Derek Alan Leck (8 February 1937 – 11 July 2011) was an English professional footballer who played as a right half or centre forward in the Football League for Millwall, Northampton Town and Brighton & Hove Albion.[1]

Derek Leck
Personal information
Full name Derek Alan Leck[1]
Date of birth (1937-02-08)8 February 1937[1]
Place of birth Deal, England
Date of death 11 July 2011(2011-07-11) (aged 74)[1]
Place of death Brighton, England
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[2]
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
Leyton Youth Club
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1955–1958 Millwall 7 (2)
1958–1965 Northampton Town 246 (45)
1965–1966 Brighton & Hove Albion 30 (0)
1966–1969 Hastings United
Crawley Town
Total 283 (47)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Life and career

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Leck was born in 1937 in Deal, Kent.[1] He joined Millwall from Leyton Youth Club and turned professional in 1955, but played little, and moved on to Fourth Division club Northampton Town in 1958. Converted from centre forward to wing half, he became a regular in the Northampton side that gained three promotions in the next six seasons to reach the First Division for the 1965–66 Football League season.[2] After 268 appearances in all competitions,[3] he left the club in November 1965 for Brighton & Hove Albion where his league career ended prematurely because of injury.[4] He played on for non-league clubs Hastings United and Crawley Town, and worked as a baker in the Sussex area,[3] where he remained until his death from cancer in Brighton in 2011 at the age of 74.[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Derek Leck". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  2. ^ a b Carder, Tim; Harris, Roger (1997). Albion A–Z: A Who's Who of Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. Hove: Goldstone Books. p. 142. ISBN 978-0-9521337-1-1.
  3. ^ a b "In memoriam". Northampton Town F.C. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  4. ^ "Leck's stint with Albion cut short by injury". The Argus. Brighton. 4 March 2001. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  5. ^ "Derek Leck". The Argus. Brighton. 15 July 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2018.