Derek joined us at the start of the 1975-76 campaign having previously played for Kingstonian, Leatherhead and Fulham Reserves in the London Combination.
He was a tenacious, hard-working midfielder who was renowned for his non-stop tackling ability.
Derek was an integral part of the team which reached the FA Cup 4th round proper which ended at Bradford City that same season. He scored our second goal late in game in our dramatic FA Cup tie away to Swindon Town in the third round of the competition which ended 2-2 and set up the Alan Ives winner in the replay at Sandy Lane which we won 2-1.
He played in our three Surrey Senior Cup Final triumphs of that era which created history as we became the first club to lift the County Cup three years in succession. He made over 250 appearances for the club and scored his fair share of goals for the Terrors 28 in number. Not a bad return for a defensive midfielder who could be a good goal poacher and netted some vital ones for Tooting.
Derek also saw service with Walton & Hersham, Staines Town, Hampton, Carshalton Athletic and Woking.
On the representative side he toured Indonesia with the globe-trotting Middlesex Wanderers and was a member of that team which played and won all their seven matches in the Country. He also played for the FA and an Isthmian League representative side.
In 1984 he became Reserve Team Manager at Walton & Hersham.
Derek is fondly remembered as one of football’s nice guys. He also came to a 1970’s former players reunion at Imperial Fields in October 2022.
Article written by Ian Bullock TMUFC Members Club Vice President