David John Mitchell (24 August 1945 – 10 December 2020) was an English footballer who played for Port Vale and Ipswich Town in the Football League in the 1960s.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | David John Mitchell[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 24 August 1945[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Stoke-on-Trent, England[1] | ||
| Date of death | 10 December 2020 (aged 75)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Port Vale | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1964–1966 | Port Vale | 21 | (4) |
| 1966–1967 | Ipswich Town | 2 | (0) |
| Total | 23 | (4) | |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Career
editMitchell graduated through the Port Vale youth team to sign professional forms under manager Freddie Steele in March 1964.[1] He made his first-team debut at Vale Park on 7 September 1964, in a 1–0 defeat to Luton Town.[2] He scored his first goal for the club in a 2–2 draw at Mansfield Town on 28 September.[2] He scored four goals in 19 league and cup games in the 1964–65 season, as the "Valiants" were relegated out of the Third Division.[1] However, he played just five games in the 1965–66 season, scoring one goal in a 3–0 home win over Lincoln City, as Vale struggled near the foot of the Fourth Division table under new boss Jackie Mudie.[1] He was given a free transfer in May 1966 and moved on to Ipswich Town.[1] He played just two Second Division games for Bill McGarry's "Blues" in the 1966–67 season, and left the Football League after departing Portman Road.[2] He later became a police officer in Stoke-on-Trent and married Mary.[2]
Career statistics
editSource:[3]
| Club | Season | Division | League | FA Cup | Other | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Port Vale | 1964–65 | Third Division | 17 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 4 |
| 1965–66 | Fourth Division | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | |
| Total | 21 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 5 | ||
| Ipswich Town | 1966–67 | Second Division | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 23 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 26 | 5 | ||