663 David Mail

Biography

Centre half David Mail joined the Tigers in July 1990 at a time when City were looking to rebuild, manager Stan Ternent having steadied the ship following the disastrous three month tenure of Colin Appleton at the start of the previous season. Mail was an experienced Division Two performer who slotted straight into the heart of City’s defence and when he scored in his second start in August 1990 against former club Blackburn Rovers, it was hoped that he would add a goal contribution to his yeoman defending and organisational skills – alas, he scored only once more in the next five years (in a January 1992 defeat at Bradford City).

Ternent’s hopes of building a competitive Division Two side that could match the exploits of Brian Horton’s team in the previous decade were soon dashed – only five league wins in 28 matches by the end of the calendar year left City adrift at the foot of the table and while the Tigers were capable of occasional excellence – a 1-0 win at Watford, a 2-1 defeat of Newcastle United and a 5-2 thumping of Leicester City – it was defensive frailty that saw the Tigers lose 12 of those 28 games. Mail was absent during October 1990, a spell that saw four defeats and suggested that David was not the problem defensively. Mail’s second period of absence over Christmas and New Year coincided with six defeats in seven games, further reinforcing his importance to the first team. When Mail returned in February 1991 City conceded only three goals in seven league games as a brief upturn in form suggested hope of survival, but a winless April saw City relegated to Division Three ahead of an impressive last day of the season win at Newcastle United that completed an unlikely double against the Magpies.

With Terry Dolan installed as manager for the 1991/92 season Mail was used sparingly in the opening weeks as City again struggled, but when he was restored to the first eleven in October 1991 City won seven of the next 11 games in League and Cup competitions. While Mail was not the quickest, he as an experienced defender that read the game well and influenced those around him – his value to the City team was clear. City again struggled for form in January 1992 before a run of 10 games without defeat in February and March – all of which David started – saw the Tigers ease into mid-table security. Dolan’s City side struggled in the 1992/93 season after a fine start that saw the Tigers top the table after five games – this good work was undone by the eleven winless matches that followed. Mail was first choice centre half for all of the season, other than an eight match absence in September and October 1992.

Mail’s bones were starting to creak as he entered his thirties and he also had to cope with the tragic early death of his first wife. For these reasons he became increasingly absent from first team action – in the 1993/94 and 1994/95 seasons he played in only 40 games as Dolan’s Tigers, fired by the goals of Dean Windass, twice flirted briefly with the play-offs before finishing ninth and eighth. Mail’s injuries meant that he left Hull City in May 1995.

David Mail was born in Bristol and raised in Pill, a suburb on the southern bank of the River Avon. He attended Gordano School and played football for Avon Boys but his primary sporting endeavour was athletics, specifically throwing the javelin, for which he regularly represented his county. In June 1979 he gave up athletics and joined Aston Villa as an apprentice professional footballer. He was part of the Villa team that won the FA Youth Cup in the 1979/80 season and captained the youth side in the 1980/81 season, but after two years as a professional at Villa Park Mail had still not broken into the first team.

In January 1982 David joined Division Two side Blackburn Rovers. He made his League debut in September 1982 against Derby County and became a first team regular for the Lancashire side during the 1982/83 season . He played fewer games in the 1983/84 season, though he scored his first senior goal in December 1983 against Crystal Palace. Not until the 1986/87 season did he re-establish himself as a first team regular and for the next four seasons he was part of the team that won the Full Members’ Cup in March 1987 and qualified three times for the Division Two play-offs – in May 1988 he played in both semi-finals as Blackburn lost to Chelsea; in May 1989 Mail’s side dispatched Watford in the semi-finals before losing to Crystal Palace in the two-legged final; and in May 1990 he suffered a third consecutive disappointment as Blackburn lost the semi-final to Swindon Town. After this third failure Mail decided to cut and run, joining Hull City in July 1990 – he scored four goals for Blackburn Rovers in 248 senior appearances.

In February 1996 Mail joined North East Counties League side Brigg Town and helped the Lincolnshire side lift the FA Vase Trophy in May 1996 when he came on as substitute at Wembley, appearing alongside three ex-Tigers, defender Neil Buckley, striker Andy Flounders and assistant manager John Kaye. His playing days drew to a close in the 1996 close season.

After giving up playing in 1996 Mail stayed in the Hull area and was involved in the youth team coaching setup at City, while also working as a truck driver.

Details

Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 12 September 1962, Bristol
Hull City First Game: 25 August 1990, Notts County H (Division Two), 27 years, 347 days old
Hull City Final Game: 29 April 1995, Wrexham H (League Division 2), 32 years, 229 days old

Clubs

Aston Villa (1978-1982), Blackburn Rovers (1982-1990), Hull City (1990-1995), Brigg Town (1996)

Hull City Record

Career: 169 apps, 2 goals