Harold Davis (footballer)

Harold Davis
Personal information
Full nameHarold Davis
Date of birth10 May 1933
Place of birthScotland
Playing positionWing half
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1950–1956East Fife
1956–1964Rangers168(8)
1964–1965Partick Thistle22(0)
Teams managed
1965–1968Queen's Park
1970–1971Queen of the South
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Harold Davis (born 10 May 1933) is a Scottish former professional football player who is best known for his time with Rangers.[1]

Player

East Fife

Davis began his senior career at Scot Symon's East Fife and quickly gained praise as a tough tackling, no-nonsense defender but he was drafted for national service in 1951 and joined the Black Watch. Whilst in the army he fought and was seriously injured during the Korean War in the 1950s.[2] He spent almost two years in hospital recovering from the injuries he sustained.

Rangers

By chance a physiotherapist working at his hospital was ex Rangers David Kinnear. Kinnear returned Rangers as a trainer and recommended Davis to then manager, Scot Symon, who had moved there from East Fife. Upon Davis' recovery Symon brought him to Ibrox.[3]

During his time at Rangers he played in the 1961 European Cup Winners Cup final defeat to Fiorentina. The match was lost 4–1 on aggregate. Davis made 261 appearances for Rangers and scored thirteen goals for the club from his debut on 24 November 1956, against Aberdeen.

Partick Thistle

He left in 1964 and joined Partick Thistle for one season.

Coach and manager

Queens Park and Rangers

He became trainer at Queen's Park.

He then returned to Ibrox under Davie White in the late 1960s. However, he was sacked the summer of 1970 along with Kinnear and Laurie Smith, after Willie Waddell decided to bring in Jock Wallace to assist him.

Queen of the South and Dundee

Davis became manager at Dumfries club Queen of the South for the 1970–71 season working with players such as Allan Ball, Iain McChesney and Jocky Dempster. Things did not work out at Palmerston Park and he was replaced by Jim Easton.

He later joined re-joined White at Dundee in 1973.

References

  1. "The forgotten hero of a forgotten war". SCOTSMAN.COM. 11 November 2006.
  2. "Last Action Hero". Rangers official website. October 2007.