William Davies (footballer born 1882)
Encyclopedia
William "Tinker" Davies (13 April 1882 – 21 January 1966) was a Welsh
footballer who played as a centre forward for Wrexham and Blackburn Rovers
in the era prior to World War I
as well as making eleven appearances for Wales
.
and was trained as a tinsmith
, thus earning the nickname "Tinker
", which he was to retain for the rest of his life. He played football as an amateur with various clubs in the Wrexham area; whilst he was with Wrexham Victoria of the Chester and District League, he gained a reputation as a prolific goal-scorer.
, in 1902. Davies was described as a "short, dogged player, full of dash and determination", who had a reputation for charging the goalkeeper; in one Welsh Cup
match, he bundled the goalkeeper into the net five times.
In his first season with Wrexham, he helped the club reach the final of the Welsh Cup, where they defeated Aberaman
8–0, with Davies being one of four players who scored twice. Two years later, Wrexham again won the cup, with Davies once more being on the score-sheet in a 3–0 victory over Aberdare Athletic
.
Shortly before the 1903 Welsh Cup final, Davies was called up to represent Wales
against Ireland at Solitude Ground, Belfast
in the last Wales match in the 1903 British Home Championship
– the match ended in a 2–0 victory for the Irish. His second match for Wales came two years later, in a 2–2 draw with the Irish.
of the Football League First Division
for a fee of £150. Davies had been keen to join Liverpool
who were anxious to acquire his services, but his former Wrexham team-mate, Bob Evans
, who had joined Blackburn two years previously, persuaded him to join Rovers.
He made his debut for Blackburn in a reserves match in typical fashion, scoring a hat-trick
; a local report said "Tinker got three goals and in two of them put the goalkeeper in as well".
In the 1906 edition of "Association Football and the Men Who Made It", Davies was described as "a snapper up of trifles (who) snatched at goals with greedy delight".
In November 1908, he scored four goals in two consecutive matches; the first occasion came at Goodison Park
on 21 November when Everton
were 4–1 up with twenty minutes left to play, when Davies' "whirlwind" scoring brought the scores level by full-time. He was Blackburn's top scorer in three of the eight seasons he spent at Ewood Park
: 1907–08 (9 goals), 1908–09 (21 goals) and 1910–11 (16 goals).
Davies was recalled to the Welsh team for the 1908 British Home Championship
; in the match against England
on 16 March. Davies scored his first international goal, a consolation goal scored in the 90th minute of a 7–1 defeat. In this match, the Wales goalkeeper, Leigh Roose, left the field after being injured in the 15th minute following a shoulder-charge by Vivian Woodward
; Charlie Morris
took over in goal until half-time, when Dai Davies
came on as a substitute 'keeper.
The following season, Davies scored twice in a 3–2 victory over Scotland
; this was his first win for Wales.
Davies was seriously injured midway through the 1909–10 season causing him to miss the latter half of the season including the international matches, but he returned the following season and continued to be a regular member of the Blackburn team. During the 1911–12 season, he was now reaching the end of his career but still made eleven appearances, scoring twice, to help Blackburn win the Football League title for the first time.
as motor engineers. Davies retired from football in April 1913 to concentrate on his business.
During the First World War, he was stationed in Malta
with the Mechanical Transport Corps
.
Blackburn Rovers
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
footballer who played as a centre forward for Wrexham and Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
in the era prior to World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
as well as making eleven appearances for 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...
.
Early life
Davies was born in WrexhamWrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
and was trained as a tinsmith
Tinsmith
A tinsmith, or tinner or tinker or tinplate worker, is a person who makes and repairs things made of light-coloured metal, particularly tinware...
, thus earning the nickname "Tinker
Tinker
A tinker was originally an itinerant tinsmith, who mended household utensils. The term "tinker" became used in British society to refer to marginalized persons...
", which he was to retain for the rest of his life. He played football as an amateur with various clubs in the Wrexham area; whilst he was with Wrexham Victoria of the Chester and District League, he gained a reputation as a prolific goal-scorer.
Wrexham
He was signed by Wrexham, then playing in The CombinationThe Combination
The Combination was a minor league during the early days of English football. It had two incarnations; the first ran only for the 1888–89 season for teams across the Northern England and the Midlands, and was wound up before completion. The second was created for the 1890–91 season, but disbanded...
, in 1902. Davies was described as a "short, dogged player, full of dash and determination", who had a reputation for charging the goalkeeper; in one Welsh Cup
Welsh Cup
The Welsh Cup is a knock-out football competition contested annually by teams from Wales.The Football Association of Wales is the organising body of this competition, which has been run every year since its inception in 1877-78...
match, he bundled the goalkeeper into the net five times.
