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David HerdScottish footballer, striker.
Date of Birth: 15.04.1934
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
Biography of David Herd
Early Career and ArsenalDavid Herd is a Scottish footballer who is most well-known for his performances with English clubs Arsenal and Manchester United. Herd began his sporting career at Stockport County, where he played for three seasons. However, he only played a few matches for the club as he was also serving in the armed forces at the time. In 1954, Herd caught the attention of Arsenal and was signed by the club for £10,000. He made his debut for Arsenal on February 19, 1955, in a match against Leicester City. Despite only playing 8 matches in the first two seasons, Herd established himself as a talented striker in the 1956/57 season, scoring 18 goals in 28 matches. He secured a regular place in the team and went on to be the club's top scorer for four consecutive seasons. In the 1960/61 season, he scored 30 goals, the highest by any Arsenal player since Ronnie Rooke. Despite Herd's personal success, the team struggled and did not win any trophies. Their best result was finishing third in the 1958/59 season.
International Career and Manchester United
In the same season, Herd made his debut for the Scottish national team on October 18, 1958, in a match against Wales in the British Home Championship, which Scotland won 3-0. Between 1958 and 1961, he played 5 matches for the national team and scored 3 goals. His last match for Scotland was a 4-0 defeat against Czechoslovakia on May 14, 1961.
In July 1961, dissatisfied with the constant failures of his club, Herd transferred to Manchester United for £35,000. He made his debut for Manchester United on August 19, 1961, against West Ham. He helped the club win two league titles (1964/65 and 1966/67) and the FA Cup in 1963. Herd was the team's top scorer twice, scoring 17 goals in the 1961/62 season and 33 goals in the 1965/66 season, surpassing his fellow countryman and United legend Denis Law. In November 1966, Herd suffered a serious injury (broken leg), which limited his playing time and prevented him from participating in United's triumphant victory in the 1968 European Cup. He played a total of 265 matches for Manchester United, scoring 145 goals. He currently ranks 11th in the list of the club's all-time top scorers.
Later Career
In July 1968, Herd moved to Stoke City, where he played for two seasons before spending another season at Irish club Waterford United. After retiring from football, he briefly served as the head coach of Lincoln City from 1971 to 1972.
