Born in Newcastle Upon Tyne, David was a product of the Newcastle youth system. And although he had a wait several years before making his debut for the club, he did eventually make the breakthrough in the January of 1970 in a home game against Southampton.

David would struggle to hold down a place in the Newcastle starting line up however and would leave to rivals Sunderland after a spell on loan at Vancouver Spartans. Indeed he would make the bench in their 1972 cup triumph over Leeds.

He would later play for Charlton and Southend United before retiring in 1978.