Born in Winkburn, Notts on 8 April 1955, David Edward Coote, a left-hand bat, was educated at Magnus Grammar School in Newark. He was persuaded by Chris Grant, a teacher at the school who had played for Notts, to join Newark Cricket Club. He was subsequently encouraged by Barry Pailing to transfer to Southwell Cricket Club with a promise of a top four position in the batting order.
Whilst a player for Southwell CC, he made his debut for Notts Second XI in 1976 and played in four Second Eleven games and three Warwick Pool 40-over games for Notts Under-25. The following year Coote played in seven Second Eleven Championship and four Warwick Pool games and was given his Notts first-team debut v Yorkshire at Trent Bridge in a County Championship fixture on 9, 11 and 12 July 1977, where he made 20 in his sole First-Class innings. On the same weekend, he played his solitary List-A match when he scored 13 v Gloucestershire at Trent Bridge in a John Player League fixture, being caught behind off the legendary South-African all-rounder Mike Procter.
He made sporadic appearances for Notts Seconds up to 1982 and subsequently joined Collingham CC where he played in the Gunn and Moore Alliance and Notts Premier League until 2005. He also made 15 appearances for the Notts Over-50s team from 2005 to 2011.
Coote worked in the construction industry with Tarmac for many years, finishing up as a production manager. His son, also called David, has been a Football League referee since 2010 and in 2019 was one of the Premier League referees for the first, often controversial, season of the VAR system to review decisions.
May 2020
Nottinghamshire First-Class Number: 478