David Wagstaffe was born on 5 April 1943 in Manchester and he began his football career in June 1958 with the juniors at Manchester City before signing as a professional for the club in May 1960. He was a talented left winger and went on to play 144 games for the club, scoring eight goals. During his time with Manchester City he won England Schoolboy honours and won five England Youth caps in the 1959/60 season.
He was transferred to Wolverhampton Wanderers for a fee of £30,000 in December 1964 and he became a legend at Molineux where, over a 12-year period, he played a total of 404 games, scoring 32 goals. At Wolves he was a member of the side that won promotion back to Division One in 1966/67 and he was also a member of the League Cup-winning side that defeated his former club Manchester City 2-1 in the final in 1974. In addition, he was also a member of the team that finished runners-up to Tottenham Hotspur in the 1972 EUFA Cup, scoring in the second leg of the final.
After a short loan spell with Los Angeles Wolves, where he played 10 games, he was transferred to Blackburn Rovers in January 1976. He played 72 League games, made three substitute appearances and scored seven goals for Blackburn as well as appearing in four FA Cup ties and four League Cup ties for the club. In addition while at Ewood Park he had the dubious distinction of being the first player to be shown a red card after the introduction of the system when he was sent off against Orient on 2 October 1976.
So by the time he signed for Blackpool on 1 August 1978 for a modest fee of £5,000 he had already had a spectacular career with over 500 appearances for his various clubs in all competitions.
He made his League debut for Blackpool against Oxford United in the opening game of the 1978/79 season on 19 August 1978. And he was ‘the star turn in a weak looking Blackpool attack’ although he did have to revert to left back in the second half when Max Thompson was injured. Blackpool won the game 1-0 and he was awarded the sponsor’s man-of-the-match award from Derek Woodman. This earned him £25 and an extra £25 was paid into the players’ pool to be shared at the end of the season.
He was in and out of the side but in his sixth League outing he scored his first, and what turned out to be his only, League goal for Blackpool in the 2-0 victory over Gillingham on 26 September 1978 with Vic Davidson scoring the other goal. The goal was ‘a peach’ as ‘Jeff Chandler laid it on with a fine through ball for Spence, who set up Wagstaffe. ‘Waggy’ swept past a couple of defenders and fired his shot in the corner’ in the fifth minute to put Blackpool 1-0 in front. Manager Bob Stokoe commented after the game, from which Wagstaffe had to eventually depart through injury, ‘Although ‘Waggy’ was struggling he did much better.’
He made what turned out to be his final appearance for Blackpool as a substitute in 1-1 draw with Mansfield Town on 3 March 1979 and two days later he was on his way back to Ewood Park. He had played 17 League games plus making two substitute appearances, scoring one goal, one FA Cup tie, two League Cup ties plus one substitute appearance, and three Central League games for Blackpool up to the time of his transfer.
Unfortunately a gashed leg in his first game back at Blackburn put paid to any chance of a lengthy tailpiece to his career and he played only two games for the club before retiring from the professional game. His career had seen him play 564 League games in which he scored 42 goals.
He may only have had a short time at Bloomfield Road in the twilight of his career but spectators were treated to a view of a player who many pundits recognised as the best uncapped winger in the game. It was said he ‘combined a rare skill with speed and a natural ability to read the game’ and ‘his ability to pinpoint passes, long or short, with his educated left foot was a sheer joy to watch’.
He died on 6 August 2013 after a short illness.