National League Chesterfield will be forced by a famous FA Cup face when they go for a giant killing against Championship West Bromwich Albion.
David Webb, scorer of Chelsea’s winner in the 1970 final replay against Leeds, has extended his Christmas and New Year visit with son Danny, assistant manager of the Spireites, to see if the family can create more headlines in most famous domestic knockout competition in the world.
The quaint town in Derbyshire’s peak district is a world away from the King’s Road, where Webb senior used to hang out with celebrities Michael Crawford and John Cleese when Chelsea was at the heart of swinging London. However, both father and son love it. ‘Dad can’t imagine how many pubs and parks there are,’ smiled Danny.
David Webb (left) was the 1970 FA Cup hero for Chelsea, while his son Danny (right) – assistant manager at Chesterfield – hopes to cause a giant slaying 53 years later
‘He still had a long way to go so we packed as much as possible. A walk along the paths of Linacre Reservoirs, which looks like something out of Game of Thrones, and a lovely Sunday lunch in one of the hundreds of pubs in town.
‘I was taken to town and the locals were friendly. They don’t consider themselves really northern but to me they are!’
Danny was born in 1983 at the end of his father’s illustrious career and had a more modest playing career at 18 different clubs in the lower leagues — including a spell at Southend when his father, who now 76, is a manager.
Teaching can be more fruitful. Just 39, he has already built up a decade of experience including a spell as interim manager at Leyton Orient working for troubled owner Francesco Becchetti. Under manager Paul Cook, Chesterfield are third with healthy promotion prospects back to the Football League but shockingly Danny revealed mum Michelle rather than his footballing father pushed him into a tracksuit career.
‘In my mid-twenties, I realized I wasn’t going to hit the Premier League as a player and had to look at different things,’ he said.
‘I got a job as a fireman when I was playing for Salisbury but they would only hire me full-time and I didn’t want to retire completely. So Mom pushed me to fill the forms to go for the coaching course.
‘The first session was basic, not much more than placing cones, but I got a buzz from it. Other people find it strange but I realized that I got more pleasure from teaching than playing.
‘It suits me better and I also have the best person to go to for advice in my dad. We were always very close.
David Webb scores the winning goal for Chelsea in the 1970 FA Cup final replay against Leeds
‘I remember he took me to my first FA Cup final, Manchester United v Crystal Palace in 1990. All the fans had these blow-up tubes advertising Virgin. Ian Wright scored in front of us and I was a six-year-old kid peering through all these pipes being waved, trying to see the celebrations.
‘I think Dad regrets signing me for Southend because I was only a teenager and the fans would boo my name at kick-off just because he was manager. But I have no regrets, it was part of my journey.
‘I know my limitations as a player but I am more confident in my ability as a coach or manager.’
Danny has had other mentors since then, including Justin Edinburgh, who died in 2019 a month after leading Leyton Orient to promotion.
He also enjoyed watching and learning from Cook, who is in his second spell at Chesterfield having managed Wigan and Ipswich in between.
‘We’re like the odd couple, the southerner and the Scouser, but it works. The only thing we don’t agree with is Brookside or EastEnders!
‘One of the first things the gaffer did was stop training on the pitch because he wanted it to look like carpet on match day. It suits our style, which is pass and play.
‘He also gets the players to clock in every day. Not to check up on them but to make them come into the office, laugh with us, build communication. It’s very clever.’
His experiences with Becchetti are also character-building. ‘He’s going to invite me to his place in Mayfair which is worth £60million,’ he said. ‘I was alone and he had these gofers with him who would laugh and agree with everything he said. It’s scary and you have to stand up for yourself.’
He arrived at Chesterfield via the Watford academy, and the Spireites were up with gates reaching 8,000. The club has a proud FA Cup record, reaching the semi-final in 1997 with Sean Dyche as skipper and they would have beaten Middlesbrough had there been goal-line technology.
National League Chesterfield will aim to cause a shock when they face West Brom on Saturday
They also reached the third round last season, beaten by Chelsea, 5-1. Home advantage gives them a better chance this time around, despite 66 places between them and Albion.
‘We have good players,’ said Danny. ‘Armando Dobra is what I call the magician, he is an Albanian Under 20s international. Kabongo Tshimanga and Joe Quigley are threats up front and our full back Jeff King has scored eight goals this season, including one in the second round win at Wimbledon.’
Dave believes his son can become a more successful manager than Bournemouth, Torquay, Southend, Chelsea, Brentford and Yeovil.
‘He says I’m more open-minded than he is,’ said Danny. ‘If Dave Sexton had given him the Chelsea dossier he would have put it in the bin.’
First, though, it’s about more cup glory for the family. ‘Fans remind Dad of winning the European Cup-winners’ Cup or the time he went in on goal but he’d be lying if he said his winning header against Leeds wasn’t what he remembers most.
‘The medal was stolen from our house. Fortunately, when it was taken to Hatton Garden to be melted down, the jeweler was a football fan and returned it to us. It’s in the bank now.
‘That Chelsea-Leeds final was a huge event at the time, 28m watched on television and there was such hostility on the pitch.
‘It won’t be exactly the same if we can beat West Brom but I know it will make him very proud and happy.’
