Popularly known as Efford Chabala was Zambia’s first choice goalkeeper from 1983.
Chabala was born in Mufulira where his father was a miner, the fourth born in a family of 12.
He started out as a striker and played for Lubuto Amateur Club in Mufulira where his career in goal started by accident at the age of 17.
During a practice session, the regular goalkeeper was absent so Chabala was forced to man the posts by his colleagues.
He was voted Zambian Sportsman of the Year in 1985 and in the 1988 season, he surprised many Zambian soccer purists by donning a striker’s jersey for Wanderers, but he went on to score 5 goals, including the third goal when Wanderers beat Roan United 3–0 in the Independence Cup final in October.
David had a brief spell in Argentina with Argentinos Juniors during the 1991/92 season but he returned to Wanderers in March 1992 claiming the conditions of his contract were unsatisfactory, and the club were not willing to change them.
Chabala was instrumental in Zambia’s first ever East and Central African Championship success when he saved three penalties in Zambia’s 3–0 shoot-out victory over Malawi in the 1984 final in Uganda after a goalless draw at full-time.
He was disillusioned by stories that he was unhappy at the appointment of Ashols Melu as Wanderers assistant coach and therefore sold the game. Both Melu and Chabala denied any rift between them, saying they were great friends and Chabala said he was just off-form on the day and his substitution came a bit too late.
Chabala died. in a plane crash off the Gabonese coast in 1993 and is Zambia’s most capped player, with 108 full international appearances