:John Price Davies
{{Short description|Welsh footballer (1862–1955)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = John Davies
| image =
| caption =
| fullname = John Price Davies
| birth_date = 1862
| birth_place = Ruabon, Wales
| death_date = {{death date|1955|03|31|df=y}}
| death_place = Wrexham, Wales
| height =
| position = Forward / Half back
| years1 = 1878–1879
| clubs1 = Corwen
| caps1 =
| goals1 =
| years2 = 1879–1881
| clubs2 = Berwyn Rangers
| caps2 =
| goals2 =
| years3 = 1881–1884
| clubs3 = Druids
| caps3 =
| goals3 =
| years4 = 1884–1886
| clubs4 = Wrexham Olympic
| caps4 =
| goals4 =
| years5 = 1886–1887
| clubs5 = Wrexham Cambrian
| caps5 =
| goals5 =
| years6 = 1887–1889
| clubs6 = Vale of Llangollen
| caps6 =
| goals6 =
| years7 = 1889–1890
| clubs7 = Wynnstay
| caps7 =
| goals7 =
| years8 = 1890–1892
| clubs8 = Ruabon
| caps8 =
| goals8 =
| nationalyears1 = 1883
| nationalteam1 = Wales
| nationalcaps1 = 2
| nationalgoals1 = 0
}}
John Price Davies (1862 – 31 March 1955) was a Welsh footballer who played as either a forward or half back for various clubs, including Druids and Berwyn Rangers in the 1870s and 1880s. He also made two appearances for Wales in 1883.
Football career
Davies was born in Ruabon, but started his football career at Corwen in 1878. The following year he joined Berwyn Rangers of Llangollen, where he played for two years before moving to Druids in 1881.{{cite book |title=Who's Who of Welsh International Soccer Players |last1=Davies |first1=Gareth |last2=Garland |first2=Ian |year=1991|publisher=Bridge Books |isbn=1-872424-11-2|page=39}} In 1882, he was a member of the Druids team which won the Welsh Cup with a 5–0 victory over Northwich Victoria (two goals each from Charles Ketley and Edward Bowen).{{cite web|title=Druids 5 – 0 Northwich Victoria|url=http://www.wfda.co.uk/welshcup_final_detail.php?id=5|work=Welsh Cup Final 1882|publisher=Welsh Football Data Archive|accessdate=16 December 2011|date=8 April 1882}}
In 1882–83, Druids had their best run in the FA Cup. After victories over Oswestry Town and Northwich Victoria in the first two rounds, they were drawn against Bolton Wanderers. After two draws, the clubs met for a second replay at Wrexham's Racecourse Ground on 29 January 1883; a single goal from Jack Vaughan was sufficient to see the Druids through. They then defeated another Bolton-based club, Eagley, before being defeated 4–1 on 24 February 1883 at Blackburn Olympic, who went on to win the trophy a month later.{{cite book | title= The Complete Record of the FA Cup|last= Collett|first= Mike |year= 2003|publisher= Sports Books|isbn=1-899807-19-5|page=279}}
His international debut came on 3 February 1883, when he was one of four Druids players selected to play (as a forward) against England at the Kennington Oval, London.{{cite web|title=England 5 – 0 Wales|url=http://www.wfda.co.uk/international_details.php?id=13|publisher=Welsh Football Data Archive|accessdate=16 December 2011|date=17 March 1883}} The England selectors had chosen an "attacking side" in an attempt to avenge defeats by Wales in the two previous meetings,{{cite book | title= Association Football in Victorian England – A History of the Game from 1863 to 1900|last= Gibbons|first= Philip |year= 2001|publisher= Upfront Publishing|isbn=1-84426-035-6|pages=69–70}} resulting in a comfortable 5–0 victory for the English, with Clement Mitchell scoring a hat-trick.{{cite web|title=England 5 – 0 Wales|url=http://www.englandstats.com/matches.php?mid=17|publisher=www.englandstats.com|accessdate=16 December 2011|date=3 February 1883}} Davies' second cap came as a half back on 17 March in a 1–1 draw with Ireland.{{cite web|title=Ireland 1 – 1 Wales|url=http://www.wfda.co.uk/international_details.php?id=15|publisher=Welsh Football Data Archive|accessdate=16 December 2011|date=17 March 1883|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170112105120/http://wfda.co.uk/international_details.php?id=15|archive-date=12 January 2017|url-status=dead}} His international appearances were summed up by the Football Association of Wales as "useful but not very ornamental".
In September 1883, he was a guest player for Wrexham when they staged the first match under floodlights in North Wales (against Oswestry) at their Grosvenor Road ground. He left the Druids in 1884 and over the next eight years he made appearances for five clubs. He was also the first secretary of the Vale of Llangollen side in 1887.{{cite book |last1=Alcock |first1=Charles |title=Football Annual |date=1887 |publisher=Wright & Co |location=London |page=141}}
Family
He was brother-in-law to fellow Welsh international, Bob Roberts.
Honours
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{EU-Football.info|4316}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Davies, John}}
Category:Footballers from Ruabon
Category:Welsh men's footballers
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:Men's association football defenders