He was a member of the Darlington team that caused an upset in the 1957–58 FA Cup by eliminating Chelsea, who had won the league title only three seasons before, to reach the last 16 of the competition.
He injured his neck in the first match, in which Chelsea came back from 3–0 down at Stamford Bridge to draw 3–3, but had recovered in time for the replay four days later at Darlington's Feethams ground.
[8] He helped Darlington eliminate Crystal Palace and West Ham in the first two rounds of the 1960–61 League Cup before facing Bolton Wanderers, whose team contained five international players, in the third.
[11] According to the club's historian, "he seemed to have no fear, a crash, bang wallop defender who'd win the ball and set attacks away",[4] and he was reported to have played for six weeks with cotton wool in his boots to ease the pain from a broken ankle.
[13] He had to be carried off the field on a canvas toolbag because his partner at full-back, Bobby Whitehead, was already occupying the only stretcher having also suffered a broken leg.