In his first season with Wrexham, he helped the club reach the final of the Welsh Cup, where they defeated Aberaman
Aberaman Athletic F.C.
Aberaman Athletic Football Club is a Welsh football club that currently play in the Welsh Football League Division One. Their ground is situated on Cardiff Road, Aberdare, between the suburb of Aberaman and the village of Abercwmboi....
8–0, with Davies being one of four players who scored twice. Two years later, Wrexham again won the cup, with Davies once more being on the score-sheet in a 3–0 victory over Aberdare Athletic
Aberdare Athletic F.C.
Aberdare Athletic Football Club were a Welsh football club founded in 1893 and based in Aberdare. They joined the Football League in 1921 but were replaced by Torquay United after failing to be re-elected in 1927.-History:...
.
Shortly before the 1903 Welsh Cup final, Davies was called up to represent 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...
against Ireland at Solitude Ground, Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
in the last Wales match in the 1903 British Home Championship
1903 British Home Championship
The 1903 British Home Championship was an international football tournament between the British Home Nations.Unusually, the trophy was shared by three of the Home Nations all of whom scored four points. At the time, goal difference was not used to differentiate teams...
– the match ended in a 2–0 victory for the Irish. His second match for Wales came two years later, in a 2–2 draw with the Irish.
Blackburn Rovers
In the summer of 1905, he was signed by Blackburn RoversBlackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
of the 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....
for a fee of £150. Davies had been keen to join Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
who were anxious to acquire his services, but his former Wrexham team-mate, Bob Evans
Bob Evans (footballer born 1881)
Robert Owen "Bob" Evans was a Welsh international professional footballer who won ten caps for his country and made 107 appearances in the Football League playing for Blackburn Rovers and Birmingham. He played as a goalkeeper.-Career:Evans was born in Wrexham. He played local football before...
, who had joined Blackburn two years previously, persuaded him to join Rovers.
He made his debut for Blackburn in a reserves match in typical fashion, scoring a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
; a local report said "Tinker got three goals and in two of them put the goalkeeper in as well".
In the 1906 edition of "Association Football and the Men Who Made It", Davies was described as "a snapper up of trifles (who) snatched at goals with greedy delight".
In November 1908, he scored four goals in two consecutive matches; the first occasion came at Goodison Park
Goodison Park
Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
on 21 November when Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
were 4–1 up with twenty minutes left to play, when Davies' "whirlwind" scoring brought the scores level by full-time. He was Blackburn's top scorer in three of the eight seasons he spent at Ewood Park
Ewood Park
Ewood Park is a football stadium in the English town of Blackburn, Lancashire, and is the home of Blackburn Rovers Football Club — one of the founder members of the Football League and Premier League. Rovers have played there since they moved from Leamington Street in the summer of 1890. The...
: 1907–08 (9 goals), 1908–09 (21 goals) and 1910–11 (16 goals).
Davies was recalled to the Welsh team for the 1908 British Home Championship
1908 British Home Championship
The 1908 British Home Championship was an annual football competition played between the British Home Nations during the second half of the 1907–08 season...
; in the match against England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
on 16 March. Davies scored his first international goal, a consolation goal scored in the 90th minute of a 7–1 defeat. In this match, the Wales goalkeeper, Leigh Roose, left the field after being injured in the 15th minute following a shoulder-charge by Vivian Woodward
Vivian Woodward
Vivian John Woodward was an English amateur football player who enjoyed the peak of his career in the late 1900s and early 1910s.-Club career:...
; Charlie Morris
Charlie Morris
Charles Richard "Charlie" Morris was a professional footballer, who played for Derby County and Huddersfield Town as a full back. He also played international football for Wales on 27 occasions.-Family:...
took over in goal until half-time, when Dai Davies
Dai Davies (footballer born 1880)
David "Dai" Davies was a Welsh rugby union, professional rugby league, and association football player of the 1890s, 1900s and '10s who at club level played rugby union for Llanelli RFC, at representative level played rugby league for Wales, and Lancashire, and at club level for Swinton , and...
came on as a substitute 'keeper.
The following season, Davies scored twice in a 3–2 victory over Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
; this was his first win for Wales.
Davies was seriously injured midway through the 1909–10 season causing him to miss the latter half of the season including the international matches, but he returned the following season and continued to be a regular member of the Blackburn team. During the 1911–12 season, he was now reaching the end of his career but still made eleven appearances, scoring twice, to help Blackburn win the Football League title for the first time.
