Ron Davies (footballer born 1932)
Encyclopedia
Ronald Thomas Davies was a Welsh professional footballer
who played as a full-back for Cardiff City
and Southampton
in the 1950s and 1960s.
, he started his career as an amateur with Merthyr Tydfil
, before signing for Football League First Division
team Cardiff City
in October 1952. It was until the 1955–56 season that he made his debut for the first team, generally at full back although he was occasionally pressed into service as a forward
. In his time with Cardiff he made a total of 32 appearances scoring three goals.
In March 1958, Ted Bates
signed him for £7,000 to replace the recently retired Len Wilkins
. He soon proved to be a worthy successor and was an ever-present during the Saints' 1959–60
Third Division
championship season. According to Holley & Chalk's "The Alphabet of the Saints" he was "unlucky not to gain international recognition during his spell with the club".
He adjusted well to football in the Second Division and missed only one game in 1960–61, but the following season
he had to vie for the No.2 shirt with Roy Patrick
before losing out altogether to Wales
international Stuart Williams
in September 1962. For the next two seasons he spent most of his time in the reserves. His final first team outing was on 4 January 1964 in an FA Cup
match at The Dell against Manchester United
. After a total of 185 appearances for the Saints, without ever scoring, he was transferred to Aldershot
in August 1964.
After three seasons at Aldershot he moved to lower league football with Andover
. He managed the Winchester
Snooker Centre before retiring to Wales in 1997. In his later life he suffered with Alzheimer's disease
. His death was reported in December 2007.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who played as a full-back for 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 Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
in the 1950s and 1960s.
Playing career
Born in Merthyr TydfilMerthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of...
, he started his career as an amateur with Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil F.C.
Merthyr Tydfil Football Club was a Welsh football club based at the Penydarren Park ground in Merthyr Tydfil. In 2010 the club was liquidated and reformed under the name Merthyr Town, which was accepted into Division One of the Western League.-History:...
, before signing for Football League First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
team 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...
in October 1952. It was until the 1955–56 season that he made his debut for the first team, generally at full back although he was occasionally pressed into service as a forward
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
. In his time with Cardiff he made a total of 32 appearances scoring three goals.
In March 1958, Ted Bates
Ted Bates (footballer)
Edric Thornton "Ted" Bates MBE was a former Southampton F.C. player, manager, director and president which earned him the sobriquet Mr. Southampton.-Playing career:...
signed him for £7,000 to replace the recently retired Len Wilkins
Len Wilkins
Leonard Wilkins was a professional footballer who played his entire career for Southampton from 1945 to 1958.-External links:**...
. He soon proved to be a worthy successor and was an ever-present during the Saints' 1959–60
1959-60 in English football
The 1959–60 season was the 80th season of competitive football in England.-Diary of the season:17 November 1959: Phil Taylor resigns as manager of Liverpool after three years as manager, with all three of his seasons in charge ending with a narrow failure to win promotion to the First...
Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
championship season. According to Holley & Chalk's "The Alphabet of the Saints" he was "unlucky not to gain international recognition during his spell with the club".
He adjusted well to football in the Second Division and missed only one game in 1960–61, but the following season
1961-62 in English football
The 1961–62 season was the 82nd season of competitive Football in England.-Overview:The season was notable for the remarkable achievement of Ipswich Town winning the League Championship. Under the managership of Alf Ramsey, the club progressed from the old Third Division South to the First Division...
he had to vie for the No.2 shirt with Roy Patrick
Roy Patrick
Roy Patrick was a former professional footballer who played for Derby County, Nottingham Forest, Southampton, Exeter City and Burton Albion.-External links:...
before losing out altogether to Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
international Stuart Williams
Stuart Williams (footballer)
Stuart Williams was a Wales international football player. Williams, a defender, played his club football for Wrexham, West Bromwich Albion and Southampton....
in September 1962. For the next two seasons he spent most of his time in the reserves. His final first team outing was on 4 January 1964 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...
match at The Dell against Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
. After a total of 185 appearances for the Saints, without ever scoring, he was transferred to Aldershot
Aldershot F.C.
Aldershot Football Club was an English Football League club, which was wound up in the High Court in March 1992. They became the first Football League club since Accrington Stanley to resign from the League during the course of a season. The club was nicknamed the Shots for both the last syllable...
in August 1964.
After three seasons at Aldershot he moved to lower league football with Andover
Andover F.C.
Andover F.C. was a football club based in Andover, Hampshire, established in 1883. Since the 2007–08 season, Andover had been a member of the Southern League Division One South and West at Step 4 of the National League System...
. He managed the Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
Snooker Centre before retiring to Wales in 1997. In his later life he suffered with Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
. His death was reported in December 2007.
Honours
SouthamptonSouthampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
- Third DivisionFootball League Third DivisionThe Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
championship: 1959–601959-60 in English footballThe 1959–60 season was the 80th season of competitive football in England.-Diary of the season:17 November 1959: Phil Taylor resigns as manager of Liverpool after three years as manager, with all three of his seasons in charge ending with a narrow failure to win promotion to the First...