David Reid Player Profile

Biography

The popular captain of Ballymena’s historic 1929 Irish Cup winning side, Reid proved the talisman in the club’s early years in Irish League football.

Born in Riccarton, outside Kilmarnock, to a family of impressive football stock he moved to Belfast 1900 where Reid and many of his brothers would become household names in football circles, with most enjoying spells at senior club.

David, the fourth of ten children, was the first in the succession of Reids to debut for Distillery in the 1910’s. making his Irish League bow in October 1913, scoring the winner in a 3-2 victory over Cliftonville at the age of just 17. Initially he began his career as an attacking player, playing all across the forward line of the Whites as they won the Gold Cup in his first season (1913/1914) and followed it up with the County Antrim Shield in the next (1914/1915).

With the outbreak of the First World War, the Irish League was suspended and the Belfast & District League was introduced for the 1915/1916 season. David remained in Ulster for the majority of the conflict and December 1915, there was a unique piece of club history as three Reid brothers (David, Max and John) all lined out for Distillery against Glenavon, whilst their other brother Jimmy played for fellow league club Belfast United on the same day to bring the representation to four. The Distillery trio of siblings would play 25 times together for the club.

David won the Belfast Charities Cup in 1915/1916 but was on the losing side in the finals of both the Gold Cup (to Linfield) and County Antrim Shield (to Glentoran) in the same season. Distillery finished second in the six team league during 1916/1917 with David Reid an ever-present at Grosvenor Park as the versatile forward entered his twenties.

Despite the ravages of war costing the lives of a number of Reid’s team-mates, Distillery managed to become a prominent success story in the league, winning the County Antrim Shield back-to-back in 1919 & 1920 and also the Gold Cup in 1920, in what proved to be one of David’s last games for the club. As in the previous Autumn, his first inclusions in the Irish League representative panel in games against Scotland (lost 2-0) and England (drew 2-2) would have a substantial bearing on his football career. Representatives from Everton in the 20,000 strong crowd at Anfield for the latter game (in which Reid scored) would trigger a £1,500 move to Merseyside in May 1920, ending his time at Distillery with 213 and 39 goals over seven seasons.

Manager Thomas McIntosh gave Reid his debut for Everton in August 1920, in a 3-3 draw against Bradford Park Avenue in the First Division and made 21 appearances for the club in a variety of forward positions, he had to wait until November for the first of his five goals as Everton finished seventh come the conclusion of the 1920/1921 campaign. Everton narrowly avoided relegation by a single league placing in Reid’s second season (1921/1922) and the first time he moved back into the middle line as a half-back.

David Reid may have made his 50th club appearance during the 1922/1923 campaign but he struggled to become a first choice selection at the club’s first eleven. The 27-year-old Scot was appointed as captain of the Reserves in August 1923, in a season whereby he was limited to just six first-team appearances. It had been rumoured that by now selectors of the Irish international team had been rebuffed in their attempts recruit Davy for potential cap, unaware of his Scottish heritage.

A trusted and popular deputy, Reid returned to the fore in in 1924/1925 with a personal high of 26 appearances across five different positions, it was a season that also marked the arrival of legendary goalscorer Dixie Dean to Goodison Park from Tranmere Rovers. The half-back proved a true fans’ favourite as multiple letters to the Liverpool newspapers called for a greater inclusion the team throughout the 1925/1926 season, as appearances once again became harder to come by come Saturday afternoon.

Unable to get into the Blues’ panel as they suddenly started to challenge for the First Division title, for the first time speculation grew that Reid would leave Merseyside, with strong links to a move to Portsmouth in November 1927. The 31-year-old eventually parted ways with his employers of eight years in February 1928 and was permitted to return home to Belfast to rejoin his former club Distillery on loan for the remainder of the season, he made 101 appearances, scoring 10 goals during his time in England. A few months later Everton clinched the title, with Dixie Dean scoring a record 60 league goals (which still stands to this day).

