David Harvey (footballer)

David Harvey

Personal information
Date of birth	7 February 1948 (1948-02-07) (age 63)
Place of birth	Leeds, England
Playing position	Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1965–1980	Leeds United	276	(0)
1980	Vancouver Whitecaps	10	(0)
1980-1981	Leeds United	0	(0)
1981	→ Drogheda United (loan)	?	(0)
1981–1982	Vancouver Whitecaps	9	(0)
1982–1985	Leeds United	73	(0)
1985	Partick Thistle	1	(0)
1985	Bradford City	6	(0)
1985–1986	Whitby Town
1986	Morton	3	(0)
1987	Harrogate Town
Total		379	(0)
National team
1972–1976	Scotland	16	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

David Harvey (born 7 February 1948 in Leeds, England) is a former Scottish internationalist professional association footballer. A goalkeeper, Harvey is best known for his successes with Leeds United.

Leeds United

Harvey was for many years the reserve goalkeeper for Leeds United during their glory era of the 1960s and 1970s.

Harvey was watching but not playing as Leeds won the League Cup and the Fairs Cup in 1968, the League championship in 1969 and the Fairs Cup again in 1971. In 1970, after errors — one major — by Gary Sprake allowed FA Cup final opponents Chelsea to equalise twice at Wembley and force a replay, Harvey replaced Sprake in the Leeds goal.

In 1972 came his break. He only played eleven matches all season, but again he was selected ahead of Sprake for the 1972 FA Cup Final against Arsenal, because Sprake was suffering from a knee injury. Leeds won 1–0 with an Allan Clarke goal.^{[citation needed]} Afterwards, Sprake, allegedly, publicly criticised and insulted Revie and was given a wide berth by both manager and team-mates as a result. He only played once more for the club before he was sold for a world record fee for a keeper and Harvey played 63 times in the 1973 season.

Harvey also made his debut for Scotland in a 2–0 win over Denmark, having decided that playing through his father's roots would give him more of an international career than waiting for an England call. The campaign was a personal triumph for Harvey but another season of underachievement for the team. Harvey was powerless to prevent Ian Porterfield's shot fly above him into the roof of the net to win Sunderland the 1973 FA Cup Final; he also had no chance with the solitary free-kick which gave A.C. Milan victory in the European Cup Winners Cup final just days later.^{[citation needed]}

Leeds put together a record 29-match unbeaten start to the 1974 season,^{[citation needed]} guaranteeing the League championship and earning Harvey the title medal he was not entitled to five seasons earlier. He was then selected as Scotland's first-choice keeper for the World Cup in West Germany, though Scotland went out in the group stage.^[1] Revie left the Leeds job the same summer to take over England. Later in the year, Harvey then took the last penalty during the shoot-out at the Charity Shield game against Liverpool—he missed.

Leeds' last big season of achievement coincided with a stroke of misfortune for Harvey. He was injured in a car crash to the extent that he missed the 1975 European Cup Final against Bayern Munich, replaced by his understudy David Stewart. Stewart did little wrong, but Leeds were beaten 2–0 by Bayern Munich in Paris.

There was little more for Harvey and Leeds thereafter. The squad had aged and broken up. Harvey's 16th and last Scotland appearance came in 1976 and he stayed at Leeds until 1980.

Vancouver whitecaps

Harvey then went to play in Canada with the Vancouver Whitecaps. He had a spotty first season in Vancouver and was having a solid second season in the NASL until another car accident put him on the sidelines once again.

Return to Leeds

He returned to Leeds in 1983, by which time the club had been relegated. By the time he left in 1985, he had played under three of his old team-mates – Clarke, Eddie Gray and Billy Bremner.

Later career in football

Harvey played 6 league games for Bradford City in 1985, under another old Leeds mate, Trevor Cherry. He then played 3 league games for Morton in 1986 before drifting into non-league football with Whitby Town and Harrogate Town before his retirement from the game.

Career after football

He now works as a farmer and postman on Sanday in the Orkney Islands, and unlike Sprake, remains on good terms with Leeds, his old team-mates and the supporters. Statistically, Harvey is Scotland's most successful post-war goalkeeper.^{[citation needed]}

References

1. ^ David Harvey – FIFA competition record

External links

• David Harvey at scottishfa.co.uk

Persondata
Name	Harvey, David
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	7 February 1948
Place of birth	Leeds, England
Date of death
Place of death