 In time he was coached by the great Alf Quill, Wallsend Football Club's legendary goalscorer of the inter-war years.At his peak Date was a prolific goal scorer for Canterbury-Bankstown in the New South Wales Division 1, earning state and international recognition and captaining Australia for a single game on 31 May 1947 against South Africa.That game formed part of a five-game home series against that nation; Date scoring 8 goals.