David Norris

David Martin Norris (born 20 February 1981) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Lancaster City.

Born in Stamford, he has played in the Football League for Hull City, Plymouth Argyle, Ipswich Town, Portsmouth, Leeds United, Peterborough United, Yeovil Town and Blackpool.

Norris has made more than 400 Football League appearances.

Having started his career at Southern League Midland Division club Stamford, Norris joined Boston United in 1999, who were playing one league higher at the time.

He scored ten goals in 26 league appearances in his first season and one more in five cup matches.

Boston won promotion to the Football Conference that season as Southern League Premier Division champions.

Norris was transferred to First Division club Bolton Wanderers for a fee in excess of £50,000 in January 2000, which was a record transfer fee received by Boston at the time.

He returned to Boston on loan in December and scored four goals in five league appearances.

In March 2002, Norris joined Football League Third Division club Hull City on loan, where he played in six matches and scored once.

In two-and-a-half years with Bolton, he made one appearance in the FA Cup and four in the League Cup.

Norris initially joined Football League Second Division club Plymouth Argyle on loan for a month in October 2002.

He scored the decisive goal on his debut in a 1–0 win at Crewe Alexandra, and made seven league appearances before joining the club permanently for an undisclosed fee in December.

Argyle won promotion to the EFL Championship as Second Division champions in 2004 with Norris scoring five goals in 45 league appearances that season.

He won the club's Player of the Year award in 2006 and, after more than five years at the club, Norris had made 243 appearances in all competitions, scoring 28 goals.

In the January 2008 transfer window Ipswich Town had two bids rejected by the Plymouth board despite Norris handing in a transfer request.

Ipswich lodged one final, increased bid which was finally accepted after brokering a deal with Bolton that would allow Plymouth to receive more than the 50% Norris' clause initially gave them.

Norris finally signed for Ipswich Town on 31 January 2008 for an undisclosed fee, signing a contract until 2011.

He scored his first goal for the club in the 1–1 draw with Southampton away from home.

In November 2008, Norris was heavily criticised for a controversial goal celebration against Blackpool, interpreted as a show of support for jailed friend and former Plymouth goalkeeper Luke McCormick.

McCormick was returning from Norris' wedding in June 2008 when he fell asleep at the wheel due to the effects of alcohol and caused the deaths of two young boys.

He was sentenced to seven years and four months prison time in October of that year.

The family of the bereaved took offence at Norris' gesture and he was subsequently fined and warned by Ipswich.

He was once again caught out when he told the Ipswich website he had not intended the celebration as a show of support to Luke McCormick and the statement was later changed by the club, adding further to the controversy.

The statement now reads that the celebration was in fact a message to Luke McCormick.

Later that week it was revealed that Norris was fined £25,000 by Ipswich and would make a face-to-face apology to Phil and Amanda Peak (the parents of the two boys).

Eventually, In August 2010, Norris became the Ipswich Town captain.

Norris was handed the captain's armband by Manager Roy Keane after the departure of the then captain Jonathan Walters to Stoke City.

In the summer of 2011 Norris turned down a new contract extension at Ipswich Town, with the club only prepared to offer him a two-year extension, a year short of the midfielders demands, with rival Championship club Leeds United heavily linked with signing him on a free transfer.

On 15 June 2011, Norris signed for Portsmouth on a free transfer after turning down a new two-year deal with Ipswich.

On 6 August, in his debut league appearance for Portsmouth, he scored against Middlesbrough in a game which ended 2–2.

He scored his second goal for Portsmouth in a match away at West Ham United, which ended 4–3 to the home team.

At first it was believed that Benjani Mwaruwari had scored the goal, but replays later showed that Norris had already put the ball over the line when Benjani headed in the rebound.

His first goal at Fratton Park came in a 2–0 home victory against Barnsley.

With the match goalless, Karim Rekik headed the ball down to Norris, who controlled and then volleyed it into the net from the edge of the penalty area.

On 7 April 2012, Norris scored a spectacular equalising goal against arch-rivals Southampton in the 93rd minute to secure Portsmouth a point.

In July 2012, Norris agreed the deal to join Leeds United from Portsmouth, to join his former teammates Jason Pearce, Luke Varney and Jamie Ashdown.

Norris was allocated the number 19 shirt for the 2012–13 season on 3 August.

Norris made his competitive début for Leeds in the first game of the season against Shrewsbury Town in the League Cup on 11 August.

Norris was also named the Leeds United captain for the match and also scored his first goal in the same game.

Norris made his league début for Leeds in their 1–0 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers.