| David Theobald | |
| Fullname: | David John Theobald |
| Birth Date: | 15 December 1978 |
| Birth Place: | Cambridge, England |
| Height: | 1.88m |
| Position: | Defender |
| Currentclub: | Cambridge City (first team coach) |
| Youthclubs1: | Cambridge United |
| Youthyears2: | –1997 |
| Youthclubs2: | Ipswich Town |
| Years1: | 1997–1999 |
| Years2: | 1999–2002 |
| Years3: | 2002–2003 |
| Years4: | 2003 |
| Years5: | 2003 |
| Caps5: | 1 |
| Goals5: | 0 |
| Clubs5: | → Cambridge City (loan) |
| Years6: | 2003–2005 |
| Years7: | 2004 |
| Years8: | 2005–2006 |
| Years9: | 2006–2007 |
| Years10: | 2007 |
| Years11: | 2007–2013 |
| Years12: | 2013–2015 |
| Years13: | 2015–2016 |
| Clubs1: | Ipswich Town |
| Clubs2: | Brentford |
| Clubs3: | Swansea City |
| Clubs4: | Cambridge United |
| Clubs6: | Canvey Island |
| Clubs7: | → Bishop's Stortford (loan) |
| Clubs8: | Kettering Town |
| Clubs9: | St Albans City |
| Clubs10: | Kettering Town |
| Clubs11: | Cambridge City |
| Caps11: | 219 |
| Goals11: | 31 |
| Clubs12: | Royston Town |
| Clubs13: | Soham Town Rangers |
| Caps1: | 0 |
| Caps2: | 31 |
| Caps3: | 10 |
| Caps4: | 4 |
| Caps6: | 59 |
| Caps7: | 5 |
| Caps8: | 31 |
| Caps9: | 22 |
| Caps10: | 19 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Goals4: | 0 |
| Goals6: | 4 |
| Goals7: | 0 |
| Goals8: | 5 |
| Goals9: | 3 |
| Goals10: | 0 |
| Caps12: | 20 |
| Caps13: | 16 |
| Goals12: | 1 |
| Goals13: | 2 |
| Years14: | 2017–2019 |
| Caps14: | 1 |
| Goals14: | 0 |
| Clubs14: | Cambridge City |
| Manageryears1: | 2015–2016 |
| Managerclubs1: | Soham Town Rangers (joint-manager) |
| Manageryears2: | 2016 |
| Managerclubs2: | Soham Town Rangers |
David John Theobald (born 15 December 1978) is an English retired semi-professional footballer who played as a defender in the Football League for Brentford, Swansea City and Cambridge United. He played the majority of his career in non-League football, predominantly for Cambridge City, for whom he made over 270 appearances across three spells. He is currently first team coach at Cambridge City.
Theobald began his career in the youth system at Cambridge United, before joining the youth setup at Ipswich Town. He progressed to undertake a scholarship, but did not win a call into a first team squad before his release at the end of the 1998–99 season.
On 8 July 1999, Theobald signed a three-year contract with newly promoted Second Division club Brentford on a free transfer.[1] He was utilised as cover for injuries and had a run in the team as a stand-in right back for the injured Danny Boxall during the 1999–00 season and in central defence for Scott Marshall during 2000–01.[2] Theobald was named in the starting lineup for the 2001 Football League Trophy Final and received a runners-up medal. He was released after Brentford's defeat in the 2002 Second Division play-off final and made just 37 appearances during three seasons at Griffin Park.[3]
On 26 July 2002, Theobald signed a one-year contract with Third Division club Swansea City on a free transfer.[4] He made just 12 appearances before leaving the Vetch Field in February 2003.
On 7 February 2003, Theobald joined hometown Third Division club Cambridge United on a contract running until the end of the 2002–03 season. He made just one appearance before his contract expired.
Between 2003 and 2018, Theobald had a long career in non-League football, predominantly with Cambridge City, for whom he made 274 appearances and scored 39 goals across three spells.[5] He also played for Canvey Island, Kettering Town, St Albans City, Royston Town, Soham Town Rangers and Bishop's Stortford.
On 8 October 2015, Theobald and fellow senior player Robbie Nightingale took over as joint-managers of Isthmian League First Division North club Soham Town Rangers.[6] He remained in the role until 4 December 2016, when he followed Nightingale out of the club.[7] [8]
On 5 December 2016, Theobald returned to Southern League Premier Division club Cambridge City as first team coach.[9]
Theobald attended Impington Village College.[10] He is a Liverpool and Cambridge United supporter.
| Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Brentford | 1999–00 | Second Division | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2000–01 | Second Division | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 19 | 0 | ||
| 2001–02 | Second Division | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | ||
| Total | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 37 | 0 | |||
| Swansea City | 2002–03 | Third Division | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 0 | |
| Cambridge United | 2002–03 | Third Division | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | ||||
| Cambridge City (loan) | 2002–03[11] | Southern League Premier Division | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Canvey Island | 2003–04 | Isthmian League Premier Division | 40 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 42 | 3 | ||
| 2004–05[12] | Conference Premier | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 | |||
| 2005–06[13] | Conference Premier | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 59 | 4 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 61 | 4 | ||||
| Bishop's Stortford (loan) | 2004–05 | Conference South | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 5 | 0 | ||||
| Kettering Town | 2005–06 | Conference North | 31 | 5 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 32 | 5 | ||
| St Albans City | 2006–07[14] | Conference Premier | 22 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 25 | 3 | ||
| Kettering Town | 2006–07[15] | Conference North | 19 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 21 | 0 | |||
| Cambridge City | 2007–08[16] | Conference South | 29 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | 34 | 4 | ||
| 2008–09[17] | Southern League Premier Division | 34 | 6 | 3 | 1 | — | 8 | 0 | 45 | 7 | |||
| 2009–10 | Southern League Premier Division | 35 | 5 | 2 | 0 | — | 9 | 2 | 46 | 7 | |||
| 2010–11 | Southern League Premier Division | 37 | 5 | 4 | 1 | — | 8 | 0 | 49 | 6 | |||
| 2011–12 | Southern League Premier Division | 43 | 9 | 2 | 1 | — | 2 | 0 | 47 | 10 | |||
| 2012–13 | Southern League Premier Division | 41 | 2 | 7 | 3 | — | 3 | 0 | 51 | 5 | |||
| Total | 219 | 31 | 18 | 6 | — | 35 | 2 | 272 | 39 | ||||
| Royston Town | 2013–14[18] | Southern League First Division Central | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2014–15 | Southern League First Division Central | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | 24 | 1 | |||
| Total | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | 25 | 1 | ||||
| Soham Town Rangers | 2015–16[19] | Isthmian League First Division North | 16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 19 | 2 | ||
| Cambridge City | 2017–18 | Southern League First Division East | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2018–19 | Southern League First Division Central | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||
| Total | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||||
| Career total | 439 | 46 | 25 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 2 | 514 | 54 | |||
Brentford
Canvey Island
Cambridge City