Luton – The Legends Series – Ron Davies

For the latest in our ongoing series covering those who have achieved legendary status among the support, we feature another former Luton figure who became a fans favourite.

Following on from those already covered – John Moore, David Preece, Mal Donaghy, Brian Lewis, Bruce Rioch, Fred Jardine, Brian Horton, Kevin Nicholls, Tony Read, Steve Foster, Mike Keen, Ian Buxton, Lars Elstrup, Peter Anderson, Graham French, Alan West, David Moss, Terry Branston, John Aston, Paul Futcher, John Ryan, Syd Owen, Marvin Johnson, Malcolm MacDonald, Bob Hatton, Steve Buckley,Chris Coyne, Ron Baynham, John Still, Jack Bannister, Ricky Hill, Chris Nicholl, Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, Don Givens, Gordon Turner, Brian Stein, Jesse Pye, Raddy Antic, Joe Payne, Max Dougan, Alan Slough, Ray Whittaker, Dave Pacey and Milija Aleksic

In the latest of our ongoing legends series, we’re taking a look at the career of Ron Davies, as suggested by Chris Winter.

When it comes to Ron Davies, I’ll readily admit I can remember him playing, who, as a youngster can ever forget the soaring headers Ron scored for Southampton, in the days when Match of the Day and The Big Match ruled the roost.

However, I have to own up and admit I had no knowledge of Ron playing for Luton Town as his time at Kenilworth Road came a couple of years before I was introduced to the wonderful spectacle that watching the Hatters truly is.

But I’ll also admit I did have some fun delving into the history books to unravel the facts and figures relating to the Welshman who made such an impact wherever he played.

Sometimes in football, when it comes to signing a player, risks have to be taken and it appears that is exactly what Luton Town Football Club did when they decided to sign Ron Davies.

The young Welshman had been on the books of Chester earning the sum of £3 a week as a ground staff boy. But his raw talent was obviously recognised by somebody at Kenilworth Road and a fee of £10,000 saw the 20-year-old sign on the dotted line, in October 1962, for the Hatters.

In a season that was to see Luton Town drop into the Division Three, Ron was one of the few success stories, scoring 21 goals in just 29 league appearances.

Sadly, such a goals per game ratio was always going to attract attention and less than a year after signing for the Hatters the club were unable to resist a fee of £35,000 Norwich City dangled in our direction, the irony being that Ron had scored 6 of his of those aforementioned 21 goals against the Canaries.

The rest, as they say, is history, with Ron going to have a successful career with the likes of Southampton, Manchester United and Portsmouth.

Indeed, the record books show that Ron scored a staggering 299 goals in 661 appearances, a remarkable achievement.

In the latter stages of his career, Ron was one of the pioneers of playing in the USA, playing for Los Angeles Aztecs, Tulsa Roughnecks and Seattle Sounders.

Sadly, Ron passed away while living in the USA, dying in Albuquerque on 24-May-2013, aged 70.

Ron Davies – Mini Fact File

Name – Ronald Tudor Davies

Date of Birth – 25-May-1942

Place of Birth – Hollywell, Flintshire, Wales

Height – 6 feet 0 inches

Position – Forward

Playing Career – Chester, Luton Town, Norwich City, Southampton, Portsmouth, Manchester United, Millwall (loan), Dorchester Town, Los Angeles Aztecs, Tulsa Roughnecks, Seattle Sounders,

International Career – Wales

If you feel able to share any of your thoughts or memories on the Hatters career of Ron Davies, please feel free to do so in the comment facility beneath this article.

If you can think of anyone who deserves nominating for coverage in this ongoing series, please drop their name into the comment facility beneath this article.

My thanks go to those who have already nominated faces from the past, they will all be covered, in time.

Next up in the series will be – Sandy Davie as suggested by Stu Dockree Winter.

COYH’s

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Luton Town – Continuing To Defy The Odds In The Face Of Adversity