David Moyes, born on 25 April 1963 in Scotland, carved out a professional football career as a defender. Standing 6ft (1.85m) tall and weighing 12st 12lb (82kg), he was an imposing figure on the pitch. His career took him through several clubs and multiple league tiers.
Moyes began his football journey at Celtic in 1980, during the Premiership era in Scotland. By the 1981-1982 season, he found himself making 19 first team appearances, followed by five first team appearances in the 1982-1983 season.
In July 1983, he swapped Scottish soil for English turf, joining Cambridge United in the League One. His tenure at Cambridge proved fruitful, notably the 1984-1985 season where he made 40 first team appearances and scored once. His stay at Cambridge spanned three seasons, ending with 79 first team appearances and a single goal to his name.
Moyes continued his travels south, joining Bristol City in the Championship in 1985. Over three seasons at Bristol City, he made 83 first team appearances and impressed with six goals to his name. Notably, his most goal-laden season was the 1986-1987 where he found the net on three occasions.
In July 1987, Moyes moved to Shrewsbury Town in the League One. Across three seasons, he amassed 96 first team appearances, with his most successful season in front of goal proving to be the 1989-1990 season, where he scored eight times.
His journey then took him back to Scotland in August 1990, but this time to Dunfermline Athletic in the Championship. Over four seasons, Moyes made 105 first team appearances and scored 13 goals. His time at the club culminated in the 1993-1994 season, where he only made a single appearance.
Briefly, Moyes transferred to Hamilton Academical in the Championship in July 1993, but he only made five first team appearances in league matches. After this brief stint, Moyes ventured back to England in October 1993, to join Preston North End in the Championship. His stay at Preston was the longest in his professional career, spanning six seasons where he made a total of 193 first team appearances and scored 19 goals.
