Denis Casey joined Banbury United from Wellingborough Town, whom he had served for many years, for the start of season 1974/75. He had earlier in his career been a youth team player with Northampton Town as well as playing a few reserve games for them in the 1960s.

Denis was a 31 year-old when joining Banbury and would occupy various positions either in defence or midfield during his three seasons with the club, making just over 100 Southern League appearances, scoring seven goals. He was club captain during season 1976/77.

Though leaving the club at the end of season 1976/77, Denis was tempted back to the Spencer Stadium by manager Brian Stone in January 1978 to have a spell not as a player but as the club’s reserve team manager and to help out with treating injured players. Since leaving Banbury he had taken a treatment of injuries course. Club Ambassador Ronnie Johnson remembers him fondly from his later spell at Banbury and says he was very popular with the players, particularly the club’s youngsters that he worked with like Aiden Kearns, Paul Warrington, Paul Dowers and Ian Bowyer.

Denis would later complete a diploma course in physiotherapy and would have a spell working as Nuneaton Borough’s physio when Graham Carr was manager. When Carr got the Northampton Town manager’s job in 1985, he brought Denis to the club as the club’s physio, a position he held until 2008. During his time at Northampton Denis Casey worked for many managers, including former Banbury United striker Kevin Wilson, a remarkable coincidence as Wilson was a youngster at Banbury during some of the time that Denis was at Banbury!

The club would like to send their sincere condolences to Denis Casey’s family and friends at this difficult time.

Below is a Banbury United team photo from season 1976/77, Denis is on the far left on the front row.

The full listing of players is as follows:

Back Row (Left to Right): Brian Stone (manager), Trevor Spindler, Steve Montgomery, Steve Slaughter, Colin Darvell, Aidan Kearns, Peter Burgess, Ollie Kearns, Pete Svenson, Dave Matthews, Steve Cook, Roger Darvell (reserve team manager).

Front Row (Left to Right): Denis Casey, Terry Callow, Paul Warrington, Mick Worthington, Wally Hastie, Percy Hickman, Godfrey Welch, Mick Crossley, Harry Smillie (trainer).
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The head and shoulders photo at the top of this article is courtesy of Pete Norton, club photographer at Northampton Town during Denis’s time at the club.