Derek Pace

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Derek 'Doc' Pace
Personal information
Full name	Derek Pace
Date of birth	March 11, 1932
Place of birth	Bloxwich, England
Date of death	October 17, 1989
Nickname	'Doc' or 'The Doc'
Position	Striker
Youth clubs
	Walsall Schoolboys Bloxwich Scouts Bloxwich Wesley Walsall Wood
Professional clubs*
Years	Club	Apps (goals)
1950-1957 1957-1964 1964-1965 1966	Aston Villa Sheffield United Notts County Walsall Total	98 (40) 253 (140) 29 (15) 5 (1) 284 (196)
* Professional club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

Derek 'Doc' Pace (born March 11, 1932, in Bloxwich, England – died October 17, 1989) was an footballer who played in the position of Striker for Sheffield United and Aston Villa.

Pace went to Essington Junior School in Essington and was captain for Walsall Schoolboys playing at centre half. On leaving school, he went on to play for amateur sides Bloxwich Scouts in the Bloxwich Combination, Bloxwich Wesley in the Walsall Minor League and had a spell with Walsall Wood in the Walsall Senior League during the 1948-49 season. Derek was signed by Aston Villa from Bloxwich Scouts in September 1949, not long after his signing for Villa; he was called up for two years National service in the Medical Corps where he obtained the nickname "Doc". Derek was small in stature for a centre forward, but was nonetheless hardy and tough, and a real problem for defenders to cope with.

His opportunities were limited with Villa, although he scored on his debut against Burnley on March 17, 1951. He came out of the Army in June 1953.

In 1953-1954 season, Derek was one of seven centre forwards who appeared for Aston Villa following the departure of regular forward Trevor Ford - who had joined Sunderland. He seized his opportunity and scored 6 goals from 6 league matches. The following season, he played in 18 league matches scoring one goal also made one appearance in the FA Cup.

In 1955-56, Villa were next to bottom of the league 3 points behind Sheffield United with 3 matches remaining. Sheffield United manager Joe Mercer had tried to sign Pace in mid-season, but his attempts were blocked by Villa. And in the closing games it was Derek's goals that did a great deal to save Villa from relegation, they eventually finished third from bottom on goal difference and avoided relegation. In 1956-57 Derek played in 21 league matches scoring 6 goals and in 6 cup games scoring 2 goals. Although he missed out on being selected for the Aston Villa 1957 FA Cup Final side.

He started the 1957-58 season with Villa and played in 12 games scoring 3 goals - including the Charity Shield side that was beaten by Manchester United. In total he scored 42 league and FA Cup goals in 106 matches for Aston Villa.

On December 26, 1957, he was finally signed by Sheffield United manager Joe Mercer for £12,000. It was with the Blades he began to excel as a striker. He made his debut for United on the day he had signed – scoring after just 8 minutes, against Blackburn Rovers at Bramall Lane on December 26, 1957.

He was an ever present in the side when United achieved First Division status again, scoring 26 goals in 1960-61, and became a great favourite with the Blades fans, who warmed to his enthusiasm, sportsmanship, quick shooting and brilliant heading ability, and his signing was undoubtedly a major factor in bringing better days ahead to the Lane.

Immediately after his signing, the improvement to the Blades team was instantly apparent. Between February 22, 1958 and April 5 1958, United won eight consecutive league matches, with Pace scoring 9 of the goals in this period. The spell included one of United’s most memorable FA Cup victories. The occasion was a 4th Round against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane in front of 51,536 spectators. Pace put United ahead in the first minute and United won the tie 3-0. Pace was a consistent scorer for the Blades, and started 1960 in great form. Between January 2 and March 5 of that year, he scored 16 goals in 8 matches, including a hat-trick against his former club and (at the time) Division Two league leaders Aston Villa at Villa Park on February 27, 1960. His last match for Sheffield United was against Burnley at Bramall Lane on August 29, 1964. In total he had scored 140 goals in 253 league appearances (175 goals in 302 league and cup games) for United. He was the Blades top scorer for six seasons.

December 1964, he moved to Notts County where he scored 15 goals from 29 matches. He then left to join Walsall in July 1966, only playing four matches plus one as substitute, and scoring one goal - a flying header at Grimsby Town on August 27, 1966.

In his career he scored a grand total of 233 goals in 444 games. After retiring from football Derek became a sales representative for Churchfield Springs Ltd of West Bromwich. He died on October 17, 1989.

[edit] References

• Clarebrough, Denis (1989). Sheffield United F.C., The First 100 years. Sheffield United Football Club. ISBN 0-9508588-1-1.
• Young, Percy A. (1962). Football in Sheffield. Stanley Paul & Co. Ltd ISBN 0-9506272-4-0.