Dai Davies (footballer, born 1948)
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | William David Davies | ||
Date of birth | 1 April 1948 | ||
Place of birth |
Glanaman , Wales | ||
Date of death | 10 February 2021 | (aged 72)||
Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
Youth career | |||
1960-1969 | Cwmamman United | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1969–1970 | Swansea City | 9 | (0) |
1970–1977 | Everton | 82 | (0) |
1974 |
→ Swansea City (loan) | 6 | (0) |
1977–1981 | Wrexham | 144 | (0) |
1981–1983 | Swansea City | 71 | (0) |
1983–1984 | Tranmere Rovers | 42 | (0) |
1985 | Bangor City | 5 | (0) |
1986 | Wrexham | 0 | (0) |
Total | 359 | (0) | |
International career | |||
1975–1982 | Wales | 52 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
William David Davies (1 April 1948 – 10 February 2021) was a Welsh professional footballer, who played as a goalkeeper between 1969 and 1987. He made 52 appearances for the Wales national team and played for Everton, Wrexham (twice), Tranmere Rovers and at Swansea City (three spells).
Background
Born William David Davies in
Davies attended Amman Valley Grammar School, Ammanford, where he was often known affectionately as "Dai Dai". He showed ability as a goalkeeper from an extremely early age, being picked for the village under-18 team when only 12 years old, and playing for nearby Ammanford Town's adult team at just 15.
In school, Davies played both football and
Davies played for Carmarthenshire Schools FA and youth football with local clubs (Ammanford United, and then Ammanford Town) – football was not played at the local grammar school – before becoming a professional footballer at the age of 21, in 1969, after qualifying as a PE teacher. He signed for Swansea Town immediately after leaving training college, as Swansea Town were offering him £17.50 a week, while a teacher's salary at that time was just £14 a week.
Footballing career
The Swansea youth team (which also featured Giorgio Chinaglia) had an excellent run in the English Youth Cup, losing to Wolverhampton Wanderers' youth team in the fourth round. Davies was spotted by an Everton scout and, after just over a year at Third Division Swansea City, Davies signed for First Division Everton, then Football League champions, in December 1970 for £40,000. He played for Everton for seven seasons.
In 1977, Davies moved to
He then returned to Wrexham and won a
Davies made his Welsh international debut on 16 April 1975 against Hungary, and went on to miss just 6 of the next 57 Wales matches to finish with a total of 52 caps. He received 28 of his caps while playing for Wrexham. His last appearance for Wales came against France on 2 June 1982.[4]
After retirement from football
Davies's autobiography was published first in Welsh, where it bore the title Hanner Cystal a' Nhad ('Half as Good as My Father') in tribute to his father. It was later published in an English translation in 1986, by when its title had become 'Never Say Dai', a pun.
Davies was a part-owner of a Welsh book and craft shop (Siop y Siswrn) in
In November 2008, he sold more than 30 items at
Davies was also a
In August 2020, Davies was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer.[8] In February 2021, The Everton Former Players Foundation confirmed that Davies had died at the age of 72.[9]
References
- ^ a b "Introduction". Dai Davies: Wales goalkeeper. terrynorm.ic24.net. 28 September 2010. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
- ^ a b "Summary of Career". 'Wales: The Complete Who's Who of footballers since 1946', Dean P. Hayes, 2004, pages 159–161. Terrynorm.ic24.net. 28 September 2011. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
- ^ "Dai Davies". Post War English & Scottish Football League A – Z Player's Database. Neil Brown. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
- ^ International career summary and list of Wales appearances 1980–82 at Sporting Heroes
- ^ "Wales goalkeeper Dai Davies".
- ^ "Ex-keeper's memorabilia auctioned". BBC Wales. 19 November 2008. Retrieved 19 November 2008.
- ^ "The heavenly virtues: 10 pious types". The Guardian. 22 May 2009. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
- ^ "Dai Davies: Ex-Wales goalkeeper has terminal cancer". BBC. 16 August 2020.
- ^ "Dai Davies obituary: Former Wales goalkeeper dies aged 72". BBC. 10 February 2021.
- Hanner Cystal a' Nhad ('Half the Man my Father Was') – The autobiography of Wales goalkeeper Dai Davies (Published by Siop y Siswrn, Mold, Flintshire, 1984)
- Never Say Dai – English translation of Hanner Cystal a' Nhad, translated by Iorweth Roberts (Published by Siop y Siswrn, Mold, Flintshire, 1986)
External links
- Dai Davies fan site – includes the first 3 chapters of his autobiography