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A Tribute To Ron Davies Wednesday, 29th May 2013 19:32
To Saints fans, nay football fans of a certain age, Ron Davies was one of the biggest stars in football and considred one of the best headers in the game.
Saints fans were saddened to hear of the death of Ron Davies in his adopted country of the USA last Friday ironically only a day short of his 71st birthday, Ron had not been in good health in the past decade and although benefit games etc were vaunted on internet message boards to provide funds to pay for medical bills, sadly there was a lot of talk and not a lot of action and it was left to a few individuals, not least our own stalwart Tijuana Tim to work quietly out of the limelight to ensure that Ron's last few years were a little more comfortable.
Ronald Tudor Davies to give him his full name and to distinguish him from Ronald Thomas Davies, a fellow welshman who had played for Saints for six years in the late 50's early 60's, joined Saints from Norwich at the start of Saints innaugral season in the top flight in 1966, he was abig hit in his first season scoring an incredible 37 goals, many being provided by wingers Terry Paine and John Sydenham, the following season he was not so prolific he only hit 28 still a superb total.
His third season once again saw him Saints leading scorer with 20, but football was changing, teams no longer played with two wingers and in general defences had tightened up and let in less goals, so this has to be viewed in perspective.
In his fourth season he was considered in his prime at 26 and although the game had as I mentioned changed and goals were not so plentiful for any team, he still was considered the master of the headed ball, in fact he was now becoming as much provider of goals as scorer, the young Mick Channon taking over the role of top scorer but benefitting from Big Ron's winning of the ball in the penalty area and knocking it down.
His greatest ever game was in 69/70 when he hit all four goals as Saints destroyed Manchester United at Old Trafford prompting United to try and buy him, nowadays he would have been prised away by promises of big wages, but back then a contract was a contract and he only found out about the offer many years later.
He continued his role at Saiints and he and the team continued to punch above their weight in the first division.
1972/73 would be his last season at Saints though as he approached 30 at the end of it, back then considered the turning of the corner age wise for professionals, he started the season well and he scored his last ever goal for Saints in a 2-2 draw away at Ipswich Town in January 1973, with new signing Paul Gilchrist breathing down his neck he sensed his days were numbered, he played his last game at home to Manchester United in the April and within a fortnight is on his way to Portsmouth for £40,000 a decent return on a player who has given such sterling service over a 7 year period.
But his last Dell goal was yet to come, in Septemeber 1974 with Saints newly relegated and winless in the old second division, POmpey arrived at the Dell, Peter Osgood was number 9 for Saints and opened the scoring before his predesessor hit a penalty for the old enemy to equalise, Ossie would have the last laugh though winning the game with 10 minutes to go.
Ron's spell at POmpey would only last a couple of more months though and he finally ended up at Old Trafford for a short cameo before he became a travelling man and plotting up at many clubs including many in what would become his adopted USA home.
He made a brief return to the Southampton area in the early 80's and played local football for teams as diverse as AFC Totton in what was the the Hampshire league and Newton Heath in the Commercial Houses Sunday League.
He then retuirned to the States to coach, initially in Florida but then relocating to New Mexico where after leaving football behind he worked in the building trade.
Ron was a legend at the Dell and truly one of the greatest players ever to pull on the famous Red & White Stripes, as he found when he moved to Old Trafford an all red shirt didnt look quite right on him, when you think of Ron you think of only one shirt, the famous round necked red & white stripes of the 60's & 70's.
I total he played 139 (1) league games scoring 134 goals, plus 19(1) FA Cup Games scoring 9 times, add to that 13 & 6 goals in the League cup and 6(2) with 4 goals in Europe and overall you have a player who played a total of 277(4) games with a magnificent 153 goals.
Rest in peace Ronald Tudor Davies, to a certain generation you will never be forgotten.
Photo: Action Images
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Footballers come and footballers go but occasionally there are one or two who truly live up to the word legend.
Ron was rightly famous for what he did and he had the goal scoring record to prove it. Unlike today when there are footballers who become celebrities by doing next to nothing in comparison.
