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A teenage prodigy who won numerous England youth honors and was once chosen as first team substitute by City while still at school. David exhibited amazing versatility over his first few seasons in City’s senior squad, appearing as a creative midfielder and a defensive wing-half before settling as an attacking left-back.
By this time hist natural ease and cool authority had made him ideal material for the team captaincy, and when City got to Wembley in 1969, David became the youngest ever Cup Final skipper at 21. Rarely missing a game and amassing ten England Under 23 caps and sevearl Football League honors in recognition of his elegant effectiveness, he led City back to the top flight in 1971 and looked set for a lenghty Leicester career when reigning Champions Derby came in with a British record fee of £225 000 to take him to Baseball Ground.
Five England caps and a League Championship medal (1974-75) deservedly came David’s way, but he subsquently suffered a series of knee injury problems and left for the less demanding sphere of NASL football. When he left he was slipping from his own high standards of performance.
A testimonial game between current Rams and their Championship winning predecessors in December 1979 was Derby’s fitting adieu to him, but he eventually rejoined former team-mates Bruce Rioch and Colin Todd on the coaching staff at Middlesbrough in July 1988. David then returned to Filbert Street in July 1991, twenty five years after his initially professional signing, as Youth Development Officer and additionally assumed coaching responsibility for the youth team during 1994-95.
David Nish subsequently saw himself as caretaker manager for the first team in the interim between Mark McGhee leaving and the appointment of Martin O’Neill. He was in charge for two league games together with Chris Turner, Garry Parker and Steve Walsh.
David stayed loyal to Leicester and work in the academy during the years of Martin O’Neill, but eventually left his post in 2002 joining John Gregory at Derby County. After his time in the Derby academy he has worked as a postman.
FACTFILE
- Full Name: David John Nish
- Position: Defender
- Date of Birth: 26.09.1947
- Birthplace: Burton upon Trent
- Nation: England
- Full Caps: 5, Debut: 1973 v. N Ireland
- U.23 Caps: 10, Debut: 1969 v. Portugal
- Major League Career:
- 1966-72, Leicester City (336/15)
- 1972-79, Derby County (188/10)
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