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David Smallman

THROUGHOUT the 1970s Everton boasted one of the most potent centre-forwards in their modern history.

But they couldn’t find a productive partner for Bob Latchford.

Mickey Walsh, Jim Pearson, Peter Eastoe, Imre Varadi, Duncan McKenzie, Brian Kidd. . . all were tried and discarded with varying degrees of success.

But the man who might have been perfect was never allowed to show his rich potential. . . because of appalling misfortune with injuries.

There was a look of Roy Vernon about Welsh international striker David Smallman – dark, lithe, a silken dart of a finisher who also loved a cigarette.

And when he burst onto the scene at the tail end of the 1974-75 season Billy Bingham looked to have unearthed a gem of rare potential.

Smallman hooked a spectacular strike over his shoulder on his home debut against Sheffield United to give Everton a 2-0 lead (it was indicative of Everton’s luck throughout the 1970s and Smallman’s that The Blades should come back to win 3-2!)

Then the following season he kept pace with Latchford as the duo grabbed eight goals in the opening eight games.

Then appalling misfortune struck – again, and again and again.

A dislocated shoulder, torn hamstring, phlebitis of the calf, knee ligament damage, a broken leg in a reserve match and finally a broken leg sustained in a training accident at Bellefield – all hindered and finally ended his progress at Goodison Park.

It was a shocking end to a hugely promising career.

When he signed for Everton in March 1975, Wrexham boss John Neal initially refused to pose for press photographs.

“This isn’t a very happy day for me,” he said. “I’m the only loser in this one. I won’t discuss the fee (a then considerable £75,000) but he’s a bargain at the price.”

Manchester City actually wanted him, but couldn’t afford the fee after forking out £250,000 to take Joe Royle from Goodison three months earlier.

Bingham said: “I reckon he’s the best young striker around. Apart from perhaps Chris Garland of Chelsea, there’s nobody else who can touch him.”

Bingham had succeeded where Harry Catterick failed, trying to lure Smallman to Goodison three years earlier at the tender age of 19.

On that occasion, Smallman didn’t feel ready to make the step up from Wrexham.

But a goal spree during Wrexham’s run to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup in 1974 made a move inevitable.

Described in a contemporary report as “the most precious piece of raw material unearthed from the lower divisions this season,” John Neal described how he first spotted him.

“I’d gone along to watch another couple of lads playing in a local team at Shotton. Within the first few minutes they hammered two awkward balls hard at Smallman and he killed them as if they had been hit into a cushion.

“Then he controlled a pass superbly with his head and I’d seen enough to know he was something special.”

Sadly, injuries meant the football world at large never got to see that potential.

But Evertonians caught a glimpse during the 23 first team matches that he was able to start among the myriad of injuries.

David Smallman was undoubtedly one of football’s great might-have-beens.