David_Speedie

David Speedie

David Robert Speedie (born 20 February 1960 in Glenrothes, Scotland) is a former Scottish footballer who played for numerous clubs during the 1980s and 1990s, most notably Chelsea and Coventry City. He accumulated more than 500 football league appearances and scored almost 150 goals in a 14 year professional career. Speedie also gained 10 caps for the Scottish international team.

Born in Scotland but raised in Yorkshire, Speedie worked as a coalminer before signing professional terms with Barnsley in 1978. Without having scored a goal for Barnsley in 21 appearances, he moved to Darlington in 1980, where his talent first became apparent. Just two years later, he was spotted by then-Chelsea manager John Neal, who signed him for £80,000 in May 1982.

Speedie is arguably most notable for his five-year stint at Chelsea where he formed a prolific strike partnership with Kerry Dixon. Speedie's strength, scoring prowess, work-rate and unlikely heading ability (he was only 5 ft 7 in tall) perfectly complemented both Dixon and winger Pat Nevin as the trio notched up almost 200 goals between them in three years. Before the arrival of Nevin and Dixon, however, Speedie had played an important part in Chelsea's survival in the Second Division a year earlier, with his seven goals (including two on his debut against Oldham Athletic) that season proving crucial. In 1986, he became the first player since Geoff Hurst to score a hat-trick at Wembley, as Chelsea defeated Manchester City 5-4 in the Full Members Cup final.

Having scored 64 goals in 205 appearances for the West London side, Speedie joined Coventry City for £750,000 in July 1987 following a disagreement with manager John Hollins. He enjoyed four years at Coventry and remained a high-profile top flight player, equalling his Chelsea strike rate during this period. He scored a number of memorable goals whilst maintaining his Scottish international place. After 1991, Speedie joined a succession of clubs, including Liverpool, Blackburn Rovers, Birmingham City, West Ham United, Southampton and finally Leicester City, where his short temper and poor disciplinary record often ensured a quick departure. He later played for a number of non-league clubs including Stamford AFC and Hendon where he made 5 appearances whilst failing to score. Indeed his most impressive 45 minutes came as a replacement goalkeeper for the 2nd half of Hendon's first game of the 1996/7 season against Sutton United after first choice Scott Ashcroft got injured just before half time. He retired having scored 150 career goals.

He now works as a football agent.