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A tribute to great players
from the period 1965/66 to 1979/80, particularly highlighting their appearance
in football cards. For more see the Player Pages Index. Wyn Davies A list of all of the appearances of this player in football cards in the period 1965/66 to 1979/80 appears at the foot of this page. | ||
 1966/67 A&BC Gum Footballers, No. 130  1968/69 FKS Publishers Wonderful World of Soccer Stars, No. 170  1968/69 A&BC Gum Footballers (Yellow backs), No. 42  1969/70 A&BC Gum Crinkle cuts, No. 5  1970/71 Lyons Maid Soccer Stars, No. 36  1970/71 Nabisco Footballers. No. 11  1972/73 A&BC Gum Footballers (Orange/Red backs), No. 31 |
Ronald Wyn Davies was born in 1942 in
Caernarfon, Wales. He played in the Caernarfon area as a teenager, including
for Caernarfon Town, before moving to Fourth Division Wrexham in early 1960.
In July 1961, as a 19-year old,
he signed professional terms with Wrexham. He stayed at Wrexham until a £20,000 transfer to First Division Bolton Wanderers in March 1962. He had made 55 League appearances for Wrexham, scoring 22 league goals. Interestingly, in his final match for Wrexham on 3 March 1962, he was one of three Wrexham players to score a hat-trick in the same match in a 10-1 win over Hartlepools, the first time that this had happened in a League match since the War. The 1966/67 A&BC card notes: "Bolton Wanderers centre forward. Sought after by many first division clubs, this tall powerfully-built centre forward has already been capped 15 times by Wales. Bolton's joint-top scorer last season, he is especially dangerous with his head when near goal. Height 6' 0¼". Weight 12st.". His Welsh international debut was at Cardiff on 12/10/1963. He scored his first international goal in his second appearance almost a year later against Scotland. In all he went on to make 34 international appearances, his last being in Poland in September 1973. Davies made a total of 155 League appearances for Bolton, scoring 66 League goals. However, in 1964 Bolton were relegated from the First Division. In 1965 they finished 3rd in the Second Division, but then dropped to 9th in 1965/66. In October 1966 Davies was transferred from Bolton to First Division Newcastle United. Davies has told that he earned £30 per week playing for Bolton, which increased to £50 at Newcastle. The 1967/68 A&BC card notes: "Newcastle's record signing, he cost the club £85,000 from Bolton Wanderers in October 1966. A brilliant header of the ball and rated as one of the best centre forwards in the game today". The 1968/69 FKS sticker notes: "Tall leader, especially effective in the air he turned to the paid ranks with Wrexham in April 1960. Was transferred to Bolton in March 1962 for £20,000 and cost United £80,000 in October 1966. Welsh Youth, Under-23 and 20 full honours". The 1968/69 A&BC card notes: "One of the best headers of the ball in League football, Davies joined Newcastle from Bolton Wanderers at a fee of £80,000 in October 1966. Lacked the right kind of support when he first came to Newcastle, but with good wingers, now leads the United forward line in great style". Davies was popular at St. James Park, and is still held in 'revered' status there. He was known as 'Wyn the Leap' for his jumping and heading ability, and "The Mighty Wyn", a reference to the 1968 Manfred Mann hit song 'The Mighty Quinn'. In his first season there Newcastle narrowly missed relegation, finishing 20th. In subsequent seasons they finished 10th, 9th, 7th and 12th. In May/June 1969 Davies played in both legs of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup Final, resulting in an aggregate 6-2 win for Newcastle over Upjest Dozsa, a significant and major trophy for United. The 1971 Lyons Maid card notes: "Wyn hit four Fairs Cup goals as Newcastle stormed to their first European trophy win last summer. As a boy, Wyn wanted to be a plumber, but he decided to accept Wrexham's offer and became a professional footballer. Later Bolton signed him but, following their relegation to the Second Division, he moved to Newcastle for £80,000 in 1966." The 1970 Nabisco card notes "Wyn's red head is one of the most feared in football. Wales and Newcastle both use it as a focal point for their attacking strategies, his delicately executed flicks creating as many goals for colleagues as he scores directly himself." In May 1971 Newcastle paid Luton Town £180,000 for Malcolm MacDonald. In August 1971 Newcastle United sold the 29-year old Davies to Manchester City for £52,500. He had made a total of 181 League appearances for Newcastle. The 1972/73 A&BC card notes "Rated as one of the transfer bargains of the 1971 close season, Davies joined Manchester City from Newcastle for £60,000 and has been in great goalscoring form with his new club. Tall and