Derek Saunders facts for kids
.png)
Saunders in 1955
|
|||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 6 January 1928 | ||
| Place of birth | Ware, England | ||
| Date of death | 3 March 2018 (aged 90) | ||
| Playing position | Half-back | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1953–1959 | Chelsea | 203 | (9) |
|
|||
Derek Saunders (born 6 January 1928 – died 3 March 2018) was an English footballer. He played for Chelsea Football Club during the 1950s. He was known for being a strong and reliable player.
Contents
Derek Saunders' Football Journey
Derek Saunders was born in Ware, England. He started playing football when he was young. He even became the youngest captain for his local team, Ware. He played in many different positions on the field.
Early Career and Amateur Success
As he grew older, Saunders became a wing-half. This position is similar to a midfielder today. He played for an amateur team called Walthamstow Avenue. In 1952, he was their captain. He led his team to win the FA Amateur Cup Final. This was a big achievement for an amateur player.
Joining Chelsea Football Club
In June 1953, Derek Saunders joined Chelsea. He immediately became a professional footballer. His first game for Chelsea was against Sheffield United. He quickly became an important player for the team.
Winning the Championship
Saunders was a key part of Chelsea's team that won the Football League Championship in the 1954–55 season. This was a huge victory for Chelsea. He was one of only two players who played in every single game that season. This shows how important he was to the team's success.
Saunders usually played in a defensive role. This meant he did not score many goals. However, he scored a very important goal against West Bromwich Albion. Chelsea was losing 0–2, but Saunders scored to make it 3–2. Chelsea then went on to win the game 4–2!
Playing in Europe
Derek Saunders stayed with Chelsea for four more seasons after their championship win. Although they did not win the title again, he continued to play well. In 1958, he was part of the first Chelsea team to play in a European competition. This was the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. A year before that, he had also played for a special team called the London XI in the same competition.
In total, Derek Saunders played 223 games for Chelsea. He scored nine goals during his time there. After leaving Chelsea in 1959, he became the Head Groundsman at Vincent Square. This is a famous playing field in London for Westminster School.
