David Armstrong

David Armstrong (26 December 1954 – 21 August 2022)

Football career Armstrong was part of the Middlesbrough side of the 1970s managed by Jack Charlton which won the Second Division title and was a consistent Division One team for most of the decade. Towards the end of his time at Middlesbrough, he gained his first England cap. At Ayresome Park, Armstrong was noted for his remarkable durability – for many years he was ever-present in the #11 shirt, and as a testament to this was awarded a testimonial whilst aged only 25. He holds the Boro' record for most consecutive appearances with 305 consecutive league games and 358 consecutive games in all competitions between March 1972 and August 1980.

He joined Southampton in August 1981 for £600,000, then a club record, and scored 15 league goals in his first season alongside Kevin Keegan, as the Saints led the table for most of the first three months of 1982 before finishing seventh. He came close to a league title medal again in 1984, as the Saints finished runners-up to Liverpool in the league and were also semi-finalists in the FA Cup, scoring 15 league goals again. At Southampton, he had scored 59 league goals in six seasons.

At the end of the 1986–87 season, Armstrong dropped down a division to sign for AFC Bournemouth.

Honours Middlesbrough Football League Division 2: 1973–1974

Southampton Football League Division 1 runners-up: 1983–84