http://www.swanseacity.com SWANSEA CITY v WEST BROMWICH ALBIONT
hroughout his 16-year
professional career, goalkeeper
Dai Davies had a seemingly
inseparable link with Swansea
City.
Davies made his first-team debut for
the Swans away to Chesterfield on the
final day of the 1969-70 season, and
lined up in eight league matches at the
start of the following campaign as the
club embarked on a record-equalling
19-game unbeaten run.
The shot-stopper moved to Everton in
1970 but returned to the Vetch on loan
just over three years later, playing a
further six league games for the
Swans.
He then re-signed permanently from
Wrexham in 1981 and made 71 league
appearances in his third and final spell
in south Wales, before leaving for
Tranmere Rovers two years later.
Another lasting connection throughout
Davies’ career was with the Welsh
national team. Having represented the
Dragons at schoolboy level, he also
won four caps for the under-23 side
before spending seven years in the
senior squad.
Shortly before he made his switch
from the Swans to Everton, he kept a
clean sheet for the under-23s in a
goalless draw with England at the
Racecourse Ground, where the home
side included future Wales and Swans
managers Terry Yorath and John
Toshack in their starting XI.
Davies’ debut for the Welsh senior side
came against Hungary in April 1975,
with Toshack and John Mahoney
scoring in a 2-1 win in Budapest. It
was the start of an incredible run that
would see the goalkeeper miss just six
of Wales’ next 57 internationalsbetween 1975 and 1982, while his first
international clean sheet came in a 1-0
victory over Northern Ireland in the
British Home Championships the
following year.
Wales were runners-up in the British
Home Championships in three
consecutive years between 1977 and- Davies played in all nine fixtures
during that time and keeping five clean
sheets, with his most notable one
coming in the Dragons’ memorable 1-
0 victory over England at Wembley.
When Davies started in the 2-0
success over Scotland at Vetch Field in
May 1981, he made history by
becoming his nation’s most-capped
goalkeeper.
After finishing on 52 caps, his record
has since been surpassed by two
goalkeepers in current number one
Wayne Hennessey and the legendary
Neville Southall, who still holds the
national appearance record with 92
caps between 1982 and 1997.
Davies’ final appearance for Wales
came in a 4-4 draw against Yugoslavia
in December 1982 – one of eight caps
earned while under contract with the
Swans. He conceded just 51 goals
during seven years between the sticks
for his country.
Of his 354 appearances in the Football
League, 153 came in the top flight with
the Ammanford-born stopper playing
82 First Division matches for Everton
between 1970 and 1977, and 71 in his
third spell with the Swans between
1981 and 1983.
As well as holding the distinction of
being the first goalkeeper to represent
the Swans in the top division, he was
named the club’s joint-player of the
year along with Robbie James in 1981.
Davies’ last appearances in the Football
League came with Tranmere Rovers
during the 1983-84 season, when he
played 42 times in the Fourth Division.
Despite announcing his retirement
soon after, he returned to the game to
represent Bangor City in the 1985-86
European Cup Winners’ Cup, notably
saving a penalty against Spanish
giants Atletico Madrid at the Vicente
Calderon.
Later that season, Davies returned to
Wrexham to appear in their Welsh Cup
ties and, having previously won the
competition with them in 1978 and
with the Swans four years later, he
lifted the trophy for a third time as the
Dragons beat Kidderminster Harriers in
the final.
He finally hung up his gloves for good
during the 1986-87 campaign and,
these days, runs a natural health clinic
in Llangollen, as well as working as a
Welsh-speaking football pundit for
S4C.SWANS AND DRAGONS
ANDY GREEVES TAKES A LOOK AT THE CAREERS OF FORMER SWANSEA CITY PLAYERS WHO HAVE
ALSO TURNED OUT FOR WALES AT FULL INTERNATIONAL LEVEL.NAME: Dai Davies
SWANS CAREER: Made 113 appearances across three
different spells with the club between
1970 and 1983.
WALES CAREER: Won 52 caps between 1975 and 1982.