He began his football career as a youngster with Sunderland,[1] and made his first-team debut as a 17-year-old, on 10 November 1956 in the First Division match at home to Chelsea.
The pseudonymous "Argus", writing in the Sunderland Echo, "fanc[ied] that few supporters would fail to take encouragement from the talented play of 18-year-olds Maltby and Godbold.
[1] He remained with Darlington for four seasons, playing part-time while working as a sports teacher, and scored 36 goals from 124 appearances in league and cups.
[6] He then spent two years at Bury,[1] before moving to South Africa where he played for Johannesburg-based club Southern Suburbs in the National Football League.
He was ever-present in his first season with the club,[7] and played in the UTC Bowl Final as Southern Suburbs lost to Durban City.