Dave Leworthy
Encyclopedia
David Leworthy is an English
former footballer
who made his name as an intelligent centre forward.
Born on 22 October 1962 in Portsmouth
, Leworthy grew up on the city's notorious Portsea estate. He signed for his hometown club of Portsmouth
but, having made just one first team appearance, was released by his boyhood heroes and signed for non-league Hampshire
club, Fareham Town. Leworthy's 15 minutes for Pompey gives him the dubious honour of the shortest first-team career in the club's history.
After a prolific spell at Fareham, Leworthy's career took a huge leap when he was signed by North London giants Tottenham Hotspur
, making his debut in front of nearly fifty thousand fans against hated rivals, Arsenal
.
After the two years at White Hart Lane
Leworthy moved on to fellow top-flight club, Oxford United
, from 1985 to 1989. After spells with Shrewsbury Town
, while on loan from Oxford United
and with Reading
from 1989 to 1992, he began a hugely successful career in non-league football, where his exploits led to him being nicknamed 'The Legend'.
A successful period at Farnborough Town
was followed by a move to Dover Athletic, which saw the non-league transfer record broken when the Kent club paid £50,000. In January 1997 Leworthy moved to fellow Football Conference
side Rushden & Diamonds
, and his goals in the final 4 months of the season, including a debut goal against his former club Farnborough Town, helped ease the club away from the relegation zone and into a midtable finish. However, his stay at Rushden didn't last long, and at the end of the season he moved to South-West London
club Kingstonian
for a club record fee of £18,000.
His time at Kingstonian produced some of Leworthy's happiest days including two FA Trophy
-winning appearances at Wembley Stadium and a superb goal in a 4-2 FA Cup
defeat at Luton Town
that was broadcast on the BBC
's Match of the Day
. Whilst at Kingstonian, the now-veteran player enjoyed a testimonial match against old club, Tottenham Hotspur
.
Leworthy's career began to draw to a close with a period at Conference South club Havant & Waterlooville that included a spell as manager. One of the most memorable moments of his spell at Havant was when he turned out for the club alongside his son, former Peterborough United
apprentice, Craig.
Leworthy came out of retirement in 2006 for a brief second spell at Kingstonian
. He was named manager of Banstead Athletic of the Combined Counties League Premier Division in December 2007. He left Banstead in October 2008 and became manager of Croydon
in the Kent League
in November.
Leworthy's first-time league statistics in league football are as follows: Portsmouth, 1 substitute appearance, 0 goals; Tottenham Hotspur, 8 appearances, 5 goals; Oxford United, 31 appearances, 9 goals; Reading, 27 appearances, 8 goals; Shrewsbury Town, 6 appearances, 3 goals.
Leworthy's reserve-team league statistics are as follows: Portsmouth reserve and youth teams, 111 appearances, 31 goals (many of these games involved Leworthy playing as a wide midfielder); Tottenham Hotspur, 36 appearances, 29 goals; Oxford United, 68 appearance, 59 goals; Reading, 36 appearances, 18 goals.
Leworthy's first-team non-league statistics are as follows: Fareham Town, 84 appearances, 44 goals; Farnborough Town, 71 appearances, 64 goals; Dover Athletic, 152 appearances, 86 goals; Rushden & Diamonds, 18 appearances, 9 goals; Kingstonian, 132 appearances, 66 goals; Havant & Waterlooville, 49 appearances, 26 goals.
Leworthy's career honours include the following: Tottenham Hotspur Young Player of the Year, 1984/85; back-to-back FA Trophy winners' medals at Kingstonian; Conference Charity Shield winners' medal at Kingstonian; Ryman Premier League winners' medal at Kingstonian; Golden Boot award in the Conference in 1993 with Farnborough, despite the club's relegation; selected in the Conference team of the year in 1993; 4 England non-league team caps.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who made his name as an intelligent centre forward.
Born on 22 October 1962 in Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
, Leworthy grew up on the city's notorious Portsea estate. He signed for his hometown club of 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...
but, having made just one first team appearance, was released by his boyhood heroes and signed for non-league Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
club, Fareham Town. Leworthy's 15 minutes for Pompey gives him the dubious honour of the shortest first-team career in the club's history.
After a prolific spell at Fareham, Leworthy's career took a huge leap when he was signed by North London giants Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
, making his debut in front of nearly fifty thousand fans against hated rivals, 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...
.
After the two years at White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane is an all-seater football stadium in Tottenham, London, England. Built in 1899, it is the home of Tottenham Hotspur and, after numerous renovations, the stadium has a capacity of 36,230....
Leworthy moved on to fellow top-flight club, Oxford United
Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The...
, from 1985 to 1989. After spells with Shrewsbury Town
Shrewsbury Town F.C.
Shrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football...
, while on loan from Oxford United
Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The...
and with Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
from 1989 to 1992, he began a hugely successful career in non-league football, where his exploits led to him being nicknamed 'The Legend'.
A successful period at Farnborough Town
Farnborough Town F.C.
Farnborough Football Club is an English football team currently in the Conference South after finishing top of Southern League Premier Division in 2009–10. Their home ground is known as the Rushmoor Stadium, formerly Cherrywood Road, based in Farnborough, Hampshire...
was followed by a move to Dover Athletic, which saw the non-league transfer record broken when the Kent club paid £50,000. In January 1997 Leworthy moved to fellow Football Conference
Football Conference
The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...
side Rushden & Diamonds
Rushden & Diamonds F.C.
Rushden & Diamonds Football Club was an association football club based in Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire, England. Formed by a merger of Rushden Town and Irthlingborough Diamonds in 1992, the club played in the Conference National following a short spell in the Football League at the start of...
, and his goals in the final 4 months of the season, including a debut goal against his former club Farnborough Town, helped ease the club away from the relegation zone and into a midtable finish. However, his stay at Rushden didn't last long, and at the end of the season he moved to South-West London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
club Kingstonian
Kingstonian F.C.
Kingstonian Football Club are an English, semi-professional football club that are playing in the Isthmian League Premier Division for the 2011–12 season. The club has played at Kingsmeadow in Kingston upon Thames since 1989, after leaving their traditional Richmond Road ground...
for a club record fee of £18,000.
His time at Kingstonian produced some of Leworthy's happiest days including two FA Trophy
FA Trophy
The Football Association Challenge Trophy, commonly known as the FA Trophy, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams...
-winning appearances at Wembley Stadium and a superb goal in a 4-2 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...
defeat at Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
that was broadcast on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's Match of the Day
Match of the Day
Match of the Day is the BBC's main football television programme. Typically, it is shown on BBC One on Saturday evenings during the English football season, showing highlights of the day's matches in English football's top division, the Premier League...
. Whilst at Kingstonian, the now-veteran player enjoyed a testimonial match against old club, Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
.
Leworthy's career began to draw to a close with a period at Conference South club Havant & Waterlooville that included a spell as manager. One of the most memorable moments of his spell at Havant was when he turned out for the club alongside his son, former 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...
apprentice, Craig.
Leworthy came out of retirement in 2006 for a brief second spell at Kingstonian
Kingstonian F.C.
Kingstonian Football Club are an English, semi-professional football club that are playing in the Isthmian League Premier Division for the 2011–12 season. The club has played at Kingsmeadow in Kingston upon Thames since 1989, after leaving their traditional Richmond Road ground...
. He was named manager of Banstead Athletic of the Combined Counties League Premier Division in December 2007. He left Banstead in October 2008 and became manager of Croydon
Croydon F.C.
Croydon F.C. is an English semi-professional football club based in Croydon, London, England. Until 2006, they played in the Isthmian League, but lost their place in that league as part of the 2006 re-structuring of non-league football, and now play in the Combined Counties League. They play at...
in the Kent League
Kent League
The Kent League is an English football league for teams based in Kent and south east London, which was established in 1966. It was also the name of a similar league which existed from 1894 until 1959.-History:...
in November.
Leworthy's first-time league statistics in league football are as follows: Portsmouth, 1 substitute appearance, 0 goals; Tottenham Hotspur, 8 appearances, 5 goals; Oxford United, 31 appearances, 9 goals; Reading, 27 appearances, 8 goals; Shrewsbury Town, 6 appearances, 3 goals.
Leworthy's reserve-team league statistics are as follows: Portsmouth reserve and youth teams, 111 appearances, 31 goals (many of these games involved Leworthy playing as a wide midfielder); Tottenham Hotspur, 36 appearances, 29 goals; Oxford United, 68 appearance, 59 goals; Reading, 36 appearances, 18 goals.
Leworthy's first-team non-league statistics are as follows: Fareham Town, 84 appearances, 44 goals; Farnborough Town, 71 appearances, 64 goals; Dover Athletic, 152 appearances, 86 goals; Rushden & Diamonds, 18 appearances, 9 goals; Kingstonian, 132 appearances, 66 goals; Havant & Waterlooville, 49 appearances, 26 goals.
Leworthy's career honours include the following: Tottenham Hotspur Young Player of the Year, 1984/85; back-to-back FA Trophy winners' medals at Kingstonian; Conference Charity Shield winners' medal at Kingstonian; Ryman Premier League winners' medal at Kingstonian; Golden Boot award in the Conference in 1993 with Farnborough, despite the club's relegation; selected in the Conference team of the year in 1993; 4 England non-league team caps.