made more than 450 The Football League
appearances for four clubs, with the majority of his career being spent with Chester
.
. The following campaign saw him figure prominently as Swansea reached the FA Cup
semi-finals, shining in a 4–0 thrashing of Sheffield United
along the way.
In April 1966 Draper moved to Derby County
for £5,000 but made just eight league appearances for the Rams.
After a spell with Bradford Park Avenue
, Draper joined Chester
in January 1969 for £5,000. He made his debut in a 3–1 win against Notts County
on 18 January 1969 and went on to spent eight years in the first-team side. With 322 league appearances and 54 goals to his name, Draper features in both the club’s top 10 Football League
appearance and goalscoring lists (an honour shared only with Stuart Rimmer
).
In 1974–75
, Chester achieved their first promotion from Division Four
and also reached the Football League Cup
semi-finals. Draper featured regularly in both competitions, scoring the two goals against Walsall
in the first round of the League Cup and playing a significant role in Chester’s shock 3-0 win over Leeds United in the fourth round. He also struck nine times in league matches, including a hat-trick against Rochdale
.
Draper played his final game for Chester in a 1–1 draw with Portsmouth
at Sealand Road
on 11 April 1977. This was also to be his last professional appearance, as he retired from playing and began working in the commercial department for Chester. He has since been employed as a milkman
and a postman in the Chester
area and also managed Sunday League football teams in the city.
Chester
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
professional footballer. He made more than 450 The Football League
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...
appearances for four clubs, with the majority of his career being spent with Chester
Chester City F.C.
Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the...
.
Playing career
Draper began his professional career with hometown club Swansea Town, making his league debut in the 1962–1963 season1962-63 in English football
The 1962–63 season was the 83rd season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*Everton won the League Championship, their first post-war title.*Manchester United won the FA Cup, their first major trophy since the Munich Air Disaster in 1958....
. The following campaign saw him figure prominently as Swansea reached the 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...
semi-finals, shining in a 4–0 thrashing of Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
along the way.
In April 1966 Draper moved to 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...
for £5,000 but made just eight league appearances for the Rams.
After a spell with Bradford Park Avenue
Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C.
Bradford Association Football Club, previously also known as Bradford and since its reformation in the 1970s now referred to as Bradford Park Avenue, is a football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England...
, Draper joined Chester
Chester City F.C.
Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the...
in January 1969 for £5,000. He made his debut in a 3–1 win against 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...
on 18 January 1969 and went on to spent eight years in the first-team side. With 322 league appearances and 54 goals to his name, Draper features in both the club’s top 10 Football League
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...
appearance and goalscoring lists (an honour shared only with Stuart Rimmer
Stuart Rimmer
Stuart Rimmer is an English former footballer who is Chester City's record goalscorer. He scored 134 league goals in two spells for Chester, and also represented seven other clubs during his professional career....
).
In 1974–75
1974-75 in English football
The 1974–75 season was the 95th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Dave Mackay guided Derby County to their second league title in four years having overcome strong competition from Liverpool, Ipswich Town, Everton, Stoke City, Manchester City, Sheffield United and...
, Chester achieved their first promotion from Division Four
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
and also reached the Football 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...
semi-finals. Draper featured regularly in both competitions, scoring the two goals against Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
in the first round of the League Cup and playing a significant role in Chester’s shock 3-0 win over Leeds United in the fourth round. He also struck nine times in league matches, including a hat-trick against Rochdale
Rochdale A.F.C.
Rochdale Association Football Club is an English professional football club based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. They play their home matches at Spotland Stadium. Formed in 1907, they were accepted into the Football League in 1921...
.
Draper played his final game for Chester in a 1–1 draw with 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...
at Sealand Road
Sealand Road
Sealand Road was the home stadium of Chester City Football Club from 1906 until 1990. Although officially known simply as The Stadium, it was more commonly referred to as Sealand Road...
on 11 April 1977. This was also to be his last professional appearance, as he retired from playing and began working in the commercial department for Chester. He has since been employed as a milkman
Milkman
A milkman is a person, traditionally male, who delivers milk in milk bottles or cartons. Milk deliveries frequently occur in the morning and it is not uncommon for milkmen to deliver products other than milk such as eggs, cream, cheese, butter, yogurt or soft drinks...
and a postman in the Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
area and also managed Sunday League football teams in the city.
Honours
Swansea Town- 1963–641963-64 in English footballThe 1963–1964 season was the 84th season of competitive football in England, from August 1963 to May 1964:-Overview:* Liverpool won the League Championship.* West Ham United won the FA Cup.* Leicester City won the League Cup.-Diary of the season:...
: FA CupFA CupThe 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...
semi-finalists.
Chester
- 1974–751974-75 in English footballThe 1974–75 season was the 95th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Dave Mackay guided Derby County to their second league title in four years having overcome strong competition from Liverpool, Ipswich Town, Everton, Stoke City, Manchester City, Sheffield United and...
: Football League Fourth DivisionFootball League Fourth DivisionThe Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
promotion as fourth placed team.
- 1974–751974-75 in English footballThe 1974–75 season was the 95th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Dave Mackay guided Derby County to their second league title in four years having overcome strong competition from Liverpool, Ipswich Town, Everton, Stoke City, Manchester City, Sheffield United and...
: Football League CupFootball League CupThe 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...
semi-finalists.
- 1974–751974-75 in English footballThe 1974–75 season was the 95th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Dave Mackay guided Derby County to their second league title in four years having overcome strong competition from Liverpool, Ipswich Town, Everton, Stoke City, Manchester City, Sheffield United and...
: Football League Fourth DivisionFootball League Fourth DivisionThe Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
PFA representative side.