McNiven: David Scott (David)

1972-1978 (Player Details)

Forward

Born: Stonehouse, Lanarkshire: 09-09-1955

Debut: v Notts County (h): 08-10-1975

5’6” 11st 4lb (1977)

A Scottish Schoolboy International, he was a prolific goalscorer in the Leeds United Juniors and turned professional in September 1972. McNiven earned himself the nickname ‘Supersub’ for scoring vital goals after coming on a substitute for Leeds. He won three Scottish Under-Twenty-one caps, two as a substitute, while at Leeds. He was a prolific goalscorer in the Juniors and Reserve teams, scoring three hat-tricks in the Central League in 1975-76. With the likes of Allan Clarke, Mick Jones, Peter Lorimer, Joe Jordan, Duncan McKenzie, John O’Hare and Ray Hankin available as strikers there was little wonder he was restricted to a handful of games when others were injured. A fee £25,000 took him to Bradford City in February 1978 and he enjoyed a productive five year spell before going to Blackpool in February 1983. During his spell at Valley Parade he was always the first choice striker and scored sixty-four goals in two hundred and twelve League appearances which included ten substitute appearances. He was ever-present with forty-six appearances and nineteen goals as he spearheaded City to promotion in 1982-83. He left Bloomfield Road on a free transfer in May 1984 after scoring eleven goals in forty-nine appearances of which four were as substitute. He had a spell with Portland Timbers and Pittsburgh Spirit in the NASL before joining Halifax Town in March 1985 and netting four goals in a dozen League appearances at the Shay. In the 1985 close season he moved to Morecambe, and then he worked as a milkman in Lytham St Annes before going into the second-hand car business as a salesman in Preston. He graduated to Commercial Sales Manager and is still with the same Company twenty years later. His father Tom, the former Third Lanark player, was Hibernian’s physiotherapist and Scotland’s physio for the 1974, 1978 and 1982 World Cups. His twin sons both played professional football, David with Oldham Athletic, Southport York City and a variety of Scottish and Non-League clubs and currently with Stafford Rangers and Scott with Oldham Athletic, Oxford United, Mansfield Town and several others and currently with Farsley Celtic.