Willie Davies (footballer)

Willie Davies
Personal information
Full name William Davies
Date of birth 16 February 1900(1900-02-16)
Place of birth Troedyrhiw, Wales
Date of death 1953
Playing position Outside-right
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1921–1924 Swansea Town 43 (4)
1924–1928 Cardiff City 87 (17)
1928–1930 Notts County 71 (9)
1930–1933 Tottenham Hotspur 109 (19)
1933–1936 Swansea Town 86 (18)
National team
1924–1930 Wales 17 (6)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

William "Willie" Davies (born 16 February 1900 in Troedyrhiw, died 1953) was a Welsh professional footballer and Wales international.

Contents

Career

Davies began his career playing for local amateur sides, joining Rhymney where he once scored 61 goals in a single season. He was signed by Swansea Town in 1921, playing in every forward position for the club before settling at outside-right. He made his Wales debut while playing for Swansea but, in 1924 with the club going through financial trouble, he moved to Cardiff City. In his first season at the club he was part of the side that reached the FA Cup Final, including scoring a goal direct from a corner-kick in the quarter-final victory over Leicester City.

Unfortunately he contracted a serious chest illness soon after and missed more than a year for the club, including missing the teams FA Cup victory in 1927. He briefly returned to the side at the start of the 1927–28 season but was sold to Notts County soon after, where he spent two years before moving on to Tottenham Hotspur. He later returned to Wales to finish his league career at Swansea.

International career

During his career, Davies won a total of 17 caps for Wales, making a goalscoring debut in a 2–0 victory over Scotland on 16 February 1924 in the 1924 British Home Championship.[1] Davies played in the remaining two matches of the championship, scoring his second international goal in a 2–1 victory over England,[2] as Wales won the tournament for the third time. He later also helped Wales win the British Home Championship for a second time in four years in 1928. His last goal for Wales came on 27 October 1928, when he scored twice in a 4–2 defeat to Scotland,[3] before winning his last cap on 1 February 1930 when he played in a 7-0 defeat to Ireland.[4]

International goals

Results list Wales' goal tally first.
Goal Date Venue Opponent Result Competition
1. 16 February 1924 Ninian Park, Cardiff, Wales  Scotland 2–0 1924 British Home Championship
2. 3 March 1924 Ewood Park, Blackburn, England  England 2–1 1924 British Home Championship
3. 1 March 1926 Selhurst Park, London, England  England 2–1 1926 British Home Championship
4. 4 February 1928 Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland  Ireland 2–1 1928 British Home Championship
5. 27 October 1928 Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow, Scotland  Scotland 2–4 1929 British Home Championship
6. 27 October 1928 Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow, Scotland  Scotland 2–4 1929 British Home Championship

Honours

Cardiff City
1925
Wales
1924, 1928

References

  1. ^ "Wales 2-0 Scotland". Welsh Football Data Archive. http://www.wfda.co.uk/international_details.php?id=121. Retrieved 2009-12-21. 
  2. ^ "England 1-2 Wales". Welsh Football Data Archive. http://www.wfda.co.uk/international_details.php?id=122. Retrieved 2009-12-21. 
  3. ^ "Scotland 4-2 Wales". Welsh Football Data Archive. http://www.wfda.co.uk/international_details.php?id=136. Retrieved 2009-12-21. 
  4. ^ "Ireland 7-0 Wales". Welsh Football Data Archive. http://www.wfda.co.uk/international_details.php?id=141. Retrieved 2009-12-21.