David Herd (footballer)

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David Herd
Personal information
Full name David George Herd
Date of birth April 15, 1934
Place of birth    Hamilton, Scotland
Playing position Forward
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1951-1954
1954-1961
1961-1968
1968-1970
1970-1971
Stockport County
Arsenal
Manchester United
Stoke City
Waterford United
015 00(6)
166 0(97)
202 (114)
044 0(11)   
National team
1958-1961 Scotland 005 00(3)
Teams managed

1971-1972
Lincoln City

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only.
* Appearances (Goals)

David George Herd (born April 15, 1934 in Hamilton), is a Scottish former football player, the son of former Manchester City player Alec Herd and the nephew of Scottish international Sandy Herd. His favoured position was forward.

Herd started his career at Stockport County, for whom he played up front alongside his father, though Herd junior's appearances were limited by his national service duties. Nevertheless, he did well enough to attract the attention of Arsenal, who signed him for £10,000 in 1954. Herd made his Arsenal debut on February 19, 1955 against Leicester City.

Herd continued to be a bit part player, playing just eight games in his first two seasons at the club, before making his breakthrough in 1956-57, scoring 18 goals in 28 games that season. From then on he was an established goalscorer, being the club's top goalscorer for four seasons straight, from 1956-57 through to 1960-61 - when he hit 29 goals, the most by an Arsenal player since Ronnie Rooke.

However, Arsenal's poor form meant they were nowhere near winning a trophy, the closest coming a third place in the league in 1958-59. The same season, he also won his first cap for Scotland, on October 18, 1958 against Wales at Ninian Park; Scotland won 3-0. Herd won five caps in total for Scotland between 1958 and 1961, scoring three goals, his last cap coming in a 4-0 defeat by Czechoslovakia on May 14, 1961.

Despite being top scorer in 1960-61, Herd was unsettled at Arsenal due to their lack of success, and he moved to Manchester United in July 1961 for £35,000. In all he scored 107 goals for Arsenal in 180 appearances, making him the club's 15th highest goalscorer.

His first game for United came against West Ham United on August 19, 1961. Herd helped the club to the 1963 FA Cup, the 1965 and 1967 league championships and the 1968 European Cup. However, after he broke his leg in November 1966, his first-team appearances were limited, and he missed the European Cup triumph on 29 May 1968. In all, he scored 145 career goals in 265 appearances (including 1 substitute appearance), an average of .54 goals per game. He is currently 10th on the all-time club goalscorers list. He left United in July 1968 for Stoke City.

He spent two seasons at Stoke City before a stint at Waterford United. After retiring, he had a stint managing Lincoln City between 1971 and 1972.

[edit] References

  • Harris, Jeff & Hogg, Tony (ed.) (1995). Arsenal Who's Who. Independent UK Sports. ISBN 1-899429-03-4.