David started his career in the junior side Cleadon Juniors before joining the juniors at Sunderland. He made his Football League debut for Grimsby Town in 1962/63 and scored 10 times for them in 60 matches before moving to Scunthorpe in 1967/68, where he made a further 52 appearances, scoring 8 times.

He joined the Dons part-way through the 1969/70 season having played just a few minutes as a late substitute in a League game on trial for Brentford, a London Challenge Cup game in the reerves and scoring in a friendly against Millwall. Before he could make his Southern League bow he was injured in a Premier Midweek Floodlight League match and was sidelined for a month.