David Affleck

David Affleck

Personal information
Full name	David Roy Affleck
Date of birth	26 July 1912
Place of birth	Coylton, Ayrshire, Scotland
Date of death	11 August 1984 (aged 72)
Place of death	Stoke-sub-Hamdon, Somerset, England
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Playing position	Centre-half
Youth career
	Crosshouse Castle Rovers
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
1932–1934	Notts County	0	(0)
1934–1935	Bristol City	3	(0)
1935–1937	Clapton Orient	66	(0)
1937–1939	Southampton	61	(0)
1946–????	Yeovil Town	?	(?)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (goals)

David Roy Affleck (26 July 1912 – 11 August 1984) was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a centre-half for Clapton Orient and Southampton in the 1930s.

Playing career

Affleck was born in Coylton, Ayrshire and joined Notts County in July 1932 but made no first team appearances before moving on to Bristol City in May 1934. After a season with City he joined Clapton Orient in July 1935, where he spent two seasons in the Third Division South.

In May 1937, he was recruited by Tom Parker to join Southampton as part of his drive to strengthen the team in an attempt to gain promotion from the Second Division, along with Frank Hill (from Blackpool), Billy Bevis (from Portsmouth) and Ray Parkin (from Middlesbrough).

After two seasons at The Dell, "his heading ability, coupled with some incisive tackling, reportedly attracted the attention of top London clubs, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea"^[1] but, unfortunately, the war interrupted his career and prevented a move to a bigger club. Affleck joined the Southampton police reservists and, during the war, turned out for the Southampton Police XI as well as making sporadic appearances for The Saints in wartime matches.

When hostilities were over, he was 33 years old and joined non-league Yeovil Town. He was now a full-time policeman and remained in Somerset for the rest of his life.

References

1. Duncan Holley & Gary Chalk (1992). The Alphabet of the Saints. ACL & Polar Publishing. p. 10. ISBN 0-9514862-3-3.