by
Kelvin Barker
If they awarded international caps for guts and determination, David Speedie would have been one of Scotland's most capped players. Born in Glenrothes but raised in Yorkshire, 'Speedo' came up the hard way, working in the coalmines before making his breakthrough into league football with Barnsley. As a player Speedie had it all: pace, wonderful touch, two good feet and, most surprising of all considering his lack of inches, prodigious heading ability (see photo above, David soaring over Leicester's 6ft plus defender John O'Neill!). He also had a fierce temper which would often boil over when frustration got the better of him. Speedo played with the hunger and tenacity so often prevalent in players who were never afforded the luxury of a football apprenticeship and it was those qualities which tempted John Neal to pay Darlington £80, 000 for his signature in May 1982. After The Blues made a disappointing start to the 1982-83 campaign Neal unleashed Speedie to spectacular effect, the new man scoring twice on his debut in a 2-0 victory over Oldham. As Chelsea fought against relegation to Division Three, David earned the respect of the Chelsea faithful with his never-say-die attitude and selfless hard running. He scored seven goals that season including a searing far-post header which clinched a crucial point against Sheffield Wednesday as Chelsea embarked on an end of season, four-match unbeaten run which enabled them to avoid relegation by just two points. Speedie was surprisingly omitted from the starting line-up at the beginning of 1983-84 but when Colin Lee fell ill at the end of October it opened the way for him to return and he grabbed the opportunity with relish, scoring twice against Charlton in his first start of the season and immediately forming a potent partnership with Kerry Dixon which remained intact for the next three years. A regular, though by no means prolific, goal scorer, Speedie found the net 13 times that season, the pick of them being a stupendous 30-yard volley against Blackburn, as Chelsea roared to the title.
David Speedie's first season in Division One was blighted by a string of suspensions but his performances when he was available for selection were exemplary. Stunning goals in victories over West Ham and Liverpool, and a calm last-minute finish to earn a point at home to Arsenal, helped keep Chelsea's title push on track but he was suspended when The Blues went to Sunderland for the first-leg of the Milk Cup semi-final and were beaten. Speedo returned in time for the second-leg and scored an early goal but as the game later slipped away, he reacted to a challenge from behind and was sent-off. He won his first cap for Scotland in a 1-0 win over England in the summer of 1985 and the following September earned the penalty which sent the Scots through to a World Cup play-off at the expense of Wales. He was in fine form in the league too, heading winning goals against Coventry and Everton before becoming the first player since Geoff Hurst twenty years earlier to score a hat-trick in a Wembley cup final as The Blues beat Manchester City 5-4 in the Full Members Cup. A week later Chelsea collapsed to successive heavy defeats against West Ham and QPR and in the closing stages at Loftus Road the red mist descended again as he was dismissed for elbowing an opponent. The disappointing end to his season was later compounded by the news that Alex Ferguson had omitted him from the Scotland World Cup squad. Speedie spent much of 1986-87 languishing in the reserves after falling out with manager John Hollins and requesting a transfer. In what was a season of great unrest for the club, David made just 28 appearances. He played his last game for Chelsea at home to Liverpool on the final day of the season and scored with a dipping volley in a 3-3 draw. That summer he was sold to Coventry for £750, 000 much to the chagrin of his many admirers around Stamford Bridge.
If they awarded international caps for guts and determination, David Speedie would have been one of Scotland's most capped players. Born in Glenrothes but raised in Yorkshire, 'Speedo' came up the hard way, working in the coalmines before making his breakthrough into league football with Barnsley. As a player Speedie had it all: pace, wonderful touch, two good feet and, most surprising of all considering his lack of inches, prodigious heading ability (see photo above, David soaring over Leicester's 6ft plus defender John O'Neill!). He also had a fierce temper which would often boil over when frustration got the better of him. Speedo played with the hunger and tenacity so often prevalent in players who were never afforded the luxury of a football apprenticeship and it was those qualities which tempted John Neal to pay Darlington £80, 000 for his signature in May 1982. After The Blues made a disappointing start to the 1982-83 campaign Neal unleashed Speedie to spectacular effect, the new man scoring twice on his debut in a 2-0 victory over Oldham. As Chelsea fought against relegation to Division Three, David earned the respect of the Chelsea faithful with his never-say-die attitude and selfless hard running. He scored seven goals that season including a searing far-post header which clinched a crucial point against Sheffield Wednesday as Chelsea embarked on an end of season, four-match unbeaten run which enabled them to avoid relegation by just two points. Speedie was surprisingly omitted from the starting line-up at the beginning of 1983-84 but when Colin Lee fell ill at the end of October it opened the way for him to return and he grabbed the opportunity with relish, scoring twice against Charlton in his first start of the season and immediately forming a potent partnership with Kerry Dixon which remained intact for the next three years. A regular, though by no means prolific, goal scorer, Speedie found the net 13 times that season, the pick of them being a stupendous 30-yard volley against Blackburn, as Chelsea roared to the title.
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