The David Speedie Story is the no-holds-barred autobiography of the former Scotland international and top-flight English Football League striker.

Born in Scotland but raised in Yorkshire, David dreamed of swapping his job as a Doncaster coal miner for a career in professional football. Not only did he achieve this, but he played at the highest level for Chelsea, Coventry City, Blackburn Rovers, Liverpool and Leicester City.

Whilst at Chelsea, Speedie became the first player since Geoff Hurst to score a hat-trick at Wembley. He also achieved promotion to the top flight with Chelsea, Blackburn, West Ham (while on loan from Southampton) and Leicester City. To put the icing on the cake, he played for Scotland ten times. David is brutally honest about the people he encountered in his long footballing career. He speaks candidly about his battle with depression after retiring from football and how he overcame it.

This gripping book is a must-read for anyone interested in the English game in the 1980s or the Scotland national team of that era.

In this compelling book, David:

• Looks back on his battle to leave his life as a coal miner and fulfil his dream of becoming a professional footballer
• Gives you the inside track on achieving promotion to the top flight with Chelsea, Blackburn, West Ham (while on loan from Southampton) and Leicester City
• Recalls how he became the first player since Geoff Hurst to score a hat-trick at Wembley
• Is unflinchingly honest about the people he encountered in football across his long career, including his relationship with Graeme Souness
• Speaks of his sadness at the loss of former Scotland manager Jock Stein, and about being dropped from Sir Alex Ferguson’s Scotland squad for the World Cup finals in Mexico after playing in every qualifying match
• Talks candidly about his fight with depression and how he overcame it
  
  

David Speedie has teamed up with renowned football writer and Darlington FC devotee Paul Hodgson to tell his story. A writer since the 1990s, this is Paul’s seventh book and his fourth with Pitch, including his inspirational autobiography, For the Love of Darlo, which reveals how he overcame severe disability to achieve his ambitions. Paul is also an accomplished scriptwriter with multiple awards to his name.

The launch of this book will take place at Blackwell Meadows, home of Darlington FC, on Saturday, 6th September, starting at 12:30 pm in the bar. David will be there to sign copies of the book.