Dai Davies
Encyclopedia
William David Davies, better known as Dai Davies (born 1 April 1948 in Glanaman, Wales
), is a former professional footballer
, who played in goal between 1969 and 1987. He made 52 appearances for the Wales national football team
, and played for Everton
, Wrexham (twice), Tranmere Rovers
and three spells at Swansea City
.
for 'David
') was born in Glanamman
in the Amman valley
on 1 April 1948. His father was a coal miner and an amateur footballer, who had trials with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sheffield United.
Dai 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 rugby union
, appearing for West Wales School in the Second Row
, alongside such Welsh rugby greats as Paul Ringer
, Barry Llywelyn, Peter Nicholas and Selwyn Williams. He finished playing rugby when the local football club he played for, Ammanford United, lost 4-0, with Davies being at fault for all four goals, after playing a full rugby match a few hours earlier.
Davies played schoolboy 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. In 1970, the town of Swansea
gained city status, and the club changed its name to Swansea City
, to match.
) 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, Dai Davies signed for First Division
Everton
, then Football League champions in December 1970 for £40,000. He played for Everton for 7 seasons.
In 1977, Davies moved to Wrexham
, and in his first season with the club, Wrexham experienced their lowest number of defeats in a season on their way to winning the Football League Division Three title. In 1981 he returned to play for Swansea, and then in 1983 he joined Tranmere Rovers
as player-coach. Davies then retired, before returning to play for Bangor City in the 1985–86 European Cup Winners' Cup.
He then returned to Wrexham and won a Welsh Cup
medal in 1985/86, but did not play in any further Football League games for them. Davies played 199 games in total for Wrexham, conceding a total of 210 goals (an average of 1.06 goals a game), and kept 63 'clean sheets'.
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.
was published first in Welsh, where it bore the title Hanner Cystal a' Nhad ('Half the Man my Father Was') 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 Mold, Flintshire
, and is a football commentator on S4C
, in both English
and Welsh
. Still a qualified teacher, he often works as a supply teacher. He runs a natural healing centre in Llangollen
, North Wales, specialising in herbal remedies, remedial massage, muscle work, pilates
and reiki
.
In November 2008, he sold more than 30 items at Bonhams
auctioneers in Chester, with the highest-priced item - a 1980-81 full Welsh international cap - fetching £1,200. A 1982-83 full Welsh international cap sold for £1,140, and a swapped Scotland
shirt worn by Graham Souness sold for £1,020.
Davies is also a Druid, having been initiated into the Welsh Gorsedd
of Bards (Gorsedd y Beirdd Ynys Prydain) in 1978.
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...
), is a former professional footballer
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 in goal between 1969 and 1987. He made 52 appearances for the Wales national football team
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...
, and played for 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...
, Wrexham (twice), Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system...
and three spells at Swansea City
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
.
Background
David 'Dai' Davies ('Dai' being the Welsh diminutiveDiminutive
In language structure, a diminutive, or diminutive form , is a formation of a word used to convey a slight degree of the root meaning, smallness of the object or quality named, encapsulation, intimacy, or endearment...
for 'David
David
David was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible and, according to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, an ancestor of Jesus Christ through both Saint Joseph and Mary...
') was born in Glanamman
Glanamman
Glanaman is a small town lying on the River Amman in Carmarthenshire, Wales. It has a population of around 2,000 people...
in the Amman valley
River Amman
The River Amman is a river of south Wales, which joins the River Loughor at Pantyffynnon. The river gives its name to the town of Ammanford and the villages of Pontamman, Glanaman, Brynamman and Rhosaman. Garnant and Betws also lie in the Amman Valley....
on 1 April 1948. His father was a coal miner and an amateur footballer, who had trials with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sheffield United.
Dai 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
Ammanford A.F.C.
Ammanford A.F.C. is a football club from Ammanford, Carmarthenshire in Wales, formed by a merger of Ammanford Town and Ammanford Athletic in 1992. They are members of the Welsh Football League and currently play in the Welsh Football League Division Two...
adult team at just 15.
In school, Davies played both football and rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
, appearing for West Wales School in the Second Row
Second Row
Second Row may refer to:* Second Row , a name for the two lock positions in rugby union* Second Row , a name for the two second-row forward positions in rugby league...
, alongside such Welsh rugby greats as Paul Ringer
Paul Ringer
Paul Ringer is a Welsh former dual-code international rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who at representative level has played rugby union for Wales, and at club level for Ebbw Vale RFC, Llanelli RFC, and Leicester, playing at Flanker, i.e...
