David Rocastle facts for kids
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | David Carlyle Rocastle | ||
| Date of birth | 2 May 1967 | ||
| Place of birth | Lewisham, London, England | ||
| Date of death | 31 March 2001 (aged 33) | ||
| Place of death | Slough, Berkshire, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1982–1985 | Arsenal | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1985–1992 | Arsenal | 218 | (24) |
| 1992–1993 | Leeds United | 25 | (2) |
| 1993–1994 | Manchester City | 21 | (2) |
| 1994–1998 | Chelsea | 29 | (0) |
| 1997 | → Norwich City (loan) | 11 | (0) |
| 1997 | → Hull City (loan) | 11 | (1) |
| 1998 | Sabah | 13 | (8) |
| Total | 328 | (37) | |
| National team | |||
| 1986–1988 | England U21 | 14 | (2) |
| 1988–1992 | England B | 2 | (0) |
| 1988–1992 | England | 14 | (0) |
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David Carlyle Rocastle (born May 2, 1967 – died March 31, 2001) was a talented English footballer. He played as a midfielder, often helping to create goals or playing on the wing.
David spent most of his career at Arsenal, where fans lovingly called him "Rocky". After leaving Arsenal, he played for other big clubs like Leeds United, Manchester City, and Chelsea in the Premier League. Later, he played for Norwich City and Hull City in the lower leagues. He finished his career playing in Malaysia for Sabah FA. David Rocastle also played for the England national team, earning 14 caps (appearances) for his country.
Arsène Wenger, a famous Arsenal manager, described David as a "modern player" with "exceptional skill." Many Arsenal fans remember him as a popular and legendary figure. Arsenal has honored him by naming their indoor training center after him. His name is also displayed at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal's home ground.
Contents
David Rocastle's Football Journey
David Rocastle was born in Lewisham, London, on May 2, 1967. His parents were immigrants from the Caribbean who moved to London in the 1950s. David's father passed away when David was only five years old.
Starting at Arsenal
David Rocastle tried out for Millwall but wasn't accepted. However, he joined Arsenal's youth team, known as the Academy, in May 1982. He signed his first professional contract in December 1984.
Early in his career, David had trouble with his eyesight. His teammates noticed he would dribble with his head down. Doctors discovered his eyesight was poor and helped him with contact lenses. After that, his football career really took off!
He played his first game for Arsenal on September 28, 1985, against Newcastle United. He scored his first league goal against Aston Villa in March 1986. David quickly became a regular player in the first team.
Big Moments and Trophies
In January 1987, during a game against Manchester United, David was sent off (given a red card) for reacting to a tackle. This led to a big fight between players and is often seen as the start of the strong rivalry between Arsenal and Manchester United.
David scored the winning goal in the 1986–87 League Cup semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur. A month before his 20th birthday, he won his first major trophy: the League Cup, when Arsenal beat Liverpool 2-1 in the final at Wembley. Because of his great performances, he was named in the PFA Team of the Year and won the Barclays Young Eagle award.
The next season, Arsenal reached the League Cup final again but lost to Luton Town. David also helped Arsenal win the Football League Centenary Trophy in 1988, beating Manchester United.
Winning the League Title
David won his first league championship with Arsenal in the 1988–89 season, playing in every game. He scored some amazing goals that season, including a solo effort against Middlesbrough and a lob from far away against Aston Villa. The team won the title in the very last game of the season, beating Liverpool 2-0 at Anfield. David won the Barclays Young Eagle award again that year.
Unfortunately, Arsenal couldn't play in the European Cup (Europe's top club competition) because English clubs were banned after the 1985 Heysel Stadium disaster. This ban lasted for several years.
In the 1990–91 season, David played fewer games due to a knee injury. However, he still played enough to win another league title with Arsenal, who only lost one game all season. He was involved in a famous brawl against Manchester United in October 1990 and was fined. Later that season, he broke his toe and needed another knee operation.
Last Season at Arsenal
The next season, 1991–92, David played 39 league games and had a great comeback in a new central midfield role. He played alongside his childhood friend, Ian Wright, who had just joined Arsenal. David scored four league goals that season, including another memorable lob over Peter Schmeichel against Manchester United. He also got to play in the European Cup for the first time.
In total, David Rocastle played 277 games for Arsenal and scored 34 goals. He won two league titles and a League Cup.
On July 23, 1992, David left Arsenal to join Leeds United. Many Arsenal fans and even his teammates were sad and surprised by this move, as David was very popular and had been playing well.
Playing for Leeds United
David Rocastle's move to Leeds United made him their most expensive signing at the time, costing about £2 million. He was meant to replace an older player, but that player stayed longer than expected. David played 34 games for Leeds, but only started about half of them.