Retirement and later life
Davies was married to the daughter of a director of Blackburn FC. In 1910, with the proceeds of a benefit match, he went into partnership with his Blackburn team-mate Bob CromptonBob Crompton
Robert "Bob" Crompton was an English professional footballer. He spent the entirety of his career with his hometown club, Blackburn Rovers...
as motor engineers. Davies retired from football in April 1913 to concentrate on his business.
During the First World War, he was stationed in Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
with the Mechanical Transport Corps
Royal Army Service Corps
The Royal Army Service Corps was a corps of the British Army. It was responsible for land, coastal and lake transport; air despatch; supply of food, water, fuel, and general domestic stores such as clothing, furniture and stationery ; administration of...
.
International appearances
Davies made a total of 11 appearances for Wales in international matches, scoring five goals, as follows:| Date | Venue | Opponent | Result | Goals | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 March 1903 | Solitude Ground, Belfast Belfast Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly... |
0–2 | 0 | British Home Championship 1903 British Home Championship The 1903 British Home Championship was an international football tournament between the British Home Nations.Unusually, the trophy was shared by three of the Home Nations all of whom scored four points. At the time, goal difference was not used to differentiate teams... |
|
| 8 April 1905 | Solitude Ground, Belfast | 2–2 | 0 | British Home Championship 1905 British Home Championship The 1905 British Home Championship was an international football tournament between the British Home Nations. It was competed in the second half of the 1904–05 football season and saw England win the championship for the third time in a row with two victories and a draw... |
|
| 7 March 1908 | Dens Park Dens Park Dens Park is a football stadium located on Dens Road in Dundee, Scotland. The stadium is the home of Dundee F.C. and has a capacity of 12,085... , Dundee Dundee Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea... |
1–2 | 0 | British Home Championship 1908 British Home Championship The 1908 British Home Championship was an annual football competition played between the British Home Nations during the second half of the 1907–08 season... |
|
| 16 March 1908 | Racecourse Ground Racecourse Ground The Glyndŵr University Racecourse Stadium AKA The Racecourse Ground is a stadium located in Wrexham, North Wales. It is the home of Wrexham F.C. and, since 2010, the Crusaders Rugby League team who play in the engage Super League... , Wrexham Wrexham Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England... |
1–7 | 1 | British Home Championship | |
| 1 March 1909 | Racecourse Ground, Wrexham | 3–2 | 2 | British Home Championship 1909 British Home Championship The 1909 British Home Championship was an international football tournament between the British Home Nations. England dominated the competition with three wins over their opponents. When placed in the context of their overseas tours to Europe in 1908 and 1909, this made a run of ten victories for... |
|
| 15 March 1909 | City Ground City Ground The City Ground is a football stadium in the West Bridgford area of Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, on the banks of the River Trent. It has been home to Nottingham Forest Football Club since 1898, and has a capacity of 30,602 .... , Nottingham Nottingham Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group... |
0–2 | 0 | British Home Championship | |
| 20 March 1909 | Solitude Ground, Belfast | 3–2 | 0 | British Home Championship | |
| 28 January 1911 | Windsor Park Windsor Park Windsor Park is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the home ground of Linfield F.C. and the Northern Ireland national football team. It is also where the Irish Cup and Irish League Cup finals are played.-History:... , Belfast |
2–1 | 1 | British Home Championship 1911 British Home Championship The 1911 British Home Championship was an international football tournament played between the British Home Nations. After a close competition between England, Scotland and Wales, England won by a single point... |
|
| 6 March 1911 | Ninian Park Ninian Park Ninian Park was a football stadium in Leckwith, Cardiff, Wales. Until 2009, it was the home ground of Cardiff City F.C., who compete in the English Football League Championship... , Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
2–2 | 0 | British Home Championship | |
| 13 March 1911 | The Den, London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... |
0–3 | 0 | British Home Championship | |
| 13 April 1912 | Ninian Park, Cardiff | 2–3 | 1 | British Home Championship 1912 British Home Championship The 1912 British Home Championship was a football competition played between the British Home Nations during the second half of the 1911–12 season. England and Scotland shared the trophy after both beat Wales and Ireland and then drew the deciding match at Hampden Park. Ireland took third... |
|
Honours
Wrexham- Welsh CupWelsh CupThe Welsh Cup is a knock-out football competition contested annually by teams from Wales.The Football Association of Wales is the organising body of this competition, which has been run every year since its inception in 1877-78...
winners: 1903, 1905
Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
- Football League champions: 1911–12