powerful, he is one of the best headers of a ball in the world, and cost Newcastle £100,000 from Bolton...". Davies had scored only two League goals in the 1970/71 season for Newcastle, perhaps explaining their reason for making the sale. In September 1972 Davies moved across Manchester from City to United for £60,000, making way for Rodney Marsh in the City side. He had made 45 appearances for City, and was to make only 16 for United before being transferred to Second Division Blackpool at the end of the 1972/73 season. He stayed two seasons at the Tangerines, though spent some of that time on loan to Crystal Palace (3 games at the start of the 1974/75 season as Palace adapted to life in the Third Division). In August 1975 Wyn Davies was transferred again, this time to Stockport County in the Fourth Division. He made 30 League appearances for Stockport in that season, ending up tied top scorer with 7 goals. At the end of the season he was transferred to Crewe. Davies retired from League football in 1978, essentially because of injuries, though he had racked up an impressive 576 League appearances over 18 years. His final League appearance was on April 28, 1978 at Stockport County as Crewe won 2-1, Davies scoring one of the goals. In his retirement Wyn Davies worked as a baker in Bolton. A great centre-forward, magnificent during the mid to late 60s, Wyn Davies typifies the style of centre-forward being increasingly sought by the big clubs today. |
 1967/68 A&BC Gum Star Players, No. 55  1969/70 FKS Publishers Wonderful World of Soccer Stars, No. 186  1969/70 A&BC Gum Footballers (Green backs), No. 57  1970/71 A&BC Gum Footballers (Orange backs), No. 154  1970/71 FKS Publishers Wonderful World of Soccer Stars, No. 216  1972/73 FKS Publishers Wonderful World of Soccer Stars, No. 170 |
|
Football cards issued in the period 1965/66 to 1979/80 (note: this is an incomplete list, and will updated as new information is obtained). |
| Season | Maker | Set | Team | Card ref. |
| 1966/67 | A&BC Gum | Footballers, Series 2 (111-220) | Bolton Wanderers | 130 of 220 |
| 1967/68 | A&BC Gum | Star Players | Newcastle United | 55 of 55 |
| 1967/68 | FKS Publishers | The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars | Newcastle United | 170 of 330 |
| 1967/68 | IPC Magazines / Fleetway | Lion & Champion Album of Soccer Stars | Newcastle United | 40 of 110 |
| 1967/68 | Typhoo Tea | International Football Stars, Premium Issue | Newcastle United | |
| 1967/68 | Typhoo Tea | International Football Stars, 1st series | Newcastle United | 7 of 24 |
| 1968/69 | A&BC Gum | Footballers, Yellow backs, Series 1 (001-054) | Newcastle United | 42 |
| 1968/69 | FKS Publishers | The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars | Newcastle United | 170 of 330 |
| 1968/69 | Longacre Press | Charles Buchan World Stars | Wales | |
| 1969/70 | A&BC Gum | Football Facts, Green backs, Series 1 (001-064) | Newcastle United | 57 |
| 1969/70 | A&BC Gum | Footballers, B&W, crinkle cut (01-18) | Newcastle United | |
| 1969/70 | Anglo Confectionery | Football Quiz | Newcastle United | |
| 1969/70 | FKS Publishers | The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars | Newcastle United | 186 of 330 |
| 1969/70 | The Sun | Footballers | Newcastle United | |
| 1970/71 | A&BC Gum | Footballer pin-up posters | Newcastle United | |
| 1970/71 | A&BC Gum | Footballers transparencies | Newcastle United | |
| 1970/71 | A&BC Gum | Footballers, Orange backs, Series 2 (085-169) | Newcastle United | 154 |
| 1970/71 | B.A.B. Products | Footballers (shields) | Newcastle United | |
| 1970/71 | Barratt & Co | Goldflake Famous Sportsmen | Newcastle United | |
| 1970/71 | FKS Publishers | The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars | Newcastle United | 216 of 420 |
| 1970/71 | Lyons Maid | Soccer Stars | Newcastle United | 36 |
| 1970/71 | Nabisco | Footballers (Nabisco Foods Ltd.) | Wales | |
| 1970/71 | Nabisco | Footballers (Nabisco Foods) | Wales | |
| 1971/72 | A&BC Gum | Footballers, Purple backs, Series 3 (220-290) | Manchester City | 280 |
| 1971/72 | Marshall Cavendish | Book of Football Top Teams | Manchester City | 164 of 364 |
| 1972/73 | A&BC Gum | Footballers, Orange/Red backs | Manchester City | |
| 1972/73 | Americana | Soccer parade | Manchester City | 176 |
| 1972/73 | Barratt & Co | Soccer Stars | Manchester United | 48 (variant) |
| 1972/73 | Barratt & Co | Soccer Stars | Manchester City | 48 |
| 1972/73 | FKS Publishers | The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars | Manchester City | 170 of 330 |
| 1972/73 | Top Sellers | Football 72 | Newcastle United | 233 |
| 1973/74 | Top Sellers | Football 73 | Manchester City | 193 |
| 1974/75 | Top Sellers | Football 74 | Manchester United | 206 |
| 1978/79 | The Sun | Soccercards | Wales | 238 of 1000 |