Signed by Spurs from non-league Fareham Town, David Leworthy proved a capable striker when called upon by the first team. Unfortunately, he was always trying to oust big money signings and move don to establish himself at other clubs in a varied career.
Failed to make the grade initially at his home town club, Portsmouth, despite scoring 31 goals in 111 youth team and reserve games as a wide midfielder, so dropped down into non-league, where he picked up a reputation as a good goal-scorer. Catching the eye of Tottenham's scouts, Leworthy was snapped up and he got a good ratio of goals in the first team appearances he made, with more coming in the lower teams at the club. However, his light-weight frame probably gave the impression that he could not mix it with top class defenders, but he used his head in an intelligent way rather than just for heading the ball and took up good positions, coupled with good reflexes to react quickly when the ball was loose in the area.
In the reserves, David hit 29 goals in 36 appearances, using his movement to pull away from defenders and to time his runs into the box to meet crosses coming in. In 1984-85, he was awarded the Spurs Young Player of the Year trophy and while popular with the fans, that was not the case elsewhere at the club. The management at White Hart Lane decided to let him move on and he went to Oxford United, where he had a good career, albeit his first team chances were limited, he did score 59 goals in 68 games outside the first team. David was loaned to Shrewsbury Town before he ended up at Reading, where he went on to make his most appearances for a League team (and scored 18 goals in 36 reserve team matches). Went out on loan to Colchester United and was part of the team at Layer Road which ended runners-up in the Football Conference in 1990-1991.
Moved into non-league where he became a big name, scoring hat-fuls of goals for nearly all the clubs he played for.
Starting at Farnborough Town, scoring freely, even thought the team were relegated in 1992-93. Relegation saw him become a wanted man and at the time, became the holder of the record non-league transfer fee, when he joined Dover Athletic from Farnborough for £50,000 in summer of 1993. A short spell at Rushden & Diamonds was ended with a move to Kingstonian, where he had his most productive spell in the game. His goals helped the club to two FA Trophy wins and a FA Cup giant-killing with a 4-2 win over Luton Town, with Leworthy hitting one of the goals.
Signed for Havant & Waterlooville in season 2001-02 and became the player-manager at the club, turning out in one game alongside his son Craig, who had been with Peterborough United as an apprentice. David re-joined Kingstonian in March 2006.
In December 2007, Leworthy was named as the new manager of Banstead Athletic, before moving on to manager Croydon in November 2008.