David Court
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David John Court (born March 1, 1944) is an English former footballer, now turned coach.
Born in Mitcham, Surrey, Court joined Arsenal as a schoolboy in 1959, turning professional in January 1962. Initially a centre forward, he was a regular goalscorer for the Gunners' youth and reserve sides. He made his first-team debut against Aston Villa on September 10, 1962, and went on to make fourteen league appearances over the next two seasons.
At the start of the 1964-65 season, Arsenal manager Billy Wright switched Court to the right wing, and he became a regular there for that season, before being switched to right back in 1965-66. After Wright's dismissal Court continued to stay at the club for the next three seasons as a utility player, playing every position bar goalkeeper, although he played fewer matches. However 1968-69 saw him return as a first-team regular – he played 51 matches that season, including the Gunners' League Cup final loss to Swindon Town.
He continued to be a regular in 1969-70, until he suffered injury midway through; he missed both legs of the Gunners' Inter-Cities Fairs Cup final triumph that season. In July 1970 Arsenal accepted a £30,000 bid for him from Luton Town; in all he had played 204 matches for Arsenal, and had scored 18 goals. He spent two seasons with Luton, before seeing out his career at Brentford.
After retiring from football, he worked in the financial sector, before returning to Arsenal in 1996 as Assistant Head of Youth Development, alongside Liam Brady, and has remained in the job since.
