Bio:
Durban was brought up in Bracken Road, Margam, Port Talbot. He began his career at Cardiff City, making his debut in a 2–1 win over Derby County in 1959. After initially making an impact on the team he fell out of favour and was transferred to Derby County for £10,000 in July 1963 at the age of 22 having played over 50 times for Cardiff City.
He made his Derby debut on 24 August 1963 in a 3–1 defeat to Newcastle United and helped the side to thirteenth place in his first season and his partnership with the newly arrived Eddie Thomas saw the side begin to move up the table, finishing in 9th and 8th position in the following two years.
After finishing in seventeenth place during the 1966–67 season Tim Ward was replaced as the Derby manager by Brian Clough since the 1967–68 season. Under Clough, Durban was moved from inside-forward to an attacking midfield role and was handed the captaincy for the first time in a 5–1 win over his former club Cardiff City. He won a Second Division title in 1968–69 and then a famous First Division championship medal with in 1971–72.
He left Derby in 1973 after agreeing to become player-assistant manager of Shrewsbury Town after making 404 appearances for the “Rams” scoring 110 goals. He was appointed manager on 4 December 1973 following the dismissal of Maurice Evans, the man who had signed him three months earlier. With the “Shrews” he appointed former Derby teammate Richie Barker as his assistant and he helped Shrewsbury gain promotion in 1974–75 and consolidate their position in the Third Division. He retired from playing once he was made manager of Stoke City in February 1978.
Factfile:
- Full Name: William Alan Durban
- Position: Midfield
- Date of Birth: 07.07.1941
- Birthplace: Bridgend, Glamorgan
- Nation: Wales
- Caps: 27
- Goals: 2
- Club Career: Derby County
- Period: 1963-1973
- League Games, 346
- League Goals, 93
- Previous Club: Cardiff City
- Transfer Fee: £10.000
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