dˈaʊts ɐbˌaʊt hɪz hˈaɪt ɹᵻsˈɜːfɪst ˈæftɚ ðə nˈɛkst ɡˈeɪm ˌɔn twˈɛnti tˈuː noʊvˈɛmbɚ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti nˈaɪn ɐ sˈɪks tˈuː dᵻfˈiːt baɪ sˈaʊθpoːɹt bˌʌt dˈɛθ kəntˈɪnjuːd tə wˈɪn ðə pˌɑːpjʊlˈæɹᵻɾi ʌv ɹˈiːdɪŋ fˈænz sˌoʊ æz təbi nˈeɪmd ðɛɹ plˈeɪɚɹ ʌvðə sˈiːzən ɪn hɪz fˈɜːst sˈiːzən fɚðə klˈʌb.
Doubts about his height resurfaced after the next game on 22 November 1969 a 6–2 defeat by Southport but Death continued to win the popularity of Reading fans so as to be named their player of the season in his first season for the club.