David Webb (footballer)
English footballer and manager, FA Cup winner with Chelsea.
David James Webb, born 9 April 1946, is an English former professional footballer who played 555 Football League matches for eight clubs. He later managed several teams, including Chelsea and Bournemouth.
Quick Facts
- Full name
- David James Webb
- Born
- 9 April 1946
- Birthplace
- Stratford, Essex, England
- Position
- Defender
- Total caps
- 555
- Total goals
- 35
Facts from the source article.
Playing career
Webb was born in Stratford, then in Essex, and began as an amateur with West Ham United. After failing to make the grade there, he joined Leyton Orient in May 1963 and made his league debut in the 1964–65 season. He played 62 games for Orient, scoring three goals, before moving to Southampton in March 1966 in a swap for George O'Brien. At Southampton he scored twice in 75 appearances, including a debut equaliser against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
He joined Chelsea in February 1968. Webb made his name at Chelsea, particularly for his role in the 1970 FA Cup final. In the first game against Leeds United, playing at right-back, he struggled against winger Eddie Gray as Chelsea drew 2–2. For the replay, manager Dave Sexton moved Webb to centre-back alongside John Dempsey; Webb scored the winning header from an Ian Hutchinson throw-in in extra time.
The following year Chelsea beat Real Madrid in a replay to win the European Cup Winners Cup. Webb played mostly as a right-back but also featured in central defence and occasionally as a centre forward, once scoring a hat-trick against Ipswich Town in December 1968. He wore every shirt from 1 to 12 at Chelsea except number 11. On 27 December 1971 he played as a goalkeeper for an entire match, keeping a clean sheet, and scored two goals as a centre forward in the return fixture in March 1972.
Managerial career
Webb played only 11 times for Bournemouth but was appointed manager in December 1980, guiding them to promotion to the third division in 1982. He was sacked on 10 February 1982 after a dispute with the chairman over new ownership; Don Megson replaced him. After a spell as a self-employed salesman, Webb became manager of Torquay United in February 1984, succeeding Bruce Rioch. Torquay finished ninth in the Fourth Division in 1983–84 but bottom the following season, during which Webb came out of retirement and scored once in two league appearances.
On 21 August 1985 he became managing director at Torquay, appointing John Sims and then Stuart Morgan to manage the team. Torquay finished bottom again but were re-elected to the Football League. Webb left Torquay to manage Southend United on 17 June 1986. He left in March 1987, weeks before they won promotion, but was reappointed in November 1988, though he could not prevent relegation.
He guided Southend to promotion from the Fourth Division in 1990 and from the Third Division a year later, taking them to the Second Division for the first time. They briefly topped the Second Division but fell to mid-table, and Webb resigned. He returned to Chelsea as interim manager in February 1993, replacing Ian Porterfield, with the club 12th in the Premier League after a long winless run. Results improved, and Chelsea finished 11th, but the board did not offer him a permanent contract and appointed Glenn Hoddle.
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