He made his debut for Leeds in a European Cup game against VfB Stuttgart in September 1992. He scored his first goal for Leeds in a 1-0 win against Manchester City in March 1993. Even with his injury problems, David showed flashes of his amazing skill and was popular with Leeds fans.
Time at Manchester City
In December 1993, David moved to Manchester City. He quickly became a fan favorite there. Even though he was only 26, his past injuries were starting to affect him. But he still managed to excite the fans. In one game against Ipswich Town, he showed off some incredible "Brazilian skill," spinning away from three defenders to set up a goal.
David scored two goals for Manchester City. He played only 23 games for the club over eight months, but he made a big impact.
Joining Chelsea
David Rocastle joined Chelsea in August 1994 for £1.25 million. By this time, everyone knew about his knee problems. However, Chelsea's manager, Glenn Hoddle, believed that even 60 minutes of David Rocastle playing was better than 90 minutes from many other players. So, he started regularly but was often substituted during games.
He played 40 times for Chelsea and scored two goals. One of his best performances for Chelsea was in a European Cup Winners' Cup game against Club Brugge KV, where his experience helped Chelsea reach the semi-finals.
Unfortunately, injuries kept bothering David in the 1995–96 season, and he played only one game. This was his last game for Chelsea, though he stayed with the club until his contract ended in 1998.
Loan Spells
While still with Chelsea, David was loaned out to Norwich City in January 1997. He impressed Norwich fans with his smart passes and effort. He played 11 games for them before returning to Chelsea.
In October 1997, he was loaned to Hull City and even scored on his debut. His last game for Hull City in December 1997 was also his last game in English football.
Playing in Malaysia
In 1998, David Rocastle left Chelsea and moved to Malaysia to play for Sabah. He quickly became a very important and popular player there. He continued to score amazing goals, including a long-range volley from 50 meters! David helped Sabah reach the 1998 Malaysian FA Cup final, where they finished as runners-up. He stopped playing football in December 1999 due to injuries.
Playing for England
David Rocastle played 14 times for the England under-21 team, scoring twice. He also played two games for the England 'B' team.
He made his debut for the senior England team on September 14, 1988, against Denmark. David was never on the losing side when he played for England; they won seven games and drew seven.
A knee operation in 1990 meant he missed out on the World Cup. He had played in five of England's six World Cup qualifying matches and was chosen for the training camp, but he was one of the last players cut from the final squad. His last game for England was on May 17, 1992, against Brazil. David earned 14 caps for England but did not score any goals for the senior team.
Illness and Passing
In February 2001, David Rocastle announced that he was battling non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a serious type of cancer. He had been diagnosed in October 2000 and was undergoing treatment. Sadly, he passed away on March 31, 2001, at the age of 33. He was survived by his wife and children. Years later, it was shared that his cancer had been very serious from the start.
Six weeks after David's death, his nine-year-old son, Ryan, was the mascot for Arsenal in the 2001 FA Cup Final.
Arsenal and its fans have continued to honor David Rocastle.
- On April 1, 2006, "David Rocastle Day" was held as part of Arsenal's final season at Highbury. Fans gave a minute of applause before a game.
- In August 2006, Arsenal opened the David Rocastle indoor center at their youth academy.
- David is also one of 32 Arsenal legends whose images are shown on the side of the new Emirates Stadium.
- On March 30, 2013, Arsenal fans sang his name and displayed his famous quote: "Remember who you are, what you are, and who you represent!"
- Hull City also honored him with a sign at their stadium in May 2015.
- Arsenal fans paid tribute to him again on April 2, 2016, marking 15 years since his passing.
Personal Life
David Rocastle had three children with his wife, Janet: a son named Ryan, and two daughters, Melissa and Monique.
He was the cousin of another professional footballer, Craig Rocastle. His brother, Stephen, also played football for Norwich City.
The David Rocastle Trust
The David Rocastle Trust was a charity created in London to honor David's memory. Arsenal chose it as their club charity for the 2005–06 season. The charity supported David's family and helped other community projects and charities. The trust closed down in 2010.
Honours
Arsenal
- First Division: 1988–89, 1990–91
- Football League Cup: 1986–87
- FA Charity Shield: 1991 (shared)
- Football League Centenary Trophy: 1988
- Zenith Data Systems Challenge Trophy: 1989
Leeds United
- FA Charity Shield: 1992
- Makita Tournament: runner-up 1992
Sabah
- Piala FA: runner-up 1998
England youth
- Toulon Tournament: runner-up 1988
Individual
- Arsenal Player of the Year: 1986
- Barclays Young Eagle: 1987 & 1989
- PFA Team of the Year: 1987, 1989
Images for kids
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David Rocastle, nicknamed "Rocky"
See also
In Spanish: David Rocastle para niños