, Barry Llywelyn, Peter Nicholas and Selwyn Williams. He finished playing rugby when the local football club he played for, Ammanford United, lost 4-0, with Davies being at fault for all four goals, after playing a full rugby match a few hours earlier.
Davies played schoolboy 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
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
. He signed for Swansea Town
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
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. In 1970, the town of Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
gained city status, and the club changed its name to Swansea City
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
, to match.
Footballing career
The Swansea youth team (which also featured Giorgio ChinagliaGiorgio Chinaglia
Giorgio Chinaglia is a former football striker from Italy. He grew up and played his early football in Cardiff, Wales and began his career with Swansea Town in 1964. A year later at age 19, Chinaglia returned to Italy to play for Massese, and then Internapoli, before joining S.S. Lazio in 1969...
) had an excellent run in the English Youth Cup, losing to Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
' youth team in the fourth round. Davies was spotted by an Everton scout, and after just over a year at 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...
Swansea City, Dai Davies signed for 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....
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...
, then Football League champions in December 1970 for £40,000. He played for Everton for 7 seasons.
In 1977, Davies moved to Wrexham
Wrexham A.F.C.
Wrexham Football Club are a professional football team based in Wrexham, north-east Wales, who play in the English football pyramid.Founded in 1872, they are one of the oldest surviving football clubs in Britain and the oldest professional club in Wales...
, and in his first season with the club, Wrexham experienced their lowest number of defeats in a season on their way to winning the Football League Division Three title. In 1981 he returned to play for Swansea, and then in 1983 he joined Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system...
as player-coach. Davies then retired, before returning to play for Bangor City in the 1985–86 European Cup Winners' Cup.
He then returned to Wrexham and won a 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...
medal in 1985/86, but did not play in any further Football League games for them. Davies played 199 games in total for Wrexham, conceding a total of 210 goals (an average of 1.06 goals a game), and kept 63 'clean sheets'.
Davies made his Welsh international debut on 16 April 1975 against Hungary
Hungary national football team
The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
, 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
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
on 2 June 1982.
After retirement from football
Dai Davies's autobiographyAutobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
was published first in Welsh, where it bore the title Hanner Cystal a' Nhad ('Half the Man my Father Was') 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
Pun
The pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use and abuse of homophonic,...
.
Davies was a part-owner of a Welsh book and craft shop (Siop y Siswrn) in Mold, Flintshire
Mold, Flintshire
Mold is a town in Flintshire, North Wales, on the River Alyn. It is the administrative seat of Flintshire County Council, and was also the county town of Clwyd from 1974 to 1996...
, and is a football commentator on S4C
S4C
S4C , currently branded as S4/C, is a Welsh television channel broadcast from the capital, Cardiff. The first television channel to be aimed specifically at a Welsh-speaking audience, it is the fifth oldest British television channel .The channel - initially broadcast on...
, in both English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
. Still a qualified teacher, he often works as a supply teacher. He runs a natural healing centre in Llangollen
Llangollen
Llangollen is a small town and community in Denbighshire, north-east Wales, situated on the River Dee and on the edge of the Berwyn mountains. It has a population of 3,412.-History:...
, North Wales, specialising in herbal remedies, remedial massage, muscle work, pilates
Pilates
Pilates is a physical fitness system developed in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates in Germany, the UK and the USA. As of 2005, there were 11 million people practicing the discipline regularly and 14,000 instructors in the United States....
and reiki
Reiki
is a spiritual practice developed in 1922 by Japanese Buddhist Mikao Usui. The teaching was continued and adapted by various teachers. It uses a technique commonly called palm healing as a form of complementary and alternative medicine and is sometimes classified as oriental medicine by some...
.
In November 2008, he sold more than 30 items at Bonhams
Bonhams
Bonhams is a privately owned British auction house founded in 1793. It is the third largest auctioneer after Sotheby's and Christie's, and conducts around 700 auctions per year. It has 700 employees....
auctioneers in Chester, with the highest-priced item - a 1980-81 full Welsh international cap - fetching £1,200. A 1982-83 full Welsh international cap sold for £1,140, and a swapped Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
shirt worn by Graham Souness sold for £1,020.
Davies is also a Druid, having been initiated into the Welsh Gorsedd
Gorsedd
A gorsedd plural gorseddau, is a community or coming together of modern-day bards. The word is of Welsh origin, meaning "throne". It is occasionally spelled gorsedh , or goursez in Brittany....
of Bards (Gorsedd y Beirdd Ynys Prydain) in 1978.
External links
- Dai Davies fan site - includes the first 3 chapters of his autobiography