David Peach

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David Peach
Personal information
Full name David Sidney Peach
Date of birth (1951-01-21) 21 January 1951 (age 73)
Place of birth Bedford, England
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[1]
Position(s) Full-back
Youth career
1966–1969 Gillingham
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1969–1974 Gillingham 187 (30)
1974–1980 Southampton 224 (34)
1980–1982 Swindon Town 53 (2)
1982–1983 Leyton Orient 47 (6)
Total 511 (72)
International career
1977–1978 England U21 8 (1)
Managerial career
Wellworthy Athletic
Lymington Town
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

David Sidney Peach (born 21 January 1951)[1] is an English former professional footballer who played as a full-back. He notably appeared for Southampton in the FA Cup final in 1976.

In 1969, he turned professional at Gillingham. Peach spent five years at the club, before moving to Southampton in 1974. During his time at Southampton, he won the FA Cup. He left to join Swindon Town in 1980 before joining Leyton Orient for a season in 1982.

Club career

Gillingham

Peach played briefly as an associate schoolboy for Chelsea, before moving to Gillingham as an apprentice in May 1966, turning pro in February 1969.[1] In 1972, he was sent off in successive seasons in matches at Hartlepool United, a coincidence in an era when sendings-off were still very uncommon.[2] Peach was named in the 1973–74 Fourth Division PFA Team of the Year.[3] He was rated the best player in the Fourth Division and came to the attention of Lawrie McMenemy who made him his first signing for Southampton in January 1974, for a reported fee of £50,000.[1]

Southampton

He made his debut in a match that is memorable to Saints fans for all the wrong reasons as Southampton lost 7–0 away to Ipswich.[4] Peach soon settled into the team initially in midfield before becoming an attacking left-back and the club's regular penalty taker.[1] His first penalty was probably the most famous, as he scored the second goal against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup semi-final on 3 April 1976.[5] Peach played in the final against Manchester United as Southampton won 1–0.[6] He was named in the 1976–77 Second Division PFA Team of the Year.[3]

Peach also played in the 1979 League Cup final, scoring the opening goal in a 3–2 loss to Nottingham Forest.[7] He and Nick Holmes are the only two players to have played in two cup finals for Southampton.[8][9]

On 18 August 1979, he became the highest scoring full-back in the history of the Football League when he scored a penalty against Manchester United.[9]

Swindon and Leyton Orient

He was transferred to Swindon Town for £150,000 (then Swindon's record signing) in March 1980.[10] Signed by Bobby Smith to replace Town legend John Trollope, circumstances were against Peach from the very moment he joined the club; his time at Swindon had the worst possible start – his debut coming in 6–2 defeat at Millwall.[10] That defeat, along with the size of the transfer fee, got Peach off to a terrible start with the fans – and he was never a popular player throughout his whole Town career.[11]

By March 1982, Swindon were in financial difficulties and Peach was released to Leyton Orient on a free transfer to reduce the club's wage bill, after a disappointing period at the County Ground.[10]

In moving to Orient, he swapped a team heading for relegation to Division 4 for one heading for relegation from Division 2.[12][13] While at Orient, he became the first player to have played on every Football League ground.[1]

International career

He played several times for the England under-21 and 'B' teams.[14] Peach was in the England squad on their tour of South America in June 1977, although he never played.[1]

After football

After retiring from league football, Peach turned out for several Hampshire non-league clubs, including a spell as player-manager at Wellworthy Athletic in Lymington and Lymington Town.[15] Initially "attached" to a fish business in Lymington that failed, Peach started working as a labourer whilst acquiring skills necessary to move into site-management.[1] Peach became assistant site-manager for A&B Homes in Southampton and later a site-manager with Miller Homes.[1] He has worked as a contracts manager for Hazely Developments in Winchester whilst continuing to live in Milford-on-Sea.[1]

Honours

As a player

Southampton

Individual

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Chalk, Gary; Holley, Duncan; Bull, David (2013). All the Saints: A Complete Players' Who's Who of Southampton FC. Southampton: Hagiology Publishing. pp. 428–429. ISBN 978-0-9926-8640-6.
  2. ^ Daily Express, 24 October 1972, p20
  3. ^ a b c d Lynch, Tony (1995). The Official P.F.A. Footballers Heroes. London: Random House. pp. 140–141. ISBN 978-0-09-179135-3.
  4. ^ Howard, Peter (29 January 2016). "David Peach went from relegation in his first season at Saints to become an FA Cup hero". Southern Daily Echo. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  5. ^ Keenan, Steve (27 October 2009). "The 50 greatest Southampton players". The Times. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  6. ^ Bevan, Chris (2 January 2009). "When Saints shocked Man Utd". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  7. ^ Leach, Tom (24 February 2019). "Forest's memorable cup final win over Southampton ranked amongst best ever". NottinghamshireLive. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  8. ^ McMenemy, Lawrie (15 December 2018). "Southampton legend Lawrie McMenemy's exclusive column". Southern Daily Echo. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  9. ^ a b "David Peach: Ralph Hasenhuttl can be a Saints great". Southern Daily Echo. 16 March 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  10. ^ a b c Potter, Jacob (4 April 2021). "9 Swindon Town signings that flopped - Do you agree?". Football League World. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  11. ^ "David Peach: Player profile". Swindon Town FC. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  12. ^ "Swindon Town's promotion winning season in the 1980s". Swindon Advertiser. 21 February 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  13. ^ Cottle, Robin (21 May 2014). "Leyton Orient fans dream of second tier return". Newham Recorder. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  14. ^ "England - U-21 International Results 1976-1985". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 3 June 2009. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
  15. ^ Gee, Wendy (12 January 2007). "Saints legend Peach back in management". Southern Daily Echo. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  16. ^ "Southampton FC Player of the Year 1974-2021". My Football Facts. Retrieved 20 March 2022.

Bibliography

  • Duncan Holley & Gary Chalk (2003). In That Number - A post-war chronicle of Southampton FC. Hagiology Publishing. ISBN 0-9534474-3-X.
  • Tim Manns (2006). Tie a Yellow Ribbon: How the Saints Won the Cup. Hagiology Publishing. ISBN 0-9534474-6-4.
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