David Tune, who died recently aged 87, was a talented performer in local schools and youth football before signing as a professional for his hometown club on November 1st, 1955. He made steady if not spectacular progress through the youth and reserve teams before making his one and only first team appearance, against Watford in a home Division Three (South) match on September 21st, 1957. That opportunity came about because the player he replaced at right-half, Sylvan Anderton, had become a victim of an outbreak of Asian flu. By the following Saturday, and despite a more than acceptable performance by David, Sylvan had recovered and David’s chance had gone. After the 1–1 draw it was back to the Football Combination side for the remainder of his career with Reading. He was released in June 1960, but continued his involvement in football by playing for, coaching and managing a number of local non-league clubs.

David does nevertheless have one unusual claim to fame. Despite his brief Football League career, he was the subject of a buzzer question on A Question of Sport television programme when the panel of Bill Beaumont, Graeme Hick and Colin Jackson could not identify a “footballer named David connected with music.”

David Downs