Peter Daniel (footballer born 1946)
Encyclopedia
Peter A. Daniel is a former professional footballer, most notable for his 14 year association with English football club
Derby County
. Although primarily utilised as a centre-back throughout his career, Daniels could also fulfill the role of full-back when required.
in December 1964, having joined as an apprentice in August the previous year. He made his professional debut on 2nd October 1965 in a 2-1 victory over Bristol City
at The Baseball Ground
and impressed manager Tim Ward
enough to retain his first team place for the remainder of Ward's reign. However, a disappointing 17th place finish in the 1966-67 season cost Ward his job and he was replaced by Brian Clough
.
Clough instantly purged the Derby squad to mould the team to his desire, with Daniel one of only five players who remained with the club. However, the signing of Tranmere Rovers
defender Roy McFarland
for £25,000 severely restricted Daniel's first team involvement over the following seven years. As Clough took Derby County from 17th in the 1967 Football League Second Division
to the 1973 European Cup Semi Finals Daniels was primarily employed as a reserve, making just 14 appearances between 1970 and 1973, and failing to register a single game in Derby's 1971-72 title winning campaign. Primarily used as a back-up for when Derby's established defensive stars were injured or away on national duty, Daniels was nevertheless a key figure in the victorious 1971-72 Central League reserve side.
Having made 101 appearances in his opening nine season with the club, the vast majority given in his opening 18 months with the club, Daniel was given his big chance when a severe injury to Roy McFarland
, sustained whilst away on international duty with the England national side
in May 1974, saw Daniel made first choice centre-back, alongside Colin Todd
for Derby's 1974-75 campaign. Daniel had not played a single game when Derby first won the title in 1971-72, but stepped into the vacant number 5 shirt left by McFarland's injury, and played brilliantly as the Rams marches on to claim their second Championship in four seasons. Daniel netted four goals in all competition, included league strikes in victories over Chelsea
(home) and Tottenham Hotspur
(home and away) and an important goal in a 4-1 Uefa Cup
victory over Servette
. Whilst Todd eventually won the PFA Players' Player of the Year
award, the Derby County support showed their appreciation of his efforts by naming him their Player of the Year with the award of the Jack Stamps Trophy.
Despite such outstanding achievements over the previous campaign, the return of McFarland to full fitness for the following season saw Daniel return to his status as back-up for his remaining four years at the club, as his made 49 appearances between 1975 and 1979, often filling in at fullback. Daniel's final first team appearance was on December 16th 1978 in a 2-0 defeat by Arsenal
at Highbury
. In all competitions he made 246 appearances for Derby, including nine as a substitute, during his 15 years at the Baseball Ground. Whenever selected he demonstrated a rugged determined style of play which rarely let down any of the five County managers he worked under.
side the Vancouver Whitecaps, where he played alongside former Derby teammate Kevin Hector
, making 27 appearances and scoring once, and was part of the side which won the 1979 Soccerbowl. After one season, he returned to England to wind-down his career with Derbyshire non-league side
Burton Albion
. He later ran a branch of the Post Office in Derbyshire and has remained a supporter of Derby County.
Football in England
Association football is a national sport in England, where the first modern set of rules for the code were established in 1863, which were a major influence on the development of the modern Laws of the Game...
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...
. Although primarily utilised as a centre-back throughout his career, Daniels could also fulfill the role of full-back when required.
Derby County
Daniel signed his first professional contract with Derby CountyDerby 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...
in December 1964, having joined as an apprentice in August the previous year. He made his professional debut on 2nd October 1965 in a 2-1 victory over Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
at The Baseball Ground
Baseball Ground
The Baseball Ground was a stadium in Derby, England. It was first used for baseball as the home of Derby County Baseball Club from 1890 until 1898 and then for football as the home of Derby County from 1895 until 1997. It was commonly referred to as the "BBG".As the name suggests, the stadium was...
and impressed manager Tim Ward
Tim Ward (footballer)
Tim Ward was an English footballer and subsequently football manager, most notable for his success with Derby County.-Biography:...
enough to retain his first team place for the remainder of Ward's reign. However, a disappointing 17th place finish in the 1966-67 season cost Ward his job and he was replaced by Brian Clough
Brian Clough
Brian Howard Clough, OBE was an English footballer and football manager. He is most notable for his success with Derby County and Nottingham Forest. His achievement of winning back-to-back European Cups with Nottingham Forest, a traditionally moderate provincial English club, is considered to be...
.
Clough instantly purged the Derby squad to mould the team to his desire, with Daniel one of only five players who remained with the club. However, the signing of Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system...
defender Roy McFarland
Roy McFarland
Roy Leslie McFarland is an English football manager who was also a player, notably at Derby County where he played 434 league games helping him to earn 28 caps for England.-Playing career:...
for £25,000 severely restricted Daniel's first team involvement over the following seven years. As Clough took Derby County from 17th in the 1967 Football League Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
to the 1973 European Cup Semi Finals Daniels was primarily employed as a reserve, making just 14 appearances between 1970 and 1973, and failing to register a single game in Derby's 1971-72 title winning campaign. Primarily used as a back-up for when Derby's established defensive stars were injured or away on national duty, Daniels was nevertheless a key figure in the victorious 1971-72 Central League reserve side.
