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Derek Dougan Aston Villa player, 19th August 1961. Derek Dougan trots out
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Derek Dougan Aston Villa player, 19th August 1961. Derek Dougan trots out
Derek Dougan Aston Villa player, 19th August 1961.
Derek Dougan trots out for his Aston Villa debut at Evertons Goodison Park in August 1961 sporting a gawky grin and a newly-shaven head, both of which signalled his individualistic nature.
Signed from Blackburn Rovers, Dougan, a centre-forward, would score three goals in his first four Villa appearances but in September 1961, hours after Villas victory over Rotherham United in the first League Cup final, Dougan was a passenger in a Vauxhall Velox driven by Bobby Thomson that crashed into a tree, instantly killing Malcolm Williams, a 23-year-old reporter from the Wolverhampton Express & Star and who had also been a passenger.
Thomson, many years later, stated that Dougan, in a state of extreme drunkenness, had distracted Thomson severely, making him lose control of the car and crash.
Dougans injuries in the crash saw him miss the subsequent three months of the season and he would never quite spark consistently again for Villa before being transferred to Peterborough United in 1963
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Media ID 21609831
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Derek Dougan - A Promising Debut Cut Short by Tragedy
EDITORS COMMENTS
. This print captures the young Derek Dougan, an Aston Villa player, as he makes his debut at Evertons Goodison Park on August 19th, 1961. With a gawky grin and a freshly-shaven head, Dougan's individualistic nature is evident from the start. Having been signed from Blackburn Rovers, this talented centre-forward wasted no time in making his mark. Scoring three goals in his first four appearances for Villa showcased his immense potential. However, tragedy struck just weeks later. In September of that same year, shortly after Villas victory over Rotherham United in the League Cup final, Dougan found himself involved in a devastating car accident. Riding as a passenger alongside Bobby Thomson in a Vauxhall Velox, their vehicle crashed into a tree with fatal consequences. The crash claimed the life of Malcolm Williams—a promising 23-year-old reporter from the Wolverhampton Express & Star—who was also traveling with them. Years later, Thomson revealed that Dougan's extreme drunkenness had severely distracted him behind the wheel. As a result of injuries sustained during the accident, Dougan was sidelined for three months and never quite regained his previous form consistently for Villa before being transferred to Peterborough United in 1963. This poignant image serves as both a reminder of Dougans early potential and an unfortunate testament to how one tragic event can forever alter lives and careers.
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