It was my privilege to have seen Ron at the height of his powers and I thank him and Terry Paine together with John Sydenham (as his providers) for my many hours of enjoyment spent at the Dell.
Take it from one of those who saw him when I say that as a header of a ball the likes of today's Andy Carroll would not be fit to lace Ron's boots.
Footballers come and footballers go but occasionally there are one or two who truly live up to the word legend.
Ron was rightly famous for what he did and he had the goal scoring record to prove it. Unlike today when there are footballers who become celebrities by doing next to nothing in comparison.
It was my privilege to have seen Ron at the height of his powers and I thank him and Terry Paine together with John Sydenham (as his providers) for my many hours of enjoyment spent at the Dell.
Take it from one of those who saw him when I say that as a header of a ball the likes of today's Andy Carroll would not be fit to lace Ron's boots.
what sad news, he was the best player at the Dell for me. I grew up seeing him head in crosses from wingers like Tommy Jenkins and Paine. RIP and thanks for the memories
Today on hearing the news of Ron's passing I almost felt a little bit of me died. I was 13 when Ron signed for Saints and barely missed a home match over the next 5 years before going to college. So many matches, so many goals and so many wonderful memories. Gone but never forgotten. Thanks Ron and RIP. You were simply the best.
I can only echo the words of 'paankatem'....and the other contributors above...Ron was my 'schoolboy hero' and I won't forget those great times at The Dell in the late 60's...such fond memories of a very different time. He was truly a wonderful player and we won't see his like again. RIP Ron, and thank you.
Remenber him playing in Commercial Houses league and when he was getting abit of a kicking he just picked the ball up and offered to our centre half saying " If you want it that bad have it"
Hero`s shouldnt end up the way Rons life did.It`s so,so sad. He is my alltime Saints hero (Eric Martin`s 2nd). I moved my old desktop computer from home to my workshop yesterday. The last thing I did when I set it up was to put down my Ron Davies mouse matt before I turned it on. I went on the official Saints site to read the latest. It was a shock !, and there was the same picture as my mouse matt (knelt down in front of the West Stand). I remember the picture in a football book with the words : Rings on his fingers and goals in his toes.
Hero`s shouldnt end up the way Rons life did.It`s so,so sad. He is my alltime Saints hero (Eric Martin`s 2nd). I moved my old desktop computer from home to my workshop yesterday. The last thing I did when I set it up was to put down my Ron Davies mouse matt before I turned it on. I went on the official Saints site to read the latest. It was a shock !, and there was the same picture as my mouse matt (knelt down in front of the West Stand). I remember the picture in a football book with the words : Rings on his fingers and goals in his toes.
Would be interesting if anyone has any stats to hand on how many of his goals were headed ones. There is probably no record of how many assists, as we now call them, were from Paine and Sydenham. All that information would be on tap now, as every kick is analysed.
As well as being great with his head, he was quite a good passer of the ball. In those days, pitches were invariably worn out down the centre for a least half the season, which made ball control and laying-off that much harder. He usually found his man.
Just to echo the comments and pay my respects to the brilliant Ron Davies. We moved to Derby from Eastleigh back in 1966 so the majority of the matches that I saw as a youngster were away from home. The 1969 four goal demolition of Man U is still my greatest football memory, watched with my Dad and his friends from the railway works.I loved Ron's caricatures in the Echo and he made being a Saints fan in Derby a bit easier!
Yep, a school boy hero for me too, Saw him score the first Saints goal that I ever saw vs Manchester Utd in 1966...and have never forgotten. I would argue our greatest ever centre forward and a player who inspired us all. Many great goals still engraved in my mind and actually a very good player with his feet too
Fantastic partnership with Martin Chivers and later Channon. We vowed him enormous respect for his goals and his sporting example, he often carried the team single handed and had as much a role in keeping us in the First Div as MLT did in later years
I still have this picture in my mind I was right behind a cross from the right and as soon as I saw Ron leap everyone new it was in the net to open the scoring against Rosenborg in are first foray into europe. RIP Ron Davies
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