David Narey MBE (born 12 June 1956) is a former Scottish international footballer who spent 21 years with Dundee United. With Narey United were Scottish champions once and league cup winners twice. He also played in numerous cup runs in Europe including playing in the 1983-84 European Cup semi final and the 1987 UEFA Cup Final. Although best remembered as a central defender, he occasionally played in midfield.[4] After leaving United he won the 1994-95 Scottish League Cup with Raith Rovers.

David Narey
MBE
Personal information
Full nameDavid Narey[1]
Date of birth (1956-06-12) 12 June 1956 (age 68)
Place of birthDundee, Scotland
Height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Position(s)Central defender
Youth career
St Columba's BC
1972–1973Dundee United
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1973–1994Dundee United612(22)
1994–1995Raith Rovers21(1)
Total633(23)
International career
1977–1989Scotland[2]35(1)
1978Scottish League XI[3]1(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He collected 35 full caps for Scotland including playing in two World Cups. Narey opened the scoring for Scotland against Brazil with a 20-yard drive in the 1982 FIFA World Cup. He is a Scottish Football Hall of Fame inductee as he is also at Dundee United.

Early life

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Narey was born and brought up in Dundee and attended St John's Roman Catholic High School. He played football for St Columba's Boys Club and signed schoolboy forms with Dundee United in January 1972.[5]

Playing career

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Club

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Narey signed professionally with Dundee United in 1973 and made his senior debut in a Scottish Football League match against Falkirk on 21 November that year, playing as an attacking midfielder.[6]

Narey won three trophies in his career with Dundee United, the Scottish League Cup in 1979 and again in 1980 and the Scottish Football League Premier Division title in 1983. He also captained United when they played in the 1987 UEFA Cup Final against IFK Gothenburg, which they lost 1–0 in the first leg in Sweden and drew the return leg at Tannadice 1-1, for a 2–1 defeat on aggregate.

Narey played in four Scottish Cup finals (as well as the 1981 Scottish Cup Final replay) while with United, but on each occasion the side failed to win the trophy.[7]

Upon leaving United, Narey joined Raith Rovers, who were playing in the Scottish Football League First Division. He was part of the Raith team that won promotion to the Premier Division as First Division champions. He also played in the Raith team that defeated Celtic in the 1994 Scottish League Cup Final, winning the Man-of-the-Match award for his performance in the game.

International

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Narey made his international debut for Scotland against Sweden in April 1977, becoming the first Dundee United player to represent Scotland at full international level.[8] He played in both the 1982 and 1986 FIFA World Cups and scored his only international goal during the 1982 tournament, a long range shot against Brazil. Television pundit Jimmy Hill upset Scottish fans by describing the goal as a "toe poke".[9] By contrast The Glasgow Herald correspondent at the match, Jim Reynolds, described Narey's goal as "a wonderful right-foot shot which no goalkeeper in the world would have stopped."[10] In 2018 the BBC named the goal as number 16 in their 50 Great World Cup moments.[11] Narey made the last of his 35 appearances for Scotland in 1989.

After football

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David Narey was one of the first inductees of the Dundee United Hall of Fame in January 2008.[12] He was also inducted into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame in November 2010.[13]

Career statistics

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Club

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ClubSeasonLeagueCupLg CupOtherTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Dundee United1973–74120---120
1974–75316306041447
1975–76330106132433
1976–773221060-392
1977–78350408120491
1978–79365102020415
1979–80351109040491
1980–813207111140542
1981–823415011082583
1982–833651010381559
1983–84341409070541
1984–85291605060461
1985–86350505060510
1986–873307040100540
1987–88390903030540
1988–89340604030470
1989–90310502030410
1990–9140--2060
1991–92250-20-270
1992–932801020-310
1993–9460203010120
Total61222691108676686535
Raith Rovers1994–95211N/AN/A-211
Total211000000211
Career total63323691108676688636

International

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Scotland[14]
YearAppsGoals
197710
197810
197920
198040
198120
198291
198360
198400
198500
198670
198710
198810
198910
Total351
Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first.[15]
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.18 June 1982Estadio Benito Villamarín, Seville  Brazil1–01–41982 FIFA World Cup

Honours

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Dundee United

Raith Rovers

See also

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References

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  1. ^ A Record of Post-war Scottish League Players 1946/47 to 2017/18. 7. John Litster and Scottish Football Historian magazine. 2018.
  2. ^ David Narey at the Scottish Football Association
  3. ^ "David Narey - Scotland Football League Record from 01 Nov 1978 to 01 Nov 1978 clubs - Dundee United".
  4. ^ "Dundee United FC Official Web Site - Legends - Dave Narey". Archived from the original on 28 April 2013. Retrieved 2013-03-25.
  5. ^ Gracie, p.163, 332
  6. ^ Gracie, p.174, 332
  7. ^ Robertson, Forrest H. C. (2014). How The Cup Was Won. The Scottish Cup Finals Story. Kirkcaldy: PM Publications. p. 126. ISBN 978-0-9534682-7-0.
  8. ^ Gracie, p.196, 332
  9. ^ Ronay, Barney (4 October 2013). "Jimmy Hill a football and media revolutionary hidden by those glasses". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
  10. ^ Reynolds, Jim (19 June 1982). "Scots' bravery is not enough". The Glasgow Herald. p. 18. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  11. ^ "50 Great World Cup moments: Scotland's David Narey stuns Brazil - 1982". BBC Sport. 29 May 2018. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  12. ^ Gracie, p.333
  13. ^ "David Narey". Scottish Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
  14. ^ National Football Teams profile
  15. ^ SFA profile
  16. ^ "1994-11-27: Celtic 2-2 Raith Rovers, League Cup Final". The Celtic Wiki. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
Sources
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