Having made 101 appearances in his opening nine season with the club, the vast majority given in his opening 18 months with the club, Daniel was given his big chance when a severe injury to Roy McFarland
Roy McFarland
Roy Leslie McFarland is an English football manager who was also a player, notably at Derby County where he played 434 league games helping him to earn 28 caps for England.-Playing career:...
, sustained whilst away on international duty with the England national side
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
in May 1974, saw Daniel made first choice centre-back, alongside Colin Todd
Colin Todd
Colin Todd is an English football manager and former player. As a player, he made more than 600 appearances in the Football League, playing for Sunderland, Derby County, Everton, Birmingham City, Nottingham Forest, Oxford United and Luton Town, and also played in the North American Soccer League...
for Derby's 1974-75 campaign. Daniel had not played a single game when Derby first won the title in 1971-72, but stepped into the vacant number 5 shirt left by McFarland's injury, and played brilliantly as the Rams marches on to claim their second Championship in four seasons. Daniel netted four goals in all competition, included league strikes in victories over Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
(home) and 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....
(home and away) and an important goal in a 4-1 Uefa Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
victory over Servette
Servette FC
Servette FC is a Swiss football club, based in Geneva currently playing in the Swiss Super League. They were playing in the Swiss Challenge League, the second highest tier of Swiss football having been relegated from the Swiss Super League at the end of 2004/05 season...
. Whilst Todd eventually won the PFA Players' Player of the Year
PFA Players' Player of the Year
The Professional Footballers' Association Players' Player of the Year is an annual award given to the player who is adjudged to have been the best of the year in English football...
award, the Derby County support showed their appreciation of his efforts by naming him their Player of the Year with the award of the Jack Stamps Trophy.
Despite such outstanding achievements over the previous campaign, the return of McFarland to full fitness for the following season saw Daniel return to his status as back-up for his remaining four years at the club, as his made 49 appearances between 1975 and 1979, often filling in at fullback. Daniel's final first team appearance was on December 16th 1978 in a 2-0 defeat by 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...
at Highbury
Highbury
- Early Highbury :The area now known as Islington was part of the larger manor of Tolentone, which is mentioned in the Domesday Book. Tolentone was owned by Ranulf brother of Ilger and included all the areas north and east of Canonbury and Holloway Road. The manor house was situated by what is now...
. In all competitions he made 246 appearances for Derby, including nine as a substitute, during his 15 years at the Baseball Ground. Whenever selected he demonstrated a rugged determined style of play which rarely let down any of the five County managers he worked under.
Late Career
After leaving Derby, Daniel has a brief spell in America with NASLNorth American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
side the Vancouver Whitecaps, where he played alongside former Derby teammate Kevin Hector
Kevin Hector
Kevin James Hector is an English former footballer who scored 268 goals from 662 appearances in the Football League playing for Bradford Park Avenue and Derby County. His 486 League appearances for Derby County is a club record...
, making 27 appearances and scoring once, and was part of the side which won the 1979 Soccerbowl. After one season, he returned to England to wind-down his career with Derbyshire non-league side
Non-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
Burton Albion
Burton Albion F.C.
Burton Albion Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire. The club's home ground is the Pirelli Stadium, having moved from Eton Park in 2005...
. He later ran a branch of the Post Office in Derbyshire and has remained a supporter of Derby County.
Club
- With Derby County
- Premier League and predecessors (level 1 of the English football league system); Champions: 1972, 1975
- Football League ChampionshipFootball League ChampionshipThe Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
and predecessors (level 2 of the English football league system); Champions: 1969, - FA Charity ShieldFA Community ShieldThe Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
; Winner: 19751975-76 in English footballThe 1975–76 season was the 96th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Liverpool won their first major trophy under Bob Paisley by narrowly winning the league title after heated competition from Queens Park Rangers. They also lifted the UEFA Cup for the second time in their... - Watney CupWatney CupThe Watney Mann Invitation Cup was a short-lived English football tournament held in the early 1970s....
; Winner:19711970-71 in English footballThe 1970–71 season was the 91st season of competitive football in England.-First Division:Arsenal won the league championship at the end of a season which would soon be followed by their FA Cup final tie with Liverpool. Arsenal secured the league title at White Hart Lane, the home of bitter rivals... - Texaco CupTexaco CupThe Texaco Cup was an association football competition involving clubs from England, Ireland and Scotland that had not qualified for European competitions. Irish clubs withdrew from the competition after 1971-72 due to political pressure, and in 1973-74 and 1974-75 competed in a separate Texaco Cup...
; Winner:19721971-72 in English footballThe 1971–72 season was the 92nd season of competitive football in England.-FA Cup:Leeds United overcame holders Arsenal to win the 1972 FA Cup Final... - The Central League; Champions: 19721971-72 in English footballThe 1971–72 season was the 92nd season of competitive football in England.-FA Cup:Leeds United overcame holders Arsenal to win the 1972 FA Cup Final...
- With Vancouver Whitecaps
- National Conference Western Division - Winner; 1979
- Soccer Bowl - Winner; 1979
Personal
- Jack Stamps Trophy (Derby County Player of the Year); Winner: 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...