David White

Watching City in the 80's was a roller coaster of ups and downs but the one thing they always did was play fast attacking football with wingers.  Being a regular at youth and reserve games I had seen David White develop and really couldn't wait for him to make his bow in the first team.  He broke into the first team in 1986 and quickly became a regular and was soon a firm favourite of the Kippax.

Early in his career he showed signs of just what he was about scoring a hat trick in the famous 10-1 win V Huddersfield he also set up many goals with his bombing runs down the right wing.

After two years out of the top flight City returned to Division One and White really began to show he was a talent many blues remember "that" pass as White swung in a ball for Andy Hinchcliffe to bury a header into the top corner as City beat neighbours United 5-1.  It was the introduction of Howard Kendall as manager that in the end saved City from relegation but White held his own as Kendall brought in many players whom he knew from his days at Everton.

The following season despite Kendall quitting Peter Reid guided City to a creditable 5th 1 place above United.  The highlight for White had to be the 5-1 win away to Aston Villa where he scored 4 and even set up the other for Mark Brennan.

City fans knew White was worthy of an England cap but at the time there was a clear bias towards certain teams within the league.  Indeed as he moved into a more central role the goals were really flowing 16 in 91-92 and 18 in 92-93 (the first of which was Citys first in the new Premier League and the first on Skys Monday night football).  Finally White did get the call up his form had deserved probably 1 year earlier when he played for England away in Spain.  At the time I remembered thinking he deserved to be called up for a serious game and that seemed to be the views of many blues I knew.  Sadly England lost 1-0 and White got the lions share of the blame as he wasted a clear chance.  It seemed to affect him as he lost form and eventually in 1993 he was swapped for David Rocastle.  Things didn't perhaps work out for him at Leeds and two years later he was on the move again this time to Sheffield United and whilst at Bramhall Lane there was the odd performance that showed signs he still had it.  Sadly just 3 years later aged just 30 a persistant ankle injury forced him to retire.

David White is a player I will always remeber fondly and to be honest despite the vast number of talents City do have in their 11 now White will always be my number one favourite i've seen wearing the blue of City.