In June 1928, he made the shock move to league entrants Ballymena FC for the newly formed club’s first season in senior football. Reid had been heavily touted to remain with Distillery but joined the Braid club as in a role of player coach and captain. He was joined a week later by his younger brother John, who had returned home from New Brighton.

Davy led the Ballymena Babes out for the first ever Irish League game in the history of the town in August 1928 against Belfast Celtic at the Showgrounds. He also had the honour of securing the club’s first point of league football, scoring a late equaliser against Larne from the penalty spot to set the Light Blues on their way in the 1928/1929 season. It proved to be a memorable debut season for the club, as inspired by their 32-year-old captain – they astounded all onlookers to claim the Irish Cup at Solitude in March 1929 in front of 15,000 fans. One of the first names on the team list, Reid scored six goals as Ballymena finished a sixth in the table and also were runners-up in the City Cup competition.

Expectations naturally rose in local football circles that Ballymena were the real deal going into the 1929/1930 season. Reid continued his stewardship of a largely unchanged team, with the except of the departure of his brother who was replaced by experienced English defender Alf Bassnett. Despite finishing one place higher in the Irish League table (fifth) and progressing to the Irish Cup final again, they could not go as far as to retain the trophy – with Reid scoring Ballymena’s first goal in a 4-3 defeat to Linfield at Celtic Park. It was also the season his performances in blue were rewarded with a return to the Irish League representative team after a ten-year absence, winning two caps in the Autumn of 1929 against the English and Scottish Leagues, respectively.

Reid led the Blues to a third Irish Cup Final followed for the Ballymena Babes in the club’s third season (1930/1931) but defeat again to Linfield was the poorest display from the trio of final appearances. In the summer of 1931, a tightening of the finances at the Showgrounds left Reid (alongside Jamie Shiels) unable to agree new terms and in late July he signed for Free State League club Drumcondra, a move which disappointed the Braid fans, in seeing the popular defender depart after three seasons leading the team. Reid played 128 times for Ballymena, scoring twelve goals.

Relations with Drumcondra were strained and a return North to Ballymena was mooted as early as the Autumn of 1931, but despite speculation he returned to the Dublin club to see out the remainder of the 1931/1932 season, unbeknown this would be the final season of the now 35-year-old’s illustrious career, as despite press talk that he would return to play in the Irish League – there was to be no swansong for the decorated centre-half.

Relations remained strong between Davy and Ballymena Football Club’s committee in the following years, and it looked like he would become manager of the Braidmen when spotted in the stand alongside directors in the latter part of the 1932/1933 campaign – but a move never materialised. His managerial bow would be in East Belfast as he was appointed coach of Glentoran in March 1934 but despite a strong finish to a stuttering season and a busy summer of recruitment, Reid tendered his resignation to the Oval board of directors in September 1934 after just seven months in charge.

It would be another 12 years until his next appointment, as following the Second World War – he was appointed manager at Coleraine in August 1946 – at the same time in which his brother William was fulfilling a similar role at Ballymena United. His spell at the Ballycastle Road lasted even less time than his Glentoran tenure – departing after just three weeks in what was his last

David Reid passed away in January 1963 in hospital in Belfast, aged 66.

Career
(1913) Distillery; (May 1920) Everton; (Feb 1928) Distillery; (Jun 1928) Ballymena; (Jul 1931) Drumcondra)

Managerial Career
(Mar 1934) Glentoran; (Aug 1946) Coleraine

Honours
(with Distillery)
Gold Cup: (winner) 1913/1914, 1919/1920; (finalist) 1915/1916
County Antrim Shield: (winner) 1914/1915, 1918/1919, 1919/1920; (finalist) 1915/1916
Belfast Charities Cup: (winner) 1915/1916; (finalist) 1919/1920
Irish League; (runner-up) 1916/1917
(with Ballymena)
Irish Cup: (winner) 1928/1929; (finalist) 1929/1930, 1930/1931
City Cup: (runner-up) 1928/1929

International Honours
Irish League Representative (4 caps – 1919-1929)

Last updated: 26 May 2022