dˈɛθ hæd ɚɹˈɪdʒɪnəli dʒˈɔɪnd wˈɛst hˈæm æz ɐn ɐpɹˈɛntɪs ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti sˈɛvən bˌʌt baɪ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti nˈaɪn fˈaʊnd hɪz ɑːpɚtˈuːnᵻɾiz fɔːɹ fˈɜːst tˈiːm fˈʊtbɔːl blˈɑːkt baɪ fˈɜːɡəsən ænd pˈiːɾɚ ɡɹˈoʊɾiɚ.
Death had originally joined West Ham as an apprentice in 1967 but by 1969 found his opportunities for first team football blocked by Ferguson and Peter Grotier.