David Woodfield
{{Short description|English footballer (1943–2025)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2016}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = David Woodfield
| image =
| upright =
| alt =
| caption =
| full_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1943|10|11|df=y}}
| birth_place = Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England
| death_date = {{death date and age|2025|5|1|1943|10|11|df=y}}
| death_place =
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=11}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nasljerseys.com/Players/W/Woodfield.Dave.htm|title=NASL-Dave Woodfield|website=www.nasljerseys.com}}
| position = Defender
| youthyears1 = 1959–1962
| youthclubs1 = Wolverhampton Wanderers
| years1 = 1962–1971
| clubs1 = Wolverhampton Wanderers
| caps1 = 250
| goals1 = 13
| years2 = 1967
| clubs2 = → Los Angeles Wolves (loan)
| caps2 = 6
| goals2 = 1
| years3 = 1971–1974
| clubs3 = Watford
| caps3 = 15
| goals3 = 0
| totalcaps = 271
| totalgoals = 14
| manageryears1 = 1979
| managerclubs1 = Saudi Arabia
| manageryears2 = 2000–2001
| managerclubs2 = Sabah
}}
David Woodfield (11 October 1943 – 1 May 2025) was an English football player and coach. He played as a central defender, making over 250 appearances for Wolverhampton Wanderers during the 1960s, before concluding his playing career at Watford. Following retirement, Woodfield embarked on a coaching career that spanned several decades and continents, including a stint as Saudi Arabia national football team manager.
Playing career
Born in Leamington Spa,{{Hugman|21599|access-date=29 March 2021}} Woodfield joined Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1959, making his senior debut in 1962, and making 276 appearances for the club in all competitions before being sold to Watford in 1971.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wolves.co.uk/news/club/20250501-david-woodfield-1943-2025/|title=David Woodfield 1943–2025|publisher=Wolverhampton Wanderers FC}} During his time with Wolverhampton, he spent time at Los Angeles Wolves in the United Soccer Association. At Watford he made a further 15 league appearances.{{NeilBrownPlayers|player6/davewoodfield}}
Coaching career
Woodfield retired due to injury, and became a coach at Watford. He then spent time as a coach under Qatar manager Frank Wignall.{{cite web|title=Duggie's Back! Woodfield Home At Last|url=http://www.wolvesheroes.com/2011/03/26/duggies-back/|work=Wolves Heroes|accessdate=7 March 2014}}{{Cite news |last=Masi |first=Joseph |date=28 August 2017 |title=Woodfield card broke 30-year red-less spell |work=Express & Star |pages=45}} In 1976, he worked with Saudi Arabia manager Bill McGarry.{{Cite news |date=1976-07-04 |title=Off to Arabia |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sunday-people-off-to-arabia/171875935/ |access-date=2025-05-07 |work=The Sunday People |pages=35}}{{Cite news |last=Miller |first=Harry |date=1976-12-22 |title=Bill chasing recruits for Soccer's Mecca |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-mirror-bill-chasing-recruits-for-s/171875965/ |access-date=2025-05-07 |work=Daily Mirror |pages=23}}{{Cite news |last=Thomas |first=David |date=1976-08-21 |title=Old time stars on parade tomorrow |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/herald-express-old-time-stars-on-parade/171804193/ |access-date=2025-05-07 |work=Herald Express |pages=6}}
He later joined Newcastle United as a coach, again under McGarry.
Woodfield returned to Saudi Arabia to manage the national team at the 5th Arabian Gulf Cup in 1979, where they finished third.{{Cite news |last=Simpson |first=Paul |date=January 2023 |title=Dough in the desert |work=Four Four Two |pages=71-73 |language=en}}{{Cite web |author=Hassanin Mubarak |date=21 August 2019 |title=Saudi Arabia National Team Coaches|publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/sau-coach.html |access-date=2025-05-07 |website=RSSSF.org}}
He then spent his career abroad until 2011, primarily in Asia,{{Cite web|url=https://uk.news.yahoo.com/serving-saudi-arabia-dave-woodfield-172000549.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAADcLcpHXaT5r34GBBJbEsZe-cAlYAl0G9soXoRbied8Whhf58dE5tMbJjVAMSvOGXFWQGQBBjWf63HYhTWLOOTw7js0H_f_4qGG5zVdmsKHyc_9BiwRWO7DwoWGGHP8tjJDD_-w8LrEEnY4kZRoOVuXxpGJtwfbOMD4ZkVL8cJDU|title=Serving in Saudi Arabia: Dave Woodfield, the Wolverhampton wanderer|date=4 September 2015|website=Yahoo News}} working in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE, Brunei, Malaysia, Thailand, Brazil and Finland.
Death
Woodfield died on 1 May 2025, at the age of 81.{{cite news |last1=Williams |first1=Oliver |title=Leamington born ex Wolverhampton Wanderers player David Woodfield has died |url=https://www.warwickshireworld.com/news/people/leamington-born-ex-wolverhampton-wanderers-player-david-woodfield-has-died-5117178 |access-date=25 May 2025 |publisher=Warwickshire World |date=7 May 2025}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Sabah F.C. (Malaysia) managers}}
{{Saudi Arabia national football team managers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Woodfield, David}}
Category:Footballers from Leamington Spa
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. players
Category:Los Angeles Wolves players
Category:English Football League players
Category:United Soccer Association players
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:English football managers
Category:Newcastle United F.C. non-playing staff
Category:Watford F.C. non-playing staff
Category:Sabah F.C. (Malaysia) managers
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