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DICK DIGHTON
David Tilley3 Mar 2023 - 13:34
OBITUARY
Corby Town Football Club are sad to announce the loss of another club legend with the passing of Dick Dighton this week at the age of 71. Born in Corby on July 26th 1951 goalkeeper Dick was the youngest player to be chosen for the Steelmen's first team by manager Tommy Hadden when he was given his debut in a 3-1 Midland Floodlit Cup defeat away to Nuneaton Borough in May 1967 at the age of fifteen years nine months and seven days - just a couple of years after being a ballboy at Occupation Road.
Dick joined Coventry City as an apprentice in 1967/68 and was second choice for the youth team for much of that season behind David Icke. He took over the jersey for the second leg of the F.A Youth Cup semi final against Crystal Palace because he was considered the more reliable of the two for such a big game and after beating Palace he kept his place for the two legged Final against Burnley. Coventry won the home first leg 1-0 but were struck by an early blow at Burnley when Dick was concussed in a challenge after just two minutes. He stayed on the pitch until half time, when Trevor Gould took over between the posts, but by that time Burnley had scored twice to lift the trophy on a 2-1 aggregate .Inspired by Willie Carr Coventry, with Dick fit again, did have the consolation of of winning the Southern Junior Floodlt Cup a couple of weeks later with a 4-1 aggregate victory over an Arsenal youth team which included Ray Kennedy and Charlie George.
Dick played in Coventry's reserves in 1968/69 but didn't appear in the first team before being released at the end of that season. He joined Peterborough United in the summer of 1969 and actually made his Football League debut whilst on loan at Stockport County in a 1-1 vdraw away to Cambridge United in October 1970. He was still a teenager when he played his first senior game for Peterborough United in February 1971 in a 3-1 win over Crewe Alexandra at London Road. He made a further seven appearances that season but played just once in 1971/72 before being released in 1972.
Dick then gained employment as a postman in Corby and joined Kettering Town, whom he helped win the Southern League championship in 1972/73. The loss of his first team place the scrapping of the club's reserve team made Dick surplus to requirements at Kettering in 1976 and he then had spells with Rushden Town and Irthlingborough Diamonds - turning down a move to Corby Town from the latter in July 1978 when the Steelmen were at a particularly low ebb.
When Dick did leave Diamonds it was to join Stamford and he continued doing the rounds of local clubs with spells at Cottingham and Stewarts & Lloyds before finally rejoining Corby Town in December 1981 at the age of thirty.
Dick was carried off with an injury after 57 minutes of his second time around debut - ironically at Nuneaton - and suffered the same fate fifty games later in the fifteenth minute of a 5-1 home win over Addlestone & Weybridge on January 3rd 1983. Dick had his twisted knee ligaments encase in a full leg plaster the following week but although that was removed after a month he announced his retirement in April 1983 after deciding that he was unable to take the time off work to undergo the operation which might possibly have prolonged his career.
He did recover sufficiently to make five more appearances towards the end of the 1985/86 seasonto take his club total to 56 appearances before turning his hand to coaching. He had spells as goalkeeper coach at both Corby Town and Rothwell Town and also ran his own coaching sessions for budding keepers - the most successful of whom was Chris Mackenzie. Dick's own son Graeme also followed him into the Steelmen's first team.
After retiring from the Royal Mail Dick started up his own painting and decorating business. Everyone at Corby Town Football Club extends their condolences to all Dicks's family and friends at this sad time.
Dick joined Coventry City as an apprentice in 1967/68 and was second choice for the youth team for much of that season behind David Icke. He took over the jersey for the second leg of the F.A Youth Cup semi final against Crystal Palace because he was considered the more reliable of the two for such a big game and after beating Palace he kept his place for the two legged Final against Burnley. Coventry won the home first leg 1-0 but were struck by an early blow at Burnley when Dick was concussed in a challenge after just two minutes. He stayed on the pitch until half time, when Trevor Gould took over between the posts, but by that time Burnley had scored twice to lift the trophy on a 2-1 aggregate .Inspired by Willie Carr Coventry, with Dick fit again, did have the consolation of of winning the Southern Junior Floodlt Cup a couple of weeks later with a 4-1 aggregate victory over an Arsenal youth team which included Ray Kennedy and Charlie George.
Dick played in Coventry's reserves in 1968/69 but didn't appear in the first team before being released at the end of that season. He joined Peterborough United in the summer of 1969 and actually made his Football League debut whilst on loan at Stockport County in a 1-1 vdraw away to Cambridge United in October 1970. He was still a teenager when he played his first senior game for Peterborough United in February 1971 in a 3-1 win over Crewe Alexandra at London Road. He made a further seven appearances that season but played just once in 1971/72 before being released in 1972.
Dick then gained employment as a postman in Corby and joined Kettering Town, whom he helped win the Southern League championship in 1972/73. The loss of his first team place the scrapping of the club's reserve team made Dick surplus to requirements at Kettering in 1976 and he then had spells with Rushden Town and Irthlingborough Diamonds - turning down a move to Corby Town from the latter in July 1978 when the Steelmen were at a particularly low ebb.
When Dick did leave Diamonds it was to join Stamford and he continued doing the rounds of local clubs with spells at Cottingham and Stewarts & Lloyds before finally rejoining Corby Town in December 1981 at the age of thirty.
Dick was carried off with an injury after 57 minutes of his second time around debut - ironically at Nuneaton - and suffered the same fate fifty games later in the fifteenth minute of a 5-1 home win over Addlestone & Weybridge on January 3rd 1983. Dick had his twisted knee ligaments encase in a full leg plaster the following week but although that was removed after a month he announced his retirement in April 1983 after deciding that he was unable to take the time off work to undergo the operation which might possibly have prolonged his career.
He did recover sufficiently to make five more appearances towards the end of the 1985/86 seasonto take his club total to 56 appearances before turning his hand to coaching. He had spells as goalkeeper coach at both Corby Town and Rothwell Town and also ran his own coaching sessions for budding keepers - the most successful of whom was Chris Mackenzie. Dick's own son Graeme also followed him into the Steelmen's first team.
After retiring from the Royal Mail Dick started up his own painting and decorating business. Everyone at Corby Town Football Club extends their condolences to all Dicks's family and friends at this sad time.
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