Fred Davies
Encyclopedia
Fred Davies is an English former footballer who made nearly 400 appearances in the Football League
playing as a goalkeeper for Wolverhampton Wanderers
, Cardiff City
and Bournemouth
. He also played for the Wolves team which, playing as the Los Angeles Wolves
won the 1967 United Soccer Association
championship. He later became a manager, taking charge of Shrewsbury Town
and Weymouth
.
in 1957 but had to wait five years before making his debut on 27 January 1962 in an FA Cup
tie against rivals West Brom
. He managed 12 appearances during this season, and made the position his own in the 1962–63 campaign, replacing Malcolm Finlayson
.
He faced competition throughout his time at Molineux
, but was the club's main goalkeeper during the mid 1960s as they suffered relegation from the top flight, only to win promotion back in 1966–67.
In 1968, the goalkeeper left Wolves for Second Division Cardiff City
where he played over 100 games in total before moving onto Bournemouth
(then Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic) two years later. He won another promotion here as the club went up to the (old) Third Division in 1970–71.
Upon retiring from playing, he joined his former Bournemouth manager John Bond
as a coach at Norwich City
and later had two spells on the coaching staff at Swansea City during the 1980s. He joined up again with John Bond
in the early 1990s at Shrewsbury Town
and stepped in as caretaker manager after Bond's resignation in May 1993.
Davies' first season in management was a success as Shrewsbury won the Third Division championship, and he was officially appointed on a full-time basis in January 1994. He took the club to Wembley for the first time in their history in April 1996 when they reached the final of the Auto Windscreens Shield
, only to lose 2–1 to Rotherham United
. Davies steered the club clear of the drop in the third tier for two seasons before relegation struck in 1996–97, which cost him his job. He later managed Weymouth
from 1997 to 1999.
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
playing as a goalkeeper for Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
, Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
and Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
. He also played for the Wolves team which, playing as the Los Angeles Wolves
Los Angeles Wolves
Los Angeles Wolves are a former United States professional soccer team, owned by Jack Kent Cooke, that played for two seasons during the 1960s...
won the 1967 United Soccer Association
United Soccer Association
The United Soccer Association is a former professional soccer league featuring teams from the United States and Canada. The league survived only one season before merging with the National Professional Soccer League to form the North American Soccer League. All the teams in the league were imported...
championship. He later became a manager, taking charge of Shrewsbury Town
Shrewsbury Town F.C.
Shrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football...
and Weymouth
Weymouth F.C.
Weymouth F.C. are an English football club based in the town of Weymouth, who currently play in the Southern League Premier Division.-History:Weymouth Football Club were founded in 1890 and played their first game on 24 September of that year...
.
Career
Davies joined Wolverhampton WanderersWolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
in 1957 but had to wait five years before making his debut on 27 January 1962 in an FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
tie against rivals West Brom
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
. He managed 12 appearances during this season, and made the position his own in the 1962–63 campaign, replacing Malcolm Finlayson
Malcolm Finlayson
Malcolm Finlayson is a former Scottish football goalkeeper who won the league championship and FA Cup with Wolverhampton Wanderers.-Career:...
.
He faced competition throughout his time at Molineux
Molineux stadium
Molineux Stadium is a Premier League football stadium situated in Whitmore Reans, Wolverhampton, England. It has been the home ground of Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club since 1889, and has a long and illustrious history as the first 'new build' stadium in Football League history, one of the...
, but was the club's main goalkeeper during the mid 1960s as they suffered relegation from the top flight, only to win promotion back in 1966–67.
In 1968, the goalkeeper left Wolves for Second Division Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
where he played over 100 games in total before moving onto Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
(then Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic) two years later. He won another promotion here as the club went up to the (old) Third Division in 1970–71.
Upon retiring from playing, he joined his former Bournemouth manager John Bond
John Bond (footballer)
John Frederick Bond is an English former professional football player and manager. His son Kevin Bond is also a former footballer.-Playing career:...
as a coach at Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
and later had two spells on the coaching staff at Swansea City during the 1980s. He joined up again with John Bond
John Bond (footballer)
John Frederick Bond is an English former professional football player and manager. His son Kevin Bond is also a former footballer.-Playing career:...
in the early 1990s at Shrewsbury Town
Shrewsbury Town F.C.
Shrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football...
and stepped in as caretaker manager after Bond's resignation in May 1993.
Davies' first season in management was a success as Shrewsbury won the Third Division championship, and he was officially appointed on a full-time basis in January 1994. He took the club to Wembley for the first time in their history in April 1996 when they reached the final of the Auto Windscreens Shield
Football League Trophy
The Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
, only to lose 2–1 to Rotherham United
Rotherham United F.C.
Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history...
. Davies steered the club clear of the drop in the third tier for two seasons before relegation struck in 1996–97, which cost him his job. He later managed Weymouth
Weymouth F.C.
Weymouth F.C. are an English football club based in the town of Weymouth, who currently play in the Southern League Premier Division.-History:Weymouth Football Club were founded in 1890 and played their first game on 24 September of that year...
from 1997 to 1999.