Started senior level football after finishing school in 1956/57 for Blackett Hutton, a foundry team near Guisborough who played in the Teesside League. Dennis graduated after several good showings to Middlesbrough F.C in early 1957 and progressed as an 18 year old into Boro's reserve teams, where he became understudy to Brian Clough.

 

Once established as a Centre-Forward he played another season in the reserves before breaking through in 1959 as a first team player. The mercurial Mr. Clough was busy renegotiating his contract! Dennis only played 4 first team games for the Boro and was sold to Brighton & Hove Albion, for the sum of £1000 after scoring close to 100 goals in the reserves in a couple of seasons.

​

Newly married (I guess my Mam was an original WAG) & with a family illness back in his native North East, the distance traveled was not sustainable and a transfer request saw a return to Darlington in the fourth Division of English football in a swap with Bobby Baxter, both players being valued around the £6000 mark. Several trips back into reserve team football saw another move this time to Doncaster Rovers where he played for two seasons before quitting the professional game to remain with his new wife and baby son.

​

Click on the tabs above for a full glimpse into this short but remarkable career.

​