David McVay’s footballing career with Ilkeston Town, Notts County, Peterborough United, Lincoln City, Torquay United, and Cumberland FC may not have been the most glamorous, but what it lacked in glitz, it more than made up for in the rich tapestry of experience that led him to carve out a niche as a writer.

PART ONE

Hailing from Nottingham, David McVay started out with Ilkeston Town in the Southern League but soon attracted attention from bigger clubs. He eventually signed with Second Division outfit Notts County in 1973 and was handed his competitive debut by manager Jimmy Sirrel in a convincing 4-1 win over Crystal Palace in front of almost 21,000 people at Selhurst Park on the 25th of August the same year. A versatile midfielder, McVay would go on to spend the bulk of his playing days at Meadow Lane where he was part of a team that embodied the rough-and-tumble nature of lower League football, and even though he never really lived up to early expectations, he shared the pitch with characters like Don Masson, Ray O’Brien, Brian Stubbs, Kevin Randall, Dave Needham, and Les Bradd—players who, in their own ways, helped shape a new era at the club.

One of his most memorable moments in a black and white shirt came on the 30th of August 1975, when County locked horns with local rivals Nottingham Forest in a fiercely contested derby at Meadow Lane. Notts had begun the season brightly and were sitting comfortably in fourth place, suggesting they were a team capable of competing at the upper end of the division. However, across the River Trent, Brian Clough was already beginning to weave his magic, and Forest were tipped as favourites to claim local bragging rights.

The match itself was a tense, attritional affair, with neither side willing to cede an inch, and the first half unfolded with few clear-cut chances, leaving the 20,000-strong crowd restless. However, as the game wore on, Notts´ resilience shone through, and with the contest seemingly heading for a goalless stalemate, County found their moment of glory in the dying seconds. Bradd rose highest of them all to meet a cross and sent the ball crashing into the back of the onion bag, prompting an eruption of euphoria inside Meadow Lane.

That 1-0 victory against Nottingham Forest was more than just three points; it was a statement, a moment that reaffirmed Notts County’s ability to stand toe-to-toe with their ambitious neighbours, and for McVay, it was another fine example of the team’s unyielding spirit. Moreover, it reflected the ethos of Sirrel’s side—underdogs on paper, but fighters on the pitch, never willing to bow to reputations or predictions.

PART TWO

Although McVay’s tenure at Notts County provided him with a certain stability, his active career trajectory took him to other pastures, including Torquay United, Peterborough United, and Lincoln City. In particular, his time at Lincoln during the 1981-82 campaign was anything but straightforward; he arrived at Sincil Bank on a three-month trial following a spell at Peterborough. However, despite being an ever-present figure in the team during that period, McVay ultimately failed to secure a contract. Consequently, he was left searching for his next opportunity—a common plight for many footballers navigating the uncertainties of the game.

A subsequent stint with Non-League Cumberland FC signalled that his playing days were gradually winding down. Yet, as one chapter closed, another was already taking shape. Notably, McVay had long harboured a keen interest in writing, and this passion soon translated into a post-football career in journalism.

Undoubtedly, David McVays´s transition to the media world was aided by the fact that he had already been documenting his experiences in professional football, providing an unfiltered glimpse into the life of a lower-league player. What’s more, these diaries would later form the backbone of his critically acclaimed book, Diary of a Football Nobody. In this candid and often humorous account, McVay painted a vivid picture of life in the 1970s footballing wilderness—a far cry from the riches and glamour of the First Division and an insightful counterpoint to the superstar narratives that often dominate the sport’s storytelling landscape.

McVay also turned his hand to historical documentation, co-authoring The Complete Centre Forward, a biography of Tommy Lawton, as well as penning Notts County FC, a comprehensive history of his former club. Hence, his post-soccer contributions ensured that his love for the game endured, albeit in a different form.

In contrast to those who fade into obscurity after their playing careers, David McVay reinvented himself with wit and wisdom, proving that while his footballing exploits may not have been headline-grabbing, his words certainly were. And if there’s any irony in the fact that a man who spent much of his playing career toiling in the shadows of others became best known for putting his experiences into the spotlight, well, that’s just football for you—gloriously unpredictable, much like McVay’s own journey from the pitch to the page.