# David Theobald

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.

## Playing career
### Early years

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.

### Brentford

On 8 July 1999, Theobald signed a three-year contract with newly promoted Second Division club Brentford on a free transfer. 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. 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.

### Swansea City

On 26 July 2002, Theobald signed a one-year contract with Third Division club Swansea City on a free transfer. He made just 12 appearances before leaving the Vetch Field in February 2003.

### Cambridge United

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.

### Non-League football

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. He also played for Canvey Island, Kettering Town, St Albans City, Royston Town, Soham Town Rangers and Bishop's Stortford.

## Managerial and coaching career
### Soham Town Rangers

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. He remained in the role until 4 December 2016, when he followed Nightingale out of the club.

### Cambridge City

On 5 December 2016, Theobald returned to Southern League Premier Division club Cambridge City as first team coach.

## Personal life

Theobald attended Impington Village College. He is a Liverpool and Cambridge United supporter.

## Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | 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 |
| Brentford | 2000–01 | Second Division | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Brentford | 2001–02 | Second Division | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Brentford | Total | 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 | Southern League Premier Division | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Canvey Island | 2003–04 | Isthmian League Premier Division | 40 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 42 | 3 |
| Canvey Island | 2004–05 | Conference Premier | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 |
| Canvey Island | 2005–06 | Conference Premier | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 |
| Canvey Island | Total | 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 | Conference Premier | 22 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 25 | 3 |
| Kettering Town | 2006–07 | Conference North | 19 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Cambridge City | 2007–08 | Conference South | 29 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 0 | 34 | 4 |
| Cambridge City | 2008–09 | Southern League Premier Division | 34 | 6 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 8 | 0 | 45 | 7 |
| Cambridge City | 2009–10 | Southern League Premier Division | 35 | 5 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 9 | 2 | 46 | 7 |
| Cambridge City | 2010–11 | Southern League Premier Division | 37 | 5 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 8 | 0 | 49 | 6 |
| Cambridge City | 2011–12 | Southern League Premier Division | 43 | 9 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 47 | 10 |
| Cambridge City | 2012–13 | Southern League Premier Division | 41 | 2 | 7 | 3 | — | — | 3 | 0 | 51 | 5 |
| Cambridge City | Total | Total | 219 | 31 | 18 | 6 | — | — | 35 | 2 | 272 | 39 |
| Royston Town | 2013–14 | Southern League First Division Central | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Royston Town | 2014–15 | Southern League First Division Central | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 | 24 | 1 |
| Royston Town | Total | Total | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 | 25 | 1 |
| Soham Town Rangers | 2015–16 | 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 |
| Cambridge City | 2018–19 | Southern League First Division Central | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Cambridge City | Total | Total | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 439 | 46 | 25 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 2 | 514 | 54 |
* 1 2 3 4 Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy
* ↑ One appearance in FA Trophy; one appearance in Herts Senior Cup
* ↑ Appearances in Conference North play-offs
* ↑ Three appearances in FA Trophy; two appearances in Cambridgeshire Invitation Cup
* ↑ Four appearances in FA Trophy; two appearances in Southern League Cup; two appearances in Cambridgeshire Invitation Cup
* ↑ Seven appearances, two goals in Southern League Cup; one appearance in FA Trophy; one appearance in Cambridgeshire Invitation Cup
* ↑ Three appearances in FA Trophy; three appearances in Southern League Cup; one appearance in Southern League Premier Division play-offs; one appearance in Southern League Championship
* ↑ Appearances in FA Trophy
* ↑ Two appearances in Cambridgeshire Invitation Cup; one appearance in FA Trophy
* ↑ One appearance in Herts Senior Cup; one appearance in Herts Charity Cup
* ↑ One appearance in FA Trophy; one appearance in Isthmian League Cup

## Honours

Brentford
* Football League Trophy runner-up: 2000–01
Canvey Island
* Isthmian League Premier Division: 2003–04
Cambridge City
* Southern League Cup